FEMA Muzzling Hurricane Victims From Talking To Press

[kpete]

FEMA muzzling La. trailer-park residents

By The Associated Press
07.20.06

MORGAN CITY, La. — Residents of trailer parks set up by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to house hurricane victims in Louisiana aren't allowed to talk to the press without an official escort, The (Baton Rouge) Advocate reported.

In one instance, a security guard ordered an Advocate reporter out of a trailer during an interview in Morgan City. Similar FEMA rules were enforced in Davant, in Plaquemines Parish.

FEMA spokeswoman Rachel Rodi wouldn't say whether the security guards' actions complied with FEMA policy, saying the matter was being reviewed. But she confirmed that FEMA does not allow the news media to speak alone to residents in their trailers.

"If a resident invites the media to the trailer, they have to be escorted by a FEMA representative who sits in on the interview," Rodi told the newspaper for its July 15 report. "That's just a policy."

more at:
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=17178

[mmonk]

1. Life in the new America.

Don't tell the complete truth. Say only positive things. We are watching and threatening.

[file83]

33. Or the Old Russia, same difference I guess.

So FEMA is the new KGB now, nice.

[flyarm]

2. i read something about this a couple months ago..but i can't remember

who wrote it or reported it...

so its no suprise ( it was when i read it first time)

this is just dispicable...

and it speaks volumns of what we all know about this administration..

we need more progressive reporters down there ..finding out whats going on..

and reporting it..

fly

[drthais]

28. I t was another Advocate (Baton Rouge) story

...this one about the FEMA city in Baker
which is just outside of Baton Rouge
which is maybe 8 miles from here where I am

500-something trailers
no phones, no transportation, no visitors
(unless they 'sign in')
and NO talking to the press, PERIOD

yep, it's a concentration camp
a sad, sad thing
those poor people
they can never go home
I have no idea what will ever become of them

but I know one thing
those FEMA trailers rock and roll like crazy
in a violent thunderstorm
god knows what will happen to them in a hurricane
even a tropical storm

[Jacobin]

3. freedom is on the march

:puke:

[flyarm]

4. where's randi or al frankin who loves to go all over doing shows..

hey al get down there ..right in the middle of those trailer parks..and do a dang show..now...instead of all the nicey nice shows you do on the road....go do a show that matters!

fly

[MountainLaurel]

5. Every time you think it can't get any worse

They find a way to surprise you.

:wow:

[donsu]

6. are the trailer residents being meek or speaking out anyway?

are they going out of the trailer and speaking out anyway?

or are they blackmailed into silence for fear of losing shelter?

[zippy890]

7. WTF?

They have to be escorted by a FEMA representative??

AAARRRRGGGHHHHH

So now our legislators are writing Federal Regulations regarding procedures to be followed when a person living in a FEMA property wants to talk to a reporter?!!!

This is outrageous on so many levels, all I can do is

:wtf:

[blonndee]

8. I wonder if their comings and goings are

also restricted? WTF?

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. Government "minders"

The next time the Bushetals criticize another country for their control through minders, someone hold up a mirror! :grr:

Everyday is another new 'unfuckingbelievable'

[KoKo]

10. Detention Camps... Guarded Detention Camps....

Taking advantage of people who have been through hell and treating them like
prisoners. Bush the "Prison Camp P-Resident." He won't be satisfied until the whole world suffers the wrath of his inner demons...his lack of compassion, empathy, sympathy ....and just plain common decency. And, he's attracted the worst elements in our society to his Administration. Folks who are just like him and enable him as he enables them.

[nashville_brook]

17. wow! right you are...

"He won't be satisfied until the whole world suffers the wrath of his inner demons..."

[Freddie Stubbs]

41. How is it a detention camp if people are allowed to read

I don't agree with FEMA's policy, but perhaps you are exaggerating the situation.

[rubberducky]

11. Where is Anderson Cooper??

Remember, he is going to keep them honest!!! This is so unbelievable. Our troops are being placed in harm`s to "protect our freedoms". What the hell is "free" about this??

[Skidmore]

13. Lebanon...last time I saw him he was justifying why it was okay for

the US government to drag its feet on helping US citizens evacuate that nation as opposed to why it was a problem when this occurred in NO. That guy needs to be called on his BS.

[rodeodance]

44. yes, Anderson has been disappointing lately

[Skidmore]

12. Is this the Homeland Security part of FEMA's mission?

I'm being sarcastic, but who would be the best outlet to push this into the forefront mediawise? Yo, do we have any Congresscritters not jonesing for blood and guts now who would stand up and speak for the downtrodden?

[juajen]

14. :kick:

N/T

[Bonobo]

15. Oh...my...god.... Is it Fascism yet?

[drm604]

16. This is completely illegal.

The ACLU should be involved in this. This is a blatant first amendment violation. It's not even a gray area. The government is controlling citizen's speech to the press. This is unbelievable! :wow:

[hootinholler]

21. Technically....

They are not controlling speech, just making it inconvenient. I would have the FEMA security dude evicted from my residence.

I have no idea how this can be justified, or how it is legal.

-Hoot

[Tsiyu]

18. Freedom of the press anyone?

The poor citizens of the GULF Coast have been treated like dogs.

Many FEMA officials (and employees) should be in prison for their incompetence and their neglect and their infringement on the rights of the people of that area.

Just when you think you're outraged....:grr:

[Quantess]

31. "..should be in prison for their incompetence and their neglect .."

FEMA knows it, too! They don't want word to get out about their bumbling incompetence and neglect.

[intheflow]

19. Housing & survivor advocacy group reps can't go into FEMA parks, either.

The Mississippi Center for Justice wanted to go door-to-door at FEMA parks passing out a funding list for individuals, churches & non-profits rebuilding Gulf Coast. They were denied entry to the parks. This was a couple months ago when FEMA announced that anyone who didn't have a comprehensive plan to be out of their FEMA trailers in 18 months would be evicted from their trailers. But of course, in typical FEMA logic, actually informing people in their own homes about some options to rebuild their lives was not allowable.
:banghead:

[DELUSIONAL]

20. War crimes -- oh . . . the government isn't at war with the poor?

What country is this?

I must be delusional to believe that I woke up in America -- land of the Free?? Home of the Brave??

America -- where is that illusion?

[gratuitous]

22. Oh, it's "just a policy"

See? Nothing illegal. No restriction on speech by the government. It's "just a policy." We've gone from creeping fascism to galloping fascism pretty quickly.

And it's only going to get worse until we pry their blood-soaked hands off the levers of power and reclaim our country in the name of freedom and liberty.

[newyawker99]

23. kick! This is disgusting!

:kick:


:puke:

[Bonobo]

24. I am kicking this one.

[Jazzgirl]

25. Maybe if they stand outside.....

n/t

[Auntie Bush]

26. K&R

[proud patriot]

27. Yikes , not good

[Coexist]

29. unreal.

[Bretttido]

30. That's just a policy? Sounds like it's "just against the 1st amendment"

[pitohui]

32. oh benny

he thinks if only they knew, they'd come back

he doesn't realize, so many of them are dead

i have a dead friend from buras, where katrina made landfall, and i'm sure he ain't the only one

he doesn't appear on the official lists of the dead and he never will, his wife having lost everything house business husband has gone to oklahoma and said she doesn't want any contact with anyone or anything that will remind her

one person, one story, but a lot of these people who are missing...it's because they are dead

what happened in plaquemines is beyond understanding

as for the baton rouge advocate trying to get to the bottom of things and interview people, good for them

i'm not the photographer and don't own copy right so don't copy all over the fabulous internets but this is lower plaquemines parish:




good for the advocate, if people are ready to speak out, they should be heard, fema needs to get over the world is already laughing at them, they got nothing to protect

[file83]

34. 'Bloggers' aren't considered 'the media', so maybe we should all

start interviewing the trailer residents (FEMA can escort this!!).

[Pacifist Patriot]

39. Between this and the assinine "feeding the homeless" law in Vegas...

I'm thinking massive amounts of civil disobedience are in order.

[leveymg]

35. Just another type of "free speech" zone

Goes along with the cattle pens they set up in the streets and public squares when the Dear Decider is near. What a glorious time to be an American!

[JHB]

36. Your tax dollars (plus deficit spending) at work

Glad the Bushies can focus on what's important :puke:

[oasis]

37. WWPA

What Would Putin Say?

[Solly Mack]

38. being intimidated into silence is "just policy"

We're not saying you can't talk to the media, just that if you do, we will be there and we will listen, and we will remember what you said... we're not standing over you with a gun but we are standing over you with eviction...so mind what you say...or we hold it against you

My family can speak openly and be homeless or we can keep quiet or just say what FEMA wants us to say

Oh yeah, that's freedom...

[Lasher]

40. Where will this lead?

If this is legal, then couldn't the same policy apply to all people who are living in government-provided housing? And even government-subsidized housing? What's to stop these FEMA security guards from searching one of these residences without a warrant?

If the argument is that these people do no have the same rights as others because they don't own the trailers where they reside, then what about all those who rent from others? Tenants don't have all the exact same privileges as property owners because landlords have some rights too. But I think we have stepped onto a slippery slope here.

[annabanana]

42. Just when you can't imagine a worse insult to freedom..

this crowd comes up with one. Being a victim of a hurricane does not make you a criminal. It does not make you less of a citizen.
I'm shaking I'm so mad....

[rodeodance]

43. the people belong to the "Company Store"