Thanks.

Katy Reckdahl
Times-Picayune

Why Bart Everson and his ‘anticrime’ fighters will not provide real security.

After reading Bart Everson’s speech delivered at the January 11 rally at city hall, identifying the main demands he made, and placing it, furthermore, in the context in which it was delivered, I found it dangerous, and clearly not consistent with the values of the late social justice activist Helen Hill. I did not find the progressive content you saw. In addition, the fact that Everson is‚Äîor at least had been– a leading activist in the Green party in New Orleans, and nationally, which claims to be a social justice, pro-environment, antiracist, peace group, the speech he delivered, the demands he made, and event he supported, should be of concern to the members and leaders of this group. Does Everson speak for the Greens? Do they share his sentiments?

I agree with Malcolm, that reopening and expanding public services is key for creating real security. But, as I will show in a review of Everson’s central demands, this is not what he was advocating, but rather more repression. His message was consistent with the overall character, and tenor of this right wing, white, middle class dominated, march.

If we really want security we should not be rallying behind Everson and others with their right wing ‘anti-crime’ rallies, but joining with the anti-racist, working class social movements in this city, such as the struggle to reopen public housing. Join us on MLK day in front of the St Bernard, to demand real justice and security, not more cops, more surveillance cameras, more police roadblocks, and the, ‘security’ of emerging racist police state that Everson and his gang are pushing

The text of the speech can be accessed at:

http://b.rox.com/archives/2007/01/11/speech/

1. Everson stated, in his remarks before the some 4,000 people assembled, that the city’s increased crime/security problem had nothing to do with Katrina:

“This is not a new problem. It’s not a Katrina problem. Katrina just provided a momentary interruption. This wave of violent crime has been on the rise for years and it had left us feeling sad and scared and very, very angry.”

This works to cover the way that the inadequate response, indeed criminal response, of, primarily, the federal government, has created extreme suffering for people, and contributed greatly to the security problems.

2. His failure to not connect the security problems to Katrina is consistent with him totally letting off the hook the Bush administration, and only focusing on local officials:

“And so today I want to say shame on you, Mayor Nagin, Superintendent Riley, District Attorney Jordan. You’ve really let us down. You have failed us. The criminal justice system and the government is broken.”

While local officials should be criticized, Everson attacks them for the wrong reasons. Does he oppose Nagin’s support for demolishing public housing? Or does he ‘shame’ DA Eddie Jordan for his willingness to prosecute the Danziger 7 murdering cops who brazenly shot and killed two civilians—which many believe was just the tip of the iceberg of the killings NOPD and other ‘security’ forces carried out in the aftermath of katrina?
Clearly many at the march were angry at Jordan for his attempts to prosecute these murders. Various placards attacked Jordan for these prosecutions of ‘our police’. Everson’s speech led no one to believe that he held a different position.

3. Everson, in his speech, called for greater police penetration of the community, and more snitches, in the name of community policing:

‘Leaders, you need to do something that many of us think you can’t do. You need to be honest. You need to admit that what you’re doing isn’t working, and plan a return to true community policing…Of course to do community policing we will need more police, and that means better pay,..’

Thats Everson’s solution: more cops, and more resources for cops, and more snitches. We now have more cops per capita than any where in the country, and the highest incarceration rate. He wants to drive it higher.

4. Further underscoring Everon’s emphasis on more repression, he bellowed before the overwhelmingly white middle class crowd, in an city that had been 70% African Americans before the storm that:

‘We must have a higher felony conviction rate.’

5. He decried the fact that many people—some who have family roots dating back 300 years in the city—and are thinking about leaving New Orleans. Yet he made no mention of the fact about the some 250,000 people don’t have that option—because they have yet to return to the city, over a year since they were forced out!!! Approximately 80% are African Americans, many of whom can also trace their roots back decades. He made no mention of actions, like reopening public housing, that would help people return, and create an important form of security—that of housing.

As an addendum he interjected that:

“We know that law enforcement alone can’t solve these problems. We need long-term solutions too. We must have better schools. We must have an economy beyond tourism. We must pay workers a living wage. We must fight racism and classism”

Yet, he has no real specifics here—does he call for the reopening of public housing? Charity hospital? Does better schools mean private charter schools? Does he support rehiring of the fired teachers and the reinstatement their union contract?

Clearly, Everson remarks and role was consistent with the overall message of the event –more repression and keep poor African Americans in line. That sentiment was clearly reflected in the placard that called for the creation of ‚Äògreen zone‚Äô in New Orleans, just like in Baghdad.

If you really want security, we need, as some counter protestors tried to yell amid the cacophony of reactionary voices:

Social justice, not more cops!!!!

If you support that call, I encourage you to concretely support this agenda by coming out to the St Bernard housing development on MLK day to support resident right to clean up and return to their homes.

MLK Day
Monday, January 15
10 AM
3800 block of St. Bernard Ave

Jay Arena

Over the last 17 months, no effort has been made by the city to provide safety for the people. It is just like a war zone and the federal government, city officials and police are acting like a occupying force rather than a public service.