Iraq’s Women Suffer Under Occupation

On the way to the gym last night, I heard a chilling NPR report about honor killings in Iraq. I left class early because I couldn’t concentrate. I kept hearing Rumsfeld’s ridiculous comments about the press ignoring all the “good news” coming out of Iraq.
The NPR report by Anne Garrels, was about Fatima, a 16-year-old who was abducted with a note demanding he quit the Iraqi police or she’d be raped and killed. He quit, Fatima was returned to her family, but not spared. Fatima’s cousin, a law school graduate, pulled the trigger. “She knew the customs, but I don’t think she expected we would kill her. She was crying. It was in her eyes that she thought we would take her in our arms and say, ‘Thank God you are safe,’ but she got bullets instead,” he said in the report. The possibility that Fatima could have been raped was enough to kill her. “What really hurt us was people saying, ‘This is a curse on your family.’ Tribal customs demanded that she must be killed so that our honor will be washed, polished.”

According to the report, Iraqi law makes a distinction between murder and so-caled honor killings. If an honor killing case ever makes it to the courtroom, the murderer only serves six months to a year.

What if a man is abducted? “When a man is released, we slaughter sheep and make a party; when a woman is released, it is a disgrace.”

Here’s the report. Please pass it around.

In other “good news” coming out of Iraq, Knight Ridder reports that pregnant women are being forced to have Caesareans because checkpoints make it close to impossible to get anywhere in an emergency.

After curfew there’s even less assurance than there is during the day that Iraqis, who are ordered to stay in their homes after 11 p.m., won’t be killed by mistake. The roads are rife with checkpoints, insurgents and jumpy Iraqi and U.S. soldiers.

Dr. Iman Ibrahim, 38, who works at Saint Raphael, a private hospital in Karrada, in south-central Baghdad, said her pregnant patients came to her afraid. Two of every 10 patients ask for Caesareans to avoid the roads and about half of them ask for labor to be induced during the day.

Most women who can’t afford Caesareans opt to spend nights in the hospital waiting for their babies to push out of their wombs, or they induce labor a few days before their due dates. Some wait for the contractions, then call the police. Ambulances stop running at night.

During the upcoming elections, the roads will be closed for three days. This is what Bush calls progress.

House Spending Bill Forces Poor to Work More

and more undercovered news

Ms.: UNICEF Releases Report on Female Genital Mutilatio

IOL: Anger Over Gender Pay Disparity    

Ms.: Saudi Women Vote in First Election with Female Candidates

Bangkok Post: Abuse of Women, Children Soars

UN: Forty-Six Countries Will Miss School Gender-Equity Goal at End of Year

Chicago Tribune: High Court Upholds Waiting-Period Abortion Law

Reuters: Afghanistan: Calls for an End to Violence Against Women

AlterNet: Iraq’s Female Leaders-In-Waiting

NY Times: Plan to Dissolve Nation’s Only Public Women’s College Stirs Debate at Rutgers

Supreme Court Takes Up Abortion Case

The Supreme Court will hear arguments tomorrow in Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, a case involving a New Hampshire law that prevents doctors from performing an abortion for a young woman under 18 until 48 hours after a parent has been notified. The law prevents a doctor from treating his or her patients, even when a medical emergency threatens their health.

http://storiesinamerica.blogspot.com/…

Al Jazeera: Don’t Bomb Us

Staffers at Al Jazeera have created a new blog with a message to the Bush administration: Don’t Bomb Us.

If you’re not familiar with Al Jazeera, check out Control Room, an excellent documentary about the Iraq war, with an emphasis on Al Jazeera’s coverage.

It’s worth noting that Josh Rushing, the Centcom spokesman in Control Room, recently accepted a job with Al Jazeera.

http://storiesinamerica.blogspot.com/…

Bush Shuns Global Warming Conference

Canada’s 10-day UN climate control conference began yesterday, with 10,000 experts from 180 nations discussing how to slow the dangerous effects of greenhouse gases and global warming. Kicking off the conference, Canada’s Environment Minister Stephane Dion said climate change is the single most important environmental issue facing the world today. Guess who didn’t bother to show up?

http://storiesinamerica.blogspot.com/…

House Bill Forces the Poor to Work More

The massive budget bill that essentially starves the poor would also require some two million welfare recipients to increase their hours of work, training and community service. The cuts for food stamp, student loan and medicaid programs have been covered by the national media, but the changes in welfare requirements have been largely ignored. The bill would require welfare recipients to spend 40 hours a week in activities out of the house, substantially more than they do now.

http://storiesinamerica.blogspot.com/…

Buy Nothing Day?

Where were you at 5:00 on Friday morning?

http://storiesinamerica.blogspot.com/…

Undercovered News of the Week

In addition to working on my book about the “red state” media creation, I’m blogging about issues and stories that don’t receive the attention they deserve, with an emphasis on women’s issues:
AlterNet: Iraq’s Female Leaders-In-Waiting
NY Times: Plan to Dissolve Nation’s Only Public Women’s College Stirs Debate at Rutgers
Reuters: Liberia Elects First Woman President
BBC: Women Resist ‘Honour’ Marriages
CBS/AP: Indiana Upholds Abortion Wait Law
AlterNet: Abortion: Trouble in Numbers?
AP: Italy Addresses Political Gender Gap
The Jakarta Post: Promoting Reproductive Health Through Religion
LA Times: U.N. Says Some HIV Rates Are Decreasing
GulfNews.com: Saudi Female Candidates Call for Chamber Seat Quota

The Pro-Choice Bush Family
The SF Chronicle is running a piece that looks back at the Bush family’s support for Planned Parenthood and family planning services. The article also highlights the fact that both Barbara and Laura Bush are against overturning Roe vs. Wade. “I agree with my husband that we should try to reduce the number of abortions in our country by doing all of those things, by taking responsibility, by talking about abstinence.” Yes, pressed interviewer Katie Couric, but what about Roe vs. Wade? “No, I don’t think that it should be overturned.”

House Votes to Starve the Poor
The House’s decision to cut $700 million in food stamps will impact 235,000 people. The vote was 215-217. Fourteen Republicans, one independent and 200 Democrats voted against the bill. Congressmen Leonard Boswell of Iowa and Edolphus Towns of New York, both Democrats, failed to vote.

Working Three Jobs in South Texas

I recently returned from a six-month road trip through the so-called “red states,” where I interviewed hundreds of people about politics and why they vote the way they do. I’m in the process of transcribing my interviews.
When I arrived in Texas in late April and looked at the Election 2004 county map, I immediately noticed a small section of Democratic counties in the South, so I decided to visit to find out what makes the area different from the rest of the state. My first stop was Crystal City, located in Zavala County, where Kerry got 75 percent of the vote. Like so many rural towns, Crystal City’s main drag is full of empty storefronts and dilapidated buildings. I stopped at a small flea market and interviewed a few women who were hesitant to talk before and even during the interview; after I turned off my recorder, they wrote down their addresses and said they’d appreciate it if I would send them political magazines.

Here are excerpts from those interviews:

Sofia Munoz is a cook for early Head Start, a labor contractor in the fields and a part-time cook at a taco stand

How many hours a week do you work?

I work 40 in my regular job, 14 in my part-time job and eight, nine or sometimes 10 hours in the fields.

That’s almost 64 hours a week.

I have to make ends meet.

What do you make?

In the fields, I make $5.15 an hour; as a regular cook, I make $6.76; and at the taco stand, it’s $5.00 an hour. I work most of the time.

How long have you had those jobs?

My regular job, five years. And the other one, all my life. My parents were migrant workers and I worked there. After I got married, I continued working in the fields and raised a son. Then I got divorced and got this part-time job about three or four weeks ago. If I can work, everybody else can. There are a lot of people out there who depend on welfare and shouldn’t. We were born to fight for our rights. Still, they tell us we can’t and pay us cheap labor. We have to fight to get more money.

Do you ask for raises?

We asked for a raise, but they say we only get one percent of the cost of living. It should be three percent. Everyday they raise prices. The cost of living goes up every day. Look at the gas prices. It’s hurting everybody.

What do you pay for rent?

I pay $150 in rent and about $200 in bills. On this income, I barely make ends meet. Way back in 1974, we had a walk out because we were discriminated against and we fought for our rights. Now we want to be known. We’re equal. The only thing I get upset about is that politicians only know we’re around during election time. They should always be there for the people. You’re there because we voted for you to fight for what’s right.

Do you vote?

Yes and I want to know why we’re still at war. We want to know why. A lot of innocent people are getting killed. I vote Democrat all the time, but I feel that something went wrong.

What message would you send to politicians?

Please don’t be an opportunist. Please continue to fight for our rights and let’s do it together. If we all stand together, we can make a difference. We live in a small town, but those of us who stay informed spread the word and have a lot to say. All we ask is that you be real and listen. When they have debates, that’s where I want to be because I have a lot of things to say. I work in the fields with 150 people and I fight for their wages and I fight for good conditions.

What’s it like working in the fields?

I work in cabbage, cantaloupes and watermelon fields. When it’s real hot, I just work five to seven hours. You have to be careful. We’re human just like everybody else.

Where do you get your information?

I listen to the radio and television. I go to seminars and trainings. I always write everything down. That’s who I am. I was born and raised to work hard. I graduated from high school. We never had the means to go to college. What I learned I learned from my family. I make a point to learn as much as I can and ask questions. Some of us get in trouble, but it’s better to know the facts.

Maria Rivera, Homemaker

Why is your county the most Democratic county in the state of Texas?

Because of our Mexican heritage. Most of the people believe that the Democratic Party is for the poor people.

Tell me about Crystal City.

It hasn’t been long since it’s become a Hispanic town. It used to be mostly white. In 1974, we had a walk out. Most of the kids weren’t allowed to leave so they had to jump out of the windows to join the walk out. By then, if you walked out, you would be suspended.

How has life changed since then?

It’s getting worse. At least we had jobs back then. The white people brought in more opportunities. If you have a job, keep it. You won’t get another one.

What kind of work do people do here?

They work at the Del Monte cannery. The high paying jobs are teachers, but they don’t get paid a lot. Most guys are truck drivers.

Did you vote?

Yes, for Kerry.

What message would you send to politicians?

To get more involved with minorities.

What issues are most important to you?

Jobs, segregation and equality. If you’re white, you get paid more than Hispanics. That’s the main problem here.

Conversations at a Montana Gas Station

*I’m currently interviewing people living in states that voted for Bush about politics and why they vote the way they do. Here’s my latest post.

http://storiesinamerica.blogspost.com/

*I’m currently interviewing people living in states that voted for Bush about politics and why they vote the way they do. Here’s my latest post.

http://storiesinamerica.blogspost.com/
On the way to one of the most spectacular parks in the country on Wednesday, I stopped off at a gas station in Columbia Falls, a  town known as the “Gateway to Glacier National Park.” Columbia Falls (population 3800), like most small towns in the United States, is drastically changing and gas prices are high at 2.84 per gallon. Here are excerpts from a few interviews about gas prices, the community and the Iraq war.

Jim, 63

Why do you think gas prices have gone up?

Tourist prices. You hear excuses, but who knows really? It’s not out of hand yet.

Does it bother you?

Any price increase bothers me. I’m on social security, but what are you gonna do?

How long have you lived here?

Off and on sine 1962.

How has it changed over the years?

Way too many people moving in. It’s not the last best place anymore.

How is the job market here?

It stinks. Incomes stink. Jobs stink.

What did you do before you retired?

I worked at the aluminum plant. That’s one of the best jobs in the valley for a blue collar worker. Unfortunately, they’ve been shut down, too.

So where do people work? Which companies employ the most people?

The tourist industry. Unless you have a very professional job, you’re gonna work for the tourist industry and it’s not gonna pay enough to make a living on.

How do people make it?

Well, I retired. When they told me I was laid off, I said, OK, I’m outta here and I’m not coming back. They were good to me while I was there.

Do you have health insurance?

Not yet. I’m too young. I’m just 63 now, but I’m a healthy person so I’m not too worried about it.

Since you’re on social security, what do you think about Bush’s plan to change it?

I really don’t know about it yet. Who does?

How does this area lean politically?

It’s pretty conservative. We’re all individuals. That’s why we live here. I’m a registered Democrat and I voted for Bush both times.

What do you like about Bush?

I like that he’s a conservative.

Do you think he’s doing a good job?

So far. Everybody’s preoccupied with his military endeavors and I support him 100 percent. That might not be real popular, but that’s the way it is. It’s a job that needs to be done.

Why do you think we’re in Iraq?

We’re there primarily for oil. Our oil comes from that region and our country runs on it. You gotta protect it. Maybe that’s not popular, but that’s the way it is. You shut your car down and what are you gonna do?

So you think we’re at war for oil?

Probably 75 percent. We also have terrorism to deal with. We’ve been concerned about those people’s freedoms and human rights for a long time. Everybody says bring our troops home, but you have to remember that the military is there to fight. People who sign up with the military do it to fight. That’s their job.

When Bush says we have to finish the job, what does that mean?

You have to wait until they have an established government and police themselves. You can’t walk out now and leave them with all the insurgents and all the terrorists. You can’t do that. You’ve already totally disrupted their government. You can’t just step away and say, sorry I’m done. You have to finish the job.

Do you think we’ve created more terrorism by going to war?

It’s created more over there.

Terry, 53

Why do you think gas prices have increased?

I think part of it is to help for the disasters and the war. I’ve got a sneaking hunch that it’s going to go up even more with the other hurricane that we just had.

Are people taking measure to drive less or is that hard to do around here where you don’t have public transportation?

Job wise, it’s really tough. You gotta have the gas to get to work. My son works at the airport and sometimes he has to drive back and forth a couple of times. Then there’s activity. Our family is an outdoorsy family. We hunt and fish and that’s been cut down. When we go somewhere, it’s usually two or three of us helping to pay for the gas to drive up in the woods or take a fishing trip or to go hunting. We used to take off and not worry about it, but we do now.

Did you hear Bush say we have to be better conservers the other day?

I didn’t hear it myself, but it boils down to what a guy can afford. I’m on disability right now and I can’t afford to do a lot of things. My income doesn’t change at all anymore. I have to really watch the number of trips I take and what I do.

Do you think the government can do anything about this?

I think they could, but I think they’re going the wrong way. I just wish they would explain why this is happening instead of people just running to the gas pumps and see it go up everyday 10 or 20 cents without any explanation. That’s the thing that gets me. What’s the reason for it?

Are you from this area?

Yeah, I’ve lived here my whole life.

How has it changed over the years?

It has grown. I have three boys and they don’t have a clue about what is used to look like around here. Thirty or forty years ago, it was so small and you could just enjoy driving around with no traffic. Now when you go to the park or the reservoir, you’ll find 10 times more people there.

How about jobs and the economy?

Depends on what you do. When people come in, you have a lot of building jobs, so if you’re a carpenter, an electrician or in construction, it’s fine. But people who don’t have a particular trade work at minimum wage. It’s tough.

What did you do before you went on disability?

I worked at the aluminum plant for 29 years and my neck got all screwed up. I got chronic arthritis so I can’t really do anything anymore.

How does this town lean politically?

It’s more Republican, but I think Bush is losing a lot of his popularity over what’s going on right now.

Did you vote for him?

Yeah, both times.

Why do you think he’s losing popularity?

A lot of it has to do with the war. I think things sort of backfired on him in that respect. I think it’s gonna be a never ending battle over there, trying to straighten a country that huge out. I just can’t see it happening in a couple years; there’s just no way it can happen.

Were you in favor of the war in the beginning?

I guess I had mixed feelings about it. I was in some ways, but I didn’t want all of this to happen. I’m just thankful that none of my kids are in the service right now.

What do you think we should do?

It’s hard to say. I think it would be impossible to just pack up and leave. To lose everything we were trying to gain probably wouldn’t be the right thing to do either.

Why do you think we’re there?

That’s a good question. It’s hard to answer that. We got Hussein out of there, but of course, the weapon deal didn’t seem to be what they thought it was. I don’t know. The United States can’t change every country in the world to our specifications. I just don’t know. I think people are getting fed up with it.

What do you think of our current political climate in general?

I don’t think the Democrats have had anybody in there that has been worth voting for and I used to be a Democrat for years and years.

Why’d you change?

Probably because of Bill Clinton. (laughs)

So you’re open to voting Democrat, but you haven’t liked any of the candidates?

Yeah.

Do you think people want something different politically? If someone talked about real issues truthfully, would people respond? Would you respond?

Yeah, the truth would be nice. I guess that goes with the territory. When you vote for a Republican, you’re voting for big business. That’s the one thing that I never have liked about voting Republican. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t before. When I first started dealing with lawyers when I was going through my workman’s comp, they told me about a lot of the changes made over the years. They told me I could thank the governor for that, who was a Republican. All those changes were made because of him. They were bad changes that hurt the worker. There’s basically a formula now.

Did that make you rethink how you vote?

It pissed me off. Yeah. If a decent Democrat got in there, I probably would go back and vote that way. If it’s Hillary, forget it. (laughs)

Anti-War Rally in Missoula, MT

*I’m currently traveling the country talking to people about politics and why they vote the way they do.

Far from the steps of the White House, about 100 peace activists braved the cold and light rain in Missoula, Montana to rally in conjunction with the anti-war march in Washington DC. The event, called “Take Back Our Country, Bring Back Our Troops,” was sponsored by the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center and Code Pink.

Photos: http://storiesinamerica.blogspot.com/2005/09/peace-activists-rally-in-missoula-mt.html
Here are excerpts from a few interviews:

Betsy Mulligan-Dague, Executive Director of the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center

This is Missoula’s version of a vocal anti-war rally in conjunction of what’s happening in Washington DC. We do have some people in Montana that are there, but most of us couldn’t travel there so we’re joining them in spirit.

When there are protests in DC and San Francisco, you know what to expect, but a lot of people don’t know what to expect from Montana. What is like protesting and having rallies here?

It’s unpredictable as far as how many people are gonna show up. Missoula is a progressive community and supportive of peace and justice. There’s a wide variety of folks here. We haven’t really had many hecklers that I imagine you deal with in San Francisco and DC and other places. People are pretty tolerant here.

Are opinions about the war changing in Montana like they are nationally?

Yes. Our membership is up, people are coming by more and our events are better attended. People come in to the Peace Center all the time and just talk about issues or what’s happening. I can tell just by listening to them that there is more hope in the peace movement. We had a lot of people — hundreds of people — at rallies prior to the war, but after the war started and the election turned, we really had some disappointed people that holed up and said, I’m not gonna try anymore. I think that’s changing. People are coming back out and are getting involved again. They feel like there’s hope.

What message would you send to people who don’t know much about Montana and activism here?

The majority of Montana is pretty conservative, but also pretty tolerant. We’ve never been harassed and there are pockets all over the state of peace workers and activists. Missoula, in particular, is a magnet for diversity and people who are progressive.

Are there other events going on in the state?

There’s one in Butte today and one in Helena tomorrow. Helena is our capital. Our state is small, so we all know each other. I know peace activists from all over the state, whereas you can probably go to a rally and not see anybody that you know, but I know all of these people. We work closely together. It’s a tight knit community. I think we’re looking at building from the inside instead of always focusing on rallying against something.

The DC rally received criticism for that.

They think anger is going to rev us up and get us involved and it has in the past, but I’m finding people more excited by the concept of building rather than tearing down and criticizing. We’re planning a series called, “Creating a Culture of Peace.” We’re gonna bring in speakers every month and talk about different pieces of skill building that we need in communities to live in a peaceful, non-violent world. I get a hundred emails a day from truthout.org, moveon.org and commondreams.org and after reading them, I’m tired. I want something positive.

Sam Weaver, 20, Intern for the Montana Public Interest Research Group and Freshman at the University of Montana

How is your work connected to the war?

If you look at the Bush administration’s policies, it’s almost a war on the American people. The mercury issue is insane. It’s hard to believe the EPA would allow this to happen. They really are waging a war on the American people. It’s pretty bad. You can’t have peace if there are exploitive people out there trying to hurt the people. That’s absolutely unacceptable.

How big is the mercury problem in Montana?

One-hundred percent of Montana’s waterways are contaminated with mercury. It’s pretty egregious. It’s everywhere.

What reaction do you get from Montanans?

Montana PIRG is basically made up of students at the university and most students are sympathetic and are taken aback. They can’t believe this kind of thing exists. You also find people who don’t want to take the time to worry about it.

Is the anti-war movement fairly large at the University of Montana?

It is a pretty liberal campus and a lot of people are sick and tired of death and destruction.

Jay Bostrom, 35, Middle School Social Studies and Spanish Teacher
Brad Hash, 39, Finishing a Master’s in Environmental Studies

What brings you here?

Hash: I’m here to support a national movement that opposes the war in Iraq. I’m hoping these sorts of rallies increase and foster the prewar momentum that we had. I’m fully opposed to everything that George Bush is doing internationally and domestically as well. We need to have more of these events to show that we’re not only looking for troops to be pulled out of Iraq, but to have better relations with other countries.

Bostrom: I’m here in solidarity with the organizations that stand in opposition to the war, but I’m also here with a more radical bent, too. I’m a wobbly and I’m proud of that. I’m part of the Industrial Workers of the World and I’m also a board member of Community Action for Justice in the Americas. I think the war is connected to the same issues we’re talking about in Central and South America. I think the war is a way for them to sustain their economic policies of creating an economy hegemony throughout the hemisphere.

What is the political climate like here?

Hash: It’s progressive. Compared to the rest of the state, it’s definitely the liberal bastion without a doubt. Montana’s got a lot of Democratic folk and a lot of liberal and progressive folk as well.

Bostrom: This is the island. I spent a year in Helena, Montana and we tried to protest there, but the climate is extremely different. That’s the state capitol, which is interesting because there is a pretty strong group of peace seekers in that area, but they stand alone and isolated. Standing on the corner with a sign there is a very different experience. At the last anti-war rally we had here, there were 1,000 people, whereas in Helena, there might be 50. Helena might be the second most progressive place in the state, which is not saying much.

What message would you send to progressives in places like San Francisco? Especially those who buy the red state/blue state rhetoric?

Bostrom: We’re proud of the fact that we only have 900,000 people in this state and we’ve done a lot to make change. Our organization itself was instrumental in getting our congressional delegation to vote against CAFTA. We led protests statewide and put a lot of pressure on them and they voted against it. During the last election, we were able to elect Governor Brian Schweitzer who has been a very loud critic of George Bush and I think that’s another sign. We’re a mixed bag. We should be considered a purple state because we somehow passed medical marijuana, but also passed legislation to ban gay marriage.

Hash: A lot of it has to do with agriculture and these congressional reps work with the farmers and they know first hand that NAFTA has been disastrous for Montana farmers and they’re not about to let that be exacerbated by CAFTA. They know better.

Are opinions about the war changing in Montana?

Bostrom: Yes, definitely. I took a job teaching in arguably one of the more conservative areas, the Bitterroot Valley, which is just south of here. It’s only 30 miles away, but it’s a very fundamentalist, religious community. I’m finding the school teachers I work with, who are conservative on almost every issue, are increasingly anti-war and anti-Bush. It’s changing.

Hash: Without a doubt, I would echo those sentiments. You have 200,000 people showing up in DC today to protest Bush’s policies in Iraq, while the pro-war folk are putting out a few hundred people. That’s a good indication of where we’re going nationally. I’d say this is not only moving, it’s gaining strength. The downside of that is that Bush is in his second term. What comes of this? Does he just ride this out?

Bostrom: Impeach him.

Hash: Impeach him is the thing to do. There’s a legitimate movement for that. Clinton was impeached by a Republican congress over a personal extramarital affair and we have a man who has knowingly lied to the American public. He’s brought the country to a war based on five lies. Five huge lies. We spent over $200 billion on this. We’ve lost almost 2,000 American lives and over 100,000 Iraqi lives and this is not impeachable? Is this simply because we have a Republican dominated Congress? If not, then everyone has their head in the sand. This is as impeachable as an offense gets.

Caroline Emmons, 63, Activist

What brings you here tonight?

I’m with Jubille Missoula, which is the organization connected to Jubillee USA. We’re trying to get our government and the IMF and the World Bank to cancel 100 percent of the debt of impoverished countries with no strings attached. Today and tomorrow there are meetings in Washington DC where the World Bank and the IMF are deciding whether or not they agree with the G8 debt cancellation that came out of G8 meetings in July. Even if they do, they’re only doing it for 18 countries and there are a lot of strings attached. That’s not enough. There are so many more countries that need it.

Does the public know enough about this issue?

No, they don’t know much about it. Because there was a lot of hoopla around the G8 agreeing to cancel the debt, it looks like it’s done, but it isn’t done. The United Nations has a millennium development goal that includes the eradication of poverty in the world by the year 2015, but there’s absolutely no way they can even come close. There’s no way they can do it if the debt isn’t canceled. The debt is what keeps these countries impoverished.

How did you get involved in this kind of work?

I’ve been involved in this work since I’ve lived here in Missoula. I just like peace and justice issues.

What is like being an activist in Missoula, Montana?

It’s the best place in the world because everybody else that you know is one, too.

A lot of people in more Democratic states tend to write off states like Montana because it went for Bush. What would you say to them?

They shouldn’t do that because not everyone here was for Bush. Missoula usually votes for the Democratic party.

Do you know anyone who was in favor of the war when it began, but is now opposed?

No, I don’t know anyone who was in favor of it. I do listen to right-wing radio. My husband gets very upset when I turn it on, but I want to hear what they’re saying. They seem just as pro-war as they ever were. I was around during the Vietnam war and during that time, the protesting actually had an effect on government, but I don’t know whether it has any effect anymore. Millions of people all over the world demonstrated against going to war and Bush just said, well, that’s just a focus group. We might have to come up with more creative solutions.

Gerry Blackman, 65
Gerry recently returned from Uzbekistan as a Peace Corps volunteer. She was supposed to stay until April 2006, but had to leave due to political turmoil. She arranged for Farok Sandearoff, the eldest son of her host family, to enroll and study at the University of Montana.

What’s it like to protest in Missoula, Montana?

Missoula is the one place in Montana where this can happen on a fairly large scale. I’m originally from Great Falls, Montana, which is a little different; maybe not so progressive. It’s more content with the war because they support a military base. I’ve lived there most of my adult life. I’ve lived in Missoula about 17 years. This is a place more suited to me personally. This is a community that supports and mirrors my attitudes about peace and our international relations. I find I thrive here. It’s a very special community in our state.

Do you find opinions about the war changing in Montana like they are nationally?

Yes, there’s a definite change. Of course, I also saw this with Vietnam. I was a peace advocate during Vietnam and I’m seeing the beginning of that here.

What message would you send to people who aren’t familiar with Montana?

I think there are people everywhere in America who value peace and international cooperation. I don’t think we can discount the numbers of these people everywhere in America. I think it’s unfortunate if we, for the sake of convenience, categorize people into red/blue or right/left. We need to hear from people to understand the scope of opinion in our country. I strongly object to those in the mainstream media that categorize us. I don’t believe it’s realistic and I don’t believe it represents any reality in America today.

Eddie Johnson, 26
Eddie’s brother is in the Army and has been called to leave for his second tour of duty next month.

What brings you here?

I think it’s important to show support. You kinda feel alone and need some camaraderie with people that feel the same way you do.

What is it like protesting here?

It’s a little different here. I didn’t expect this many people to show up. Missoula is definitely the one liberal spot in the entire state. We don’t feel like we’re persecuted for protesting.

Do you feel connected to the big protest in DC?

I do feel connected. We have Air America radio here now and I listen to that almost every day. I feel pretty connected.

Diversity from Utah to Montana

*I’m currently interviewing people who live in states that overwhelmingly voted for Bush.
http://storiesinamerica.blogspot.com/

I’ve been in Montana for just over a week and have met such a diverse group of people — people we rarely hear about in the mainstream media.
To give you a few examples: I recently interviewed a woman who works for a MT Women’s Foundation. Pro-choice, pro-women’s rights, in favor of helping poor women. She’s against the war and can’t say a nice thing about Bush. She happens to be a Republican.

I met a man at an event for the homeless. He used to be a trade consultant. Now he runs an organization that helps people get out of poverty. He was the only Republican at the event.

Last night I went to a panel discussion about conservation. All of the panelists are hardcore hunters. Almost everyone in the room was a Democrat.

Imagine how confused people would be if those people were featured in stories about choice, poverty and hunting. I have yet to begin transcribing those interviews.

But I recently posted the bumper stickers I saw on the drive from Utah to Montana. Thought you’d enjoy them as much as I did:
http://storiesinamerica.blogspot.com/2005/09/photos-bumper-stickers-from-ut-to-mt.html

Conversations About Hurricane Katrina and 9/11

*I’m currently traveling the country talking to people about politics and why they vote the way they do (or not):

http://storiesinamerica.blogspot.com

We left Salt Lake City on Saturday and are now in Montana (let me know if you have any contacts here or suggestions for interviews). We stayed in Idaho Falls, Idaho on Saturday night and interviewed a few people in the Wal-Mart parking lot about the federal government’s response to Hurricane Katrina and the fourth anniversary of 9/11. Here are excerpts from yesterday’s random interviews:
Dorothy Bischoff, 63

What do you think about the government’s response to the hurricane?

I think it was very, very slow. It’s sad. Those people didn’t have any food for how many days? Five, six, seven days. Not good.

Why do you think it took so long?

I don’t know. Lack of communication.

It’s the fourth anniversary of 9/11 and we’ve spent a lot of money on homeland security. Do you think the Bush administration has done enough to prepare the country for natural disasters and terrorist attacks?

No, I don’t. I think we’re really way behind where we should be, especially after 9/11 and I like Bush. I voted for Bush, so I’m not against him, but this is unacceptable behavior. He really messed up on this one.

Does this change your overall opinion of him?

No, I still like him. He just messed up on this.

What do you like about him?

I don’t know. I’ve just always liked him.

Amanda Blake, 25

Dianne Watts

What do you think of the government’s response?

Amanda Blake: People were without food and water for days and I think the government should have done more to help them. The National Guard was in Iraq and as far as I’m concerned, they’re a state militia and they should have been there to help them.

Dianne Watts: I agree, but I also think we didn’t get any insight into the other side of the story. What about the people who were actually prepared for the hurricane? We got one side and not the other.

Amanda Blake: It’s just like Iraq. They tell us about all the bad and the bombings and the car bombs, but my husband is over there and they’ve built five schools and helped hospitals open. He tells me these things, but otherwise, you don’t hear about that stuff.

Where is he?

Amanda Blake: He is in Northern Iraq somewhere. He never tells me where because it’s confidential.

How long has he been there?

Amanda Blake: Since last Thanksgiving.

Do you know when he’s going to come home?

Amanda Blake: Supposedly, in December. That’s what the rumor is.

Have your opinions about the war changed since he’s been there?

Amanda Blake: No. I don’t think they have. He knows he’s doing the right thing and as far as I’m concerned, if he thinks he’s doing the right thing, that’s what I think, too.

Do you think the Bush administration has done enough since 9/11 to prepare for natural disasters and terrorist attacks?

Amanda Blake: No, I don’t think so.

Dianne Watts: I don’t think they’ve taken security seriously. All the publicity about the airports and security is just publicity. I think we could do a lot more. The people don’t take it seriously. If somebody really gets hurt in this country, then maybe they’ll take it more seriously, but it’s a joke right now as far as I’m concerned.

Amanda Blake: Like I said, I think the state militia is for the state. The National Guard were in Iraq and now they’re coming home and they have nothing to come home to.

Are you both Bush supporters?

Dianne Watts: Was. When they say his approval rating has gone down, I’d have to be part of that. I thought he was doing a really good job after 9/11, but he’s too much of an oil man. His politics have changed and it’s just getting to be more about the politics than the good of the people.

Did you both vote for him?

Dianne Watts: I did.

Amanda Blake: I didn’t vote because I wasn’t here.

Is there any one major event that changed your mind?

Dianne Watts: It’s just the day to day. He’s just slowly not paid enough attention to home in my opinion. No big thing. His interest is gone from what our welfare concerns are here.

Deedee Sant, 59

What are your opinions of the government’s response to the hurricane?

It’s such a horrific tragedy. They should have been prepared. I think they could have gotten in there a little bit faster. I’m glad the man who was in charge of FEMA isn’t in charge of it anymore. I think the president should have gotten to it a lot quicker. It’d be nice next time if they did, but they seem to always have to go through the bureaucracy again.

It’s been four years since 9/11 and the government’s spent a lot of money on homeland security. Are we prepared for disasters?

No. I don’t think that homeland security has done much of anything. I go to Portland on the plane all the time and the security here in Idaho Falls is OK, we don’t need much, but you go to Portland and it’s a big joke. It doesn’t do anything. Not one thing. I think it’s something to make the people think they’re doing something, but they’re not doing anything. The thing that gets me about the airports is that you go in there and  they randomly go through your luggage or randomly go through people’s shoes and if they’re gonna do it to one, they oughta do it to everybody. How do they know? They oughta do it to everybody to do it right.

Have your opinions of the Bush administration changed over the past four years?

When he first got in, I had high hopes for him and I really quite liked him, but then he got in overseas and the big battle. I hate to say this because I had high hopes for him, but I think he’s a big warmonger. I think he went in there and the only thing he had on his agenda was to finish the job his father didn’t finish over there. They got Saddam Hussein and that’s all great, but I sit around and wonder, what’s happened to Afghanistan and bin Laden? Nothing has been done.

Did you vote for Bush?

No.

What makes this area so Republican?

Because most of the state is predominantly LDS (Latter-Day Saints) and they tend to vote Republican. They’re very conservative or so they thought. I don’t think going to war is conservative.

Tell me about this town. How have things changed over the years?

Idaho Falls is growing really fast. Our medical community has just skyrocketed. The housing industry has gone crazy. Gas prices have gone through the roof. It’s hard to keep up. When the gas prices go up, everything goes up. It’s hard. It’s very hard. I’m on an extremely limited budget and like most everybody else around here, not everybody, but the majority of the people. It’s tough.

What message would you send to the candidates who plan to run in the next election?

I hate to be a pessimist, but I think the government, both Republicans and Democrats, are so corrupt and they’re out for one thing and that’s them. I don’t think the majority of them care for the people and what we want or need. I think all they get in there for is the money and they make it. They don’t have to pay for things like we do and everything we pay for seems to go for their three martini lunches and on and on. I just think they’re out for themselves. I don’t think they give a hoot about anybody.

Do you always vote?

No, because most of the time when I do, it’s the lesser of two evils and there aren’t any lessers anymore. It makes you sit back and wonder, what’s the point? That’s a rotten way to feel, but personally, I think the last good President was Eisenhower. You’re probably way too young to remember him. I was just a child, but this country was coming out of a war and he was a great, great President as far as I was concerned. This whole country was very family oriented and the whole economy was building up and it was a great time. I fear for my grandkids. It’s scary.

What do you do?  

I am a CNA at a retirement home here in Idaho Falls.

So you see the reality of what’s going on.

Oh yes, I do. You bet I do. It’s a hard profession to be in, but I love the elderly people. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be there. They’re really fun. They put things into reality. They’re sweet people and I think we owe them more than they get. So many people go in there with what they think is gonna be enough money to get them by and in a couple years, it’s gone and then they have to go on Medicaid and it’s sad.

Bonita Frye, 59

What do you think of the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina?

I think it’s a poor area and even before the hurricane came, they did not prepare the people. These people need help. They need jobs. They need money. It’s just awful to me. I don’t think our government has done what they should be doing. Instead of sending money to Iraq to fight Saddam Hussein, we should be taking care of our country. That’s the bottom line.

Do you think the Bush administration has done enough to secure the country?

I don’t think it’s any more secure today than it was before 9/11. I mean, look at the borders. If people are crossing the borders and they’re not doing anything about it, what does the word illegal mean? I think we need to take care of home first and that should be the priority. I never did figure out how they went from bin Laden to Saddam Hussein. It was kind of like, well, we can’t get bin Laden, so let’s just pick somebody over there.

Did you vote for Bush?

No.

This are is dominated by Republicans.

It is. That’s why I’m outnumbered. (laughs) I’m not so much really a Democrat or a party voter. It’s the agenda and how they talk about what their proposals are going to be. I really think that they are letting a lot of things go because they really want to take our civil rights away from us and that’s what the whole Patriot Act is all about. Taking our rights. We’re over there trying to give those people in Iraq freedom and they’re taking our freedoms away. I don’t understand that. It doesn’t make sense to me.

Is the opinion around here changing at all?

There are a lot of people like me. It’s kind of like we flock together. The people that are Republican flock together and you’ll find that the majority of them out here are Republicans. They’re just party voters. It doesn’t matter if it was Hitler. They would still vote for him and back up everything he does and I’m not that way. I’m more about the American people and surviving. A lot of people say, oh well, those blacks down there, you know, too bad for them. They could have gotten out. No they couldn’t. They are living below poverty down there. These people don’t even have vehicles and how can that be in this country?

What about this area? What do you think people need to know about Idaho Falls? Has it changed much over the years?

There aren’t enough jobs. We’ve outsourced everything. I was just recently back in Missouri and everything is all about restaurants and I see this happening here. We don’t have any factories. If you’re out of a job, you’re out of a job. There are a lot of people here that are out of jobs and this community does try really hard to take care of a lot of the needy people, but then you’ve got a lot of people who are just too selfish. They’re just too interested in themselves.

What do you do?

I retired from the Postal Service after 35 1/2 years. I could have worked another five or six years and I thought, you know what? I’m scared to death that he’s (Bush) going to pull out on civil service retirement so I want to enjoy a little bit of it. We need to get jobs back and I think Bush’s plan was to have the war and do like Roosevelt and boost the economy. Well, that was OK because back then we had factories. That’s not working today because we don’t have anything here that’s made in the United States anymore. All we have is restaurants.

Do you always vote?

I do.

What message would you send to the next set of candidates?

Number one, I’m pro-choice and I’m pro-gun. I think we need to worry about America first and worry about the foreign aid later, especially hunting down somebody in some foreign country. I think we need to upgrade our military. I mean it’s pretty sad when we’re sending off National Guard to fight a war. The National Guard is supposed to protect the United States. People in the Army are being mistreated and they’re dropping out of the military because when they come out, they’re not getting what they’ve been promised. We have to really look at some real positive things here regarding the survival of America because at the rate we’re going, we are going to be a bankrupt country that is going down the drain like a third world country.

Verla, 76

Ludean, 71

What did you think of the government’s response to the hurricane?

Ludean: I think the government sometimes doesn’t listen to what people who are knowledgeable tell them. There’s such a bureaucracy and everybody is afraid that they might be responsible.

Verla: As far as the hurricane goes, they should have had buses to get them out, especially the older people. I think their response was pretty slow.

Do you think the Bush administration has done enough since 9/11 to prepare for disasters?

Verla: No, they haven’t done enough. It’s all for show. I’m not a fan of Bush. He’s got that smirk on his face that I’ve never liked.

Ludean: I think he’s been very ineffective overall. I think he did the wrong thing when he went to Iraq.

Verla: It was for the wrong reason. I think something had to be done, but I don’t think he handled it the correct way.

So I take it both of you didn’t vote for Bush?

Verla: I didn’t and this is a very Republican state. I can’t say I’m one or the other definitely, but I lean towards the Democrats.

Why is that?

Verla: I don’t know, because I’m poor. (laughs)

Do you both vote?

Verla: Oh yeah.

Ludean: You bet.

What advice would you give to the next set of candidates?

Verla: Be more honest and truthful because I don’t think we’ve had an honest president for a long time.

Ludean: Listen to what the people say, not just the advisers. Of course, we realize it takes money to run a campaign and they have to listen to some people.

Verla: I don’t think they’re hearing the voices of the people.

What issues are important to you?

Verla: For retired people like we are, we haven’t had a bad time ourselves, but we’ve prepared and saved and so we hate to see things cost so much more because we have a limited income and have no way of making more money because at our age, you can’t go out and get a job.

Ludean: Currently, I think the president and his advisers have not been on top of the situation as far as the price of gas goes. Obviously gas is going to go up, but I think it should have been monitored and companies are gouging. Of course, his social security ideas are just way off base.

New Orleans Residents Unknowingly Land in Utah, Part III

I returned to Camp Williams in Draper, Utah yesterday to interview a few more evacuees and check in with the people I met on Wednesday. Last week, 583 people were unknowingly flown to Utah. Many left the base almost immediately and many more took buses to Texas to reunite with loved ones. As of Saturday, 299 people remain at the shelter. Troylynn Wilson, one of the people I met on Wednesday, found her 11-year-old son Derek Wilson. I also heard cries of joy from another woman who, after a week of searching, found her son in Texas.

I met a lively bunch of people yesterday, including Jacqueline Gordon and Ronald Herbert, a couple who met at the convention center in New Orleans two weeks ago and plan to get married on September 23 at Camp Williams. They just rented an apartment in Salt Lake City and plan to move in on Tuesday or Wednesday. Email me if you’d like to send them a gift to help them rebuild their lives and I’ll send you their address.
For photos, visit: http://storiesinamerica.blogspot.com/2005/09/new-orleans-residents-unknowingly-land_10.html

Jacqueline Gordon, 50
Ronald Herbert, 48
Walter Favoroth, 49

Tell me about your experience.

Jacqueline Gordon: My kids left the day before (the hurricane hit). I decided to stay and ride the storm out. About a quarter to six that morning, the water started coming in. It came in so fast, all you could do was go up. Once I got up, I watched the water rising. I heard something and I decided to flick a light and see what was happening. Turns out it was gas, so when the fire went flying through, the water put it out. I said, Lord show me a way out of here. I crawled to the back of my house and punched the ceiling out and I dove down in the water. I said, when I go this time, I’m coming back out. When I dove in a second time, I swam through the furniture and when I looked up I saw a house that had floated up from another street and knocked a hole on the top of my house, so I was able to come out from there.

I got up on the roof and was up there from 7:30 that morning to 2:00 that evening, so I was in the midst of the storm up there on the roof, but I had a long talk with God and I found God again up on that roof. I just thank God that my daddy taught me to swim when I was eight years old. I didn’t panic. I was glad my youngest daughter was gone because I didn’t have to worry about getting her and her baby out of the house. I just had to think for me. My cousin’s husband came by and rescued me and brought me to another house where I stayed upstairs for two days. I then got rescued in a boat where they brought me to the St. Cloud bridge. I crossed over there and stayed with a friend. From there, we walked up to the convention center, which is another horror story.

Ronald Herbert: That’s where we met.

You met in the convention center?

Jacqueline Gordon: Yes, that’s where we met, but let me tell you something and I want to set the record straight about them talking about the people looting. They looted to survive. They wouldn’t give us no water and no food out there. We didn’t have clothes. All we had were the clothes on our back. I met them and they took me in as family.

Ronald Herbert: I was supposed to go with the ministry I was in, Deeper Life out of Florida, but I chose to stay home because I wanted to be with my family. My brother’s house was covered with water. He was on the roof for two days. I told my brother I was gonna go get some help. So I put my life vest on. I had to swim at least a good six miles going into the current, not from the current. I got to a place on Franklin Avenue where a boat picked me up. I went back and got my brother. From there, they picked all of us up and brought us to the convention center. The convention center was hell. Dead bodies. People’s throats cut. Heads off bodies.  

You saw that?

Ronald Herbert: Yes.

The New Orleans police chief said they found no instances of rape and murder.

Ronald Herbert: Yeah, there was rape. I was putting bodies in the freezer. We were right where it happened.

Jacqueline Gordon: We dealt with the bodies. They wouldn’t know. They weren’t in there. We were eyewitnesses.

Were there any law enforcement in there at that time?

Jacqueline Gordon: At night we had no law enforcement.

Ronald Herbert: They had people in there who didn’t take baths for six, seven days. If you went into the bathroom, the odor hit you. All on the walls, in the corners, cracks, crevices. They were letting it out.

Jacqueline Gordon: Oh, it was toxic. If you went in the bathroom, the toilets were so filled up, you couldn’t use them, so you didn’t have a choice because there was no running water. None. The smell was so strong.

Ronald Herbert: The odor knocked you out.

Walter Favoroth: As soon as you get to the door, the odor knocked you out.

Ronald Herbert: I felt bad for the elderly people. They weren’t bringing food for the old folks.

Jacqueline Gordon: Then they opened up a restaurant in the Marriott and fed everybody. Everything they found, they cooked. He and I were bringing food to the old folks.

Ronald Herbert: He saved his wife’s life and his wife saved his life.

Walter Favoroth: I’m in water up to here and I had her on my neck. I had to walk like that for five miles. She doesn’t know how to swim. It’s too hard for her to talk about. In our house, we were watching the storm. We saw water coming under the door fast. I went to go get a sheet to put under the door and the water just came in. It filled our bathtub and our toilet and water rushed up to the ceiling. In a matter of five minutes, the whole house was full of water.

Ronald Herbert: I had to open my door and went to go save a guy in his attic. I fell through the attic and cut my leg. They were supposed to send me to the convention center to get treatment. I ain’t got treatment until I got to Utah.

Walter Favoroth: What we went through, I thought was in the movies, but it was real.

What do you think of the government’s response?

Ronald Herbert: They should have gotten the elderly people out.

Walter Favoroth: People died for nothing.

Ronald Herbert: I watched an 86-year-old lady die in her wheelchair.

Have you been watching the news at all since you’ve been here?

Jacqueline Gordon: Yeah, I just start crying every time I look at the water. When they rescued me on the boat, they went to rescue other people and I got to ride down in the ninth ward and I’m looking at the disaster and all I could do is sit there and cry. I’m not worried about losing everything because I know that can be replaced. My life can’t be replaced. Just to see people’s houses floating and sitting in the middle of the street.

Ronald Herbert: Bodies floating in the water. Alligators eating people.

Walter Favoroth: Trees coming out of the ground. Roots and all.

Jacqueline Gordon: We’re so glad to be here. We love it.

What are your plans?

Ronald Herbert: We live here. We’re getting married right here.

Jacqueline Gordon: A guy from a newspaper did an interview with us and they’re throwing the whole wedding for us. They’re paying for everything. We’re going to get married at the chapel here on the 23rd. They’re throwing us a huge reception and they’re paying for my wedding dress. I went yesterday and picked out all of my flowers and bouquets.

Is your daughter planning to join you?

Jacqueline Gordon: She’s in Texas. They have an apartment. I know eventually she’ll get up here. She’ll be 20 on the 18th of this month and she has a two-year-old. Like I said, I thank God they left the day before.

Ronald Herbert: I took my little niece who was two-months-old through water up to here. I had to hold her in the air and go three houses down where we could get up on a three-story house until somebody came, but nobody ever came, so they had to move again. The water was climbing. I’m not talking about hours. I’m talking minutes.

What do you think of the opinion that race played a role in all of this?

Ronald Herbert: Race had nothing to do with it. People had old white people hugging them and loving them.

Walter Favoroth: What I saw was unity with everybody cause everybody was trying to help everybody.

Ronald Herbert: That was unity down there. God brought people together down there.  

Jacqueline Gordon: White people grabbed me and gave me food. We were glad to get something to eat.

Walter Favoroth: I didn’t even know her and I took her as my family and we’re here together.

And you’re all going to stay in Utah?

Jacqueline Gordon: Yeah, we’re in the same apartment complex. They’re in the back and we’re in the front.

Ronald Herbert: When we got here the only thing they didn’t do was throw the red carpet out.

Walter Favoroth: I never seen so much love. That’s why I’m staying here because I never seen so much love.

Did you know much about the state of Utah before you got here?

Walter Favoroth: No, I didn’t know a thing about Utah.

Ronald Herbert: We didn’t know anything about Utah.

Walter Favoroth: As a matter of fact, I never got on an airplane in my life. It was an experience. I was hugging my wife saying, baby, are we gonna be alright? (laughs)

Utah and Louisiana are very different states.

Ronald Herbert: Yeah, totally different from Louisiana.

How do you feel about that?

Ronald Herbert: I love it. I love this state. I thought I was going to come down here to crazy stuff like, “We don’t want you niggers here.” Man, they brought us here and showed us so much love. It’s not about racial things. It’s about love. God wants people to come together. God don’t want all this crazy stuff. That’s why he took that away cause there was so much crime and killing. God said, I’m goin’ wipe it out.

Do you have any opinions about the way Bush responded?

Ronald Herbert: There are a lot of things I see wrong about Bush, but I think he did pretty good. I really think so and I give 100 percent to our mayor. Our mayor was crying about how the government treated us. The government treated us real bad. We’re human beings.

Walter Favoroth: We’re human beings. Everybody is equal. Just because you got a little more than me don’t mean nothing. Just because you have more than me, God could swipe it away and take your life. The material things don’t matter, but our lives do matter.

Ronald Herbert: They didn’t look at that.

Walter Favoroth: They were just worried about themselves. They say, ‘I told them to get out.’ What about the people that don’t have no money? What about the people that don’t have no cars?

What did you do in New Orleans?

Walter Favoroth: I just opened up a detail shop two days before the flood. We invested about $2500 in that. I lost everything in my house. All kinds of suits and stuff. My wife had all kinds of clothes. I always got her everything she wanted.

Ronald Herbert: I used to work offshore.

Jacqueline Gordon: I wasn’t employed at the time. Earlier in the year, I was working for a collections agency.

What are you hoping to do here?

Jacqueline Gordon: I have a degree in accounting, so I have a computer background. I was working on my second degree in computer information systems, so that’s what I want to do.

Did you know anything about Utah before you landed here?

Jacqueline Gordon: Not a thing. Nothing. This is God’s country. That’s all I can say. I’m glad I’m here. I was a homeowner down there. I had my own home. I see my home. My home is still underwater, so what is there to go back to? Everything is gone and I don’t feel bad about that because they have made me so welcome here. There’s so much love here. People want to be where they’re loved.

New Orleans Residents React to Government’s Response

*Many of you read my post on Wednesday about New Orleans residents in Utah. For those of you who didn’t, over 500 people were unknowingly flown to Salt Lake City, Utah after being told they were going to San Antonio, Texas. I met with them on Wednesday and again yesterday at Camp Williams in Draper, Utah.
For photos, check out:

http://storiesinamerica.blogspot.com/2005/09/new-orleans-residents-in-utah-part-iv.html

When I interviewed people at Camp Williams on Wednesday, I didn’t push the political issue because everyone I met was more interested in sharing their personal stories. They also haven’t had access to news or the Internet for the past week and had no idea how the Bush administration and FEMA responded to the devastation. When I returned yesterday, I found people who are still dealing with the initial shock anyone would experience after losing their homes and community. I also found a few people who were eager to share their opinions on the government’s response.

John Seal, 54

What did you think of the Bush administration’s response?

If we were in Florida, Bush would have been there the same day, but Bush waited three days and a dollar late. Then he come there like he’s some kind of hero. Bush ain’t worth a doggone penny. I think it was mighty lowdown of him. He’s been to New Orleans before. For you to leave us under water all that time, then you’re gonna make like the hero, the lone ranger? Hell no. He ain’t nothing in my mind. They call him Mr. President or Mr. Bush. The only thing he Mister of is his house and his wife might be wearing the pants in there. I think it was mighty lowdown of him to do the things he did.

I seen the helicopter drop a woman from the air and she fell and hit the bridge and she burst right there. For him to sit there and think he’s doing us a favor; it’s too late to do us a favor. He can go wherever he wants and help out. But Florida? That’s his number one state besides Texas. He’ll be there on the spot, but since it was Louisiana and then New Orleans is a Democrat place, he didn’t give a damn cause he knows he’s not running no more. He knows he can’t run for nothing as long as he lives. Everybody wonders how he could drop the ball like he did. The whole United States seen this. All the foreign countries are seeing this. You could help everybody else, but you couldn’t help your own people in your own backyard? You got a serious problem. How can you look at yourself in the morning and at night and call yourself the president? No way.

Tell me about your experience.

I sat there and looked at my car go underwater. Then I seen water start to come inside. We went and tore the ceiling out and took the closet doors off and put them on the ceiling so we could have something to sit on. Sitting there on the porch after the water receded and watching stuff floating around us and the water stinking was nothin’ nice. And they had chaos all around us. Everybody was looting, shooting their guns like it was the Fourth of July or New Year’s. It was ridiculous.

I had enough canned goods and water to keep me going, but when I started smelling the bacteria and odor, and seeing people in the water, it was time to go. A guy came and took us to the bridge and I’m looking at all the blood on the bridge from that lady. I said, Lord, if it’s my time to die, God forgive me for every sin I did, but it so happens, he brought me through. Now I’m here in hog heaven. I’m on top of the world. I thought we had hospitality. We have never been treated like this before. Utah is a wonderful state. Anybody tell me different and I’ll slap the taste out of their mouth. That’s the way I feel about it and I’m quite sure the majority of us here feel the same way. There’s been nothing but sweet love. Ain’t nobody say nothin’ negative. They always have a helping hand. Always trying to do something for us. Utah, y’all number one, other than New Orleans. (laughs)

What are your plans from here on out?

I don’t know. I’m just taking it day by day. Ain’t no need to rush into anything cause you might rush into something that you might regret. I’ll let God guide me in the direction I’m going. I got family in Texas. I got family in Mississippi and I’m way up here. I’m not trying to leave here and go somewhere else while I’m getting treated like a king and go somewhere I might be treated like dirt. From what I see in Houston, I ain’t got time for that. We had enough chaos in New Orleans and for us to leave here and go somewhere else, it ain’t worth it. Utah, thank you. Thank the governor. President, you know what you can do. You know. And I aint’ afraid of you. You went over to Iraq for bin Laden, but you turned the table to Saddam and you turned the table on New Orelans, too, so that’s a wrap.

Raymond Augustus, 51

Ellis Coleman, 53

What did you think of the government’s response?

Raymond Augustus: I don’t know what to say. I forgot about Bush. I don’t know what he’s doing.

Ellis Coleman: This was predicted 35 years ago. They could have done something about it. I heard Bush slashed funds for the levees. Now it’s too late. A disaster happened.

Raymond Augustus: The only person I appreciate is my Mayor Nagin.

What’d you think of his response?

Raymond Augustus: I thought it was great, the way he went off on Bush.

Ellis Coleman: Bush was a day late and a dollar short.

What was your experience like?

Ellis Coleman: I was stuck in my house. The water was rising. I saw people walking around with water up to their necks. It would have been up to mine if the boats didn’t come by and rescue me. I saw dead people floating around. Guys looting and shooting at people coming to rescue them. They were shooting at helicopters. That shit didn’t make sense. People were supposed to be helping them.

What are your plans?

Ellis Coleman: I plan on staying right here. If I can take this winter, I’ll probably be here. People seem friendly. The state seems like it’s family oriented and I like that about it.

How’s your family?

Ellis Coleman: My family is scattered. My kids are in Wisconsin. My mom is in Houston. My brother is in Atlanta and my sister is in San Antonio. Everybody is alright.