Kanye West is Right!
During a live, televised charity for Katrina victims, a bit of inconvenient truth somehow managed to escape — Kanye West, who’s rather a hip-hop genius, went way, way off the script, indicting the slowness of official response to the victims of Katrina, including the racist portrayal of African Americans in New Orleans (which was documented here a few days ago). In impromptu remarks, West tied the fate of poor, mostly black people in New Orleans to the war in Iraq — including the remarkably evil “shoot to kill” orders that have been given National Guardsmen and others in the area.
(And before you object that Katrina has nothing to do with Iraq, you should know that the Army Corps of Engineers is largely responsible for the levees which protect New Orleans from the Mississippi River. Funding for maintenance and expansion of those levees was cut, after 9/11, by FEMA and by the Bush Administration. All of that funding was redirected to the so-called War on Terror and to the Department of Homeland Security. And, lest you should object that hurricanes like Katrina are random, unforeseeable acts of nature, this hurricane was foreseen as one of the three worst possible disasters that were likely to befall the US. The other two were a major California earthquake and a terrorist attack on New York City.)
But then Kanye West got straight to the heart of things when he said: “George Bush does not care about black people.” No shit: it’s about time someone said that on national television.
September 6th, 2005 at 11:30 am
How to help:
Join KEVIN POWELL and his special guests as they present a BENEFIT for New Orleans
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2005, 7PM-11PM at CANAL ROOM, 285 West Broadway, at Canal Street, downtown Manhattan in New York City, 21 and over with ID, and please RSVP to cher_harrison@yahoo.com
Admission is FREE but you MUST bring one or more of the following items
for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. These items will be loaded onto a big truck in front of CANAL ROOM and driven directly to Claiborne County Health Center in Port Gibson, Mississippi, run by Dr. Demitri Marshall. It is one of the closest rescue and help centers in the New Orleans area and in a position to really get these items to people in need. PLEASE make sure clothing and shoes and sneakers are new OR clean and in good condition….
Clothing for children and adults
Adult shoes and sneakers
Adult socks
Children’s shoes and sneakers
Children socks
Bottles of water
Diapers
Baby wipes
Baby food
Baby aspirin
Aspirin
Vitamins
Toilet paper
Sanitary napkins
Portable radios with batteries
Plastic forks, knives, and spoons
Cotton balls
Cotton swabs
Hydrogen peroxide BUT NOT rubbing alcohol, because that is
flammable
Band aids
Shaving cream
Male AND female razors
Blankets
Air mattresses
Sheets
Pillows and pillow cases
Gift cards for gas
Wal mart gift cards
Garbage bags
Cleaning supplies
Soap
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Flashlights
Batteries
Candles
Books for children, including coloring books
Books for adults
Magazines
If you are placing donated items in a bag PLEASE LABEL. For example, Children’s shoes or Adult shoes, or Children’s clothes or Adult clothes. We will NOT be taking monetary donations. See information below on where you can send financial contributions. Guest deejays, musical performers, and corporate sponsors to be announced shortly
Monetary donations can be sent to these outlets, which we have
confirmed are REALLY delivering services to folks in need……..
BlackAmericaWeb.com Relief Fund PO Box 803209, Dallas, TX 75240
OR you can make an online donation by going to www.blackamericaweb.com/relief. This fund has been set up by nationally syndicated radio personality TOM JOYNER
NAACP Disaster Relief Efforts The NAACP is setting up command centers in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama as part of its disaster relief efforts. NAACP units across the nation have begun collecting resources that will be placed on trucks and sent directly into the disaster areas. Also, the NAACP has established a disaster relief fund to accept monetary donations to aid in the relief effort. Checks can be sent to the NAACP payable to
NAACP Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, 4805 Mt. Hope Drive, Baltimore, MD 21215
Donations can also be made online at www.naacp.org/disaster/contribute.php
www.teamrescueone.com Set up by native New Orleans rapper Master P and his wife Sonya Miller.
You can mail or ship non perishable items to these following locations, which we have confirmed are REALLY delivering services to folks in need….
Center for LIFE Outreach Center
121 Saint Landry Street
Lafayette, LA 70506
atten.: Minister Pamela Robinson
337-504-5374
Mohammad Mosque 65
2600 Plank Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70805
atten.: Minister Andrew Muhammad
225-923-1400
225-357-3079
Lewis Temple CME Church
272 Medgar Evers Street
Grambling, LA 71245
atten.: Rev. Dr. Ricky Helton
318-247-3793
St. Luke Community United Methodist Church
c/o Hurricane Katrina Victims
5710 East R.L. Thornton Freeway
Dallas, TX 75223
atten.: Pastor Tom Waitschies
214-821-2970
S.H.A.P.E. Community Center
3815 Live Oak
Houston, Texas 77004
atten.: Deloyd Parker
713-521-0641
Alternative media outlets where you can get a more accurate and balanced presentation of the New Orleans catastrophe….
www.diversityinc.com
www.alternet.org
www.blackelectorate.com
www.npr.org
www.daveyd.com
www.slate.com
www.bet.com
www.allhiphop.com
www.democracynow.org
www.blackamericaweb.com
PLEASE VISIT all these websites.
Five things you can do to help immediately
1. Duplicate what we are doing elsewhere in New York City, in your city or town, on your college campus, at your church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious institution, via your fraternity or sorority, or via your local civic or social organization.
2. Cut and paste the information in this eblast about Items needed by survivors of the New Orleans catastrophe Monetary donations Where you can ship non perishable items Alternative media outlets Five things you can do to help immediately and share this information, as a ONE SHEET, with folks near and far, via email, or as a hand out at your event, religious institution, and with your civic or social organization.
3. Voice your opinion to local and national media, and to elected officials, via letter, email, op ed article, or phonecall, regarding the coverage of the New Orleans catastrophe, as well as to the federal government’s on going handling of the situation.
4. Ask the hotel you frequent, such as the Marriott or Holiday Inn, to give your hotel points to an individual or family in need of a stay for a night, a few nights, or longer, depending on how many points you have. Be sure to get confirmation that your points have been applied in that way. Encourage others to do the same. Also inquire if your airline frequent flyer mileage can be used for hotel stays as well. Finally, either offer to pay for hotel rooms, or encourage others to do so, including your place of employment or worship or your organization.
5. Dare to care about other human beings, no matter their race, gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, geography, culture, clothing, hairstyle, or accent or language. Like September 11th, the New Orleans catastrophe is a harsh reminder that all life is precious, as is each day we have on this earth. AND REMEMBER that our attention and response to the New Orleans
catastrophe needs to happen in three stages…DISASTER, RECOVERY, and
REBUILDING. We need you for all three stages.
September 10th, 2005 at 2:57 pm
Are you living in a cave on the moon? Because that is the only way you could not know that Bush is one of the most color-blind politicians the country has. If he was racist, why would his administration have non-white people?
September 11th, 2005 at 6:12 pm
Subject: FWD:RE: [NYHipHop] Kevin Powell’s Katrina Survivor Drive (9/8/05 in NYC)
peace all - and praises to the most high
it’s 3:18 in the morning. i just got back from the Katrina Survivors benefit and donations drive that kevin powell pulled together at the canal room in new york’s chinatown. i’ve worked a full day - in preparation for moving out - barely had dinner - running on adrenaline - but what i witnessed tonight gave me a renewed sense of hope and an unshakable faith in the power of a people united in thought and action. my fatigue slowly faded away.
as i approached the club with a fellow comrade luz from ollin imagination, we were immediately struck by the sheer amount of volunteers numbering est. 100 - 150?, mostly black with a sprinkling of white, latino and asians) and the sheer amount of goods of all kinds dropped off. there were MOUNDS of goods in plastic bags, boxes - you name it. some folk likened it to a landfill with garbage bags strewn around - taking up the span of short block. people in the neighborhood who did not know what the event was about immediately left and came back with bags of clothes and goods. this drop off continued into the wee hours of midnite. this one white yuppie came back with a sizable garbage bag bursting at the seams. it was full of polo shirts, many that had not been worn.
actor michael rappaport happened to walk by and wanted to get involved
for future efforts. (i’ll sell u his cellie # for $100 dollar donations! just kiddin)
volunteers were already scrambling to locate another 18 wheeler by that time. since it was so late it was extremely difficult to find one - but then a most amazing thing happened. a black brother happened to pass by the scene and inquired as to what the event was about. it turned out that he was a truck driver and owned an 18 wheeler in his driveway!!!! so he offered his services and rig for free, as long as he was covered for food, gas and shelter (we ended up filling 3/4’s of this 2nd rig).
our comrades from the NY hiphop political convention were already in
the throes of volunteering themselves. packing, sorting, loading - brother orlando was in the container of the first 18 wheeler truck for some 3 hours till his body and clothes were literally drenched in sweat. sister monique stayed even later with other volunteers. but we all pitched in, skinny john, will, autumn, edget, dana, ben, luz, myself. the mostly black volunteer crew was so dope. days of pent up outrage was channeled into a dizzying frenzy of volunteer work.
but we also found community in this work. in shedding sweat and tears throughout the night - we were finding each other on a human level, we were finding the community that we always wanted to create and be apart
of. we created a revolution. we were doing it. living our dreams and our passions. taking control and power over our lives and destinies. we are going to challenge and resist this sick, corrupt, racist regime!
as the last parcel and bag was loaded by 2am - the volunteer force erupted into cheers and applause. we ended the night on a spirited prayer and axe’s. of the volutnteers who were left, we held each others hands, and hooked arms - the energy coursed throughout the human chain. we affirmed life tonight. we cannot let katrina’s devastation fade away from our thoughts and actions. we cannot let the survivors of new orleans down. the organizers are now planning for the 2nd stage of the trip - the relief work itself. volunteers are being asked to spare a week or some days.
seize the time! jk
(on a final note - the organizers stated that the first 18 wheeler was generously provided for by mos def, talib kweli, kanye and common - if i got all the folk right - and shoutouts to reachiphop, the millions more movement, naacp, akilaworksongs - and many others who made this night happen!!!)
September 12th, 2005 at 1:08 am
For Bush supporter,
It should be plain that hiring black people does not mean that one cannot hold racist attitudes (scroll down the main page to see the lawsuit against Tyson). I know one American Bush supporter who is married to a Japanese woman, yet this does not prevent him from saying racist things against Japanese people.
September 12th, 2005 at 11:53 pm
Bush supporter:
Your response indicates again, the extreme focus on individual intent, interpersonal prejudice and the like around discussions of racism in the United States and the need to move beyond that to a discussion on social structures and outcomes.
For example, in a recent housing case in Baltimore (see Thompson v. HUD) the judge had a hard time with finding racial discrimination because both the mayor of Baltimore and the head of HUD at the time of the problems alleged by the plantiffs were African-American. However, eventually a structural and outcomes perspective prevailed and the case is set to make history.
September 18th, 2005 at 3:50 pm
“the need to move beyond that to a discussion on social structures and outcomes.”
Meaning what?