Gentilly Girl- a part of the 99%

November 6, 2009

Life Is Good

Filed under: Greg Meffert,Nagin's Minions,New Orleans,NOLA IT,NOLA Politics,Ray Nagin — Morwen Madrigal @ 11:35 am

There’s gotta be some quakin’ and shakin’ at City Hall today.

How much longer will Ray Nagin be Mayor?

April 2, 2009

Nagin’s Last Day-

Filed under: Nagin's Minions,New Orleans,NOLA Politics,Ray Nagin — Morwen Madrigal @ 12:20 pm

Proud to see him gone.

Here’s the link.

March 25, 2009

The IT-Gate Opens

James Gill on Greg Meffert and his “friends in the Nagin IT world.

Curtsey to Adrastos for this heads up. (background can be found at American Zombie)

Could we be seeing a “Recovery Bunny meltdown? “Don’t touch the Recovery Eggs children!”

February 18, 2009

City Charter Changes- Battle Lines Are Being Drawn/Racist Dawn

Note- (I’ve been very concerned about certain issues in the City that could prove to only deepen the divide between Black New Orleanians and the rest of us. There seems to be a form of “mentality” (termed loosely) that that expresses an air of “entitlement” which excludes all of those others that call themselves Natives or those who see our place as their home. As a descendant of Native French Creoles, Free People of Color, Haitians and Islenos, I am horrified.  As a defender of the United States’ Constitution and the Social Contract I am sick to my soul. Being a child of the Civil Rights Era and all that it promised, I am agast.

The Louisiana Ministerial Alliance of Churches for All People types desire to set up a reverse Apartheid in order to maintain their voice and control. Many of their churches own different types of property, some not in compliance with Law, but it can easily funnel monies into their coffers for their racist war.

This is not what was meant by “Equality”. This nowhere comes close to being a land where we all work together in order to promote the concept of living in Wholeness… )

I have been receiving the New Orleans Agenda for quite some time and could never really get anything much useful out of it. In fact, often I saw it as a racist attack on the non-Black folks of the city.

This came in today via the Agenda. Its an open letter to the Mayor-

Dear Mr. Mayor, Let ice water flow through your veins. You have learned many hard earned lessons about the ruthlessness of evil and you are fighting the good fight.
You are protecting the interest and power of a 60% African American electorate against an onslaught of temporary white power created by the elections right after Katrina. This four to three Confederate clique on the city council is an imbalance to the demographics of the city and an anomaly. It will never happen again. The “At large” seats will always be split, one black and one white. Districts B, C, D and E are all likely to return to African American control, but for the next two years you must preserve and defend your ability to insure participation of qualified DBE and African American owned companies in this recovery against this onslaught which is really about denying you that.
Trust that all across America, you are a wonder, and they are the clowns, even though local media which shares the white power agenda avoids touting the amazing work that you and your administration has done, even while under siege. The world is back in New Orleans, and they can see that we are extremely functional, and the cranes are rising.
Sometimes even folk in New Orleans East and the Lower Ninth Ward forget that in preserving their rights to return and rebuild you denied the white power move to turn “our space” into “green space” and you enraged those who didn’t want them back. In insuring the inclusion of the East and lower nine in the recovery, you created a greater challenge for your administration. It would have been easier and perhaps you would be better loved by the children of the Confederacy, but fortunately, your bold and courageous stand has maintained the rights of our people to return to their property and lifestyles and citizenship in our city, and that’s the part that makes the white power people stoop to these constant and petty attacks on your administration that have achieved nothing, except headlines.
If they don’t railroad you into letting them control the contracts, they know you will keep the door open for the development of real wealth and power in the hands of independent African Americans, like you did with the sanitation contracts, and that’s too much freedom (power) for the children of former slaves.
I also appreciate the fact that you cannot run for reelection, but are fighting for our interest anyway.
Lloyd Dennis”

(Lloyd Dennis has city contracts- via Big Red Cotton.)

This guy is a nutcase.
He sees the entire social equation of our city as a group of tribal organizations instead of a coalition of people living under the Social Contract. He wants to divvy up the various neighborhoods to different “tribes” as if the land belonged ONLY to one ethnic group. (the constant revenge killings are the logical outcome of just this sort of skewed thinking- tribal warfare)
I see this as a form of racial segregation from the very group that wished to not be seen as separate from the Whole circa 1955. It is a stepping backwards, not a moving forward. Segregation instead of desegregation. It can only lead to a condition of slow decline and stagnation.  In other words, they dig the ghetto deeper and thereby entrap the young from growth, exploration and expansion of their lives from that of the Past. These young will never be allowed to enter the 21st Century and the promises it makes for one to achieve their God/dess-given possibilities.

This will be the result if we cannot get the City Charter changed to a more equitable power sharing between the City Council and the Mayor’s Administration. For those of us with a more modern mindset the thought of living under a “tribal ruler” is abhorrent. It goes against the spirit of the Constitution. It is treason to the spirit of this country.

We have a derelict property problem and one of non-profit ownership of some properties that does not conform to Federal laws concerning use of said properties. Our society is being “used”.

They scorn and harm the LGBT tribes even though they are your children. They discard that little bit of their culture that actually attempts to achieve something beyond wherefrom they spring. They hate those who escape the mindless lockstep of a culture that is on the edge of the abyss when it comes to it’s demise. They hate the fact that their children chose freedom of thought over the banality of a dead culture.

And lastly for now, the Ministerial Alliance is now going after U.S. Rep. Joe Cao for his vote on the recent Stimulus Bill, even though there wasn’t anything of import for East New Orleans. This is not about the voting, but about the fact that the Ministerial crowd cannot continence the thought of a US Rep that is not Black. This is blatant racism, no question.

They wish a kingdom within the midst of a Republic… this cannot stand. They wish to be seen as Priest-kings ruling their little regions. That is not what this Republic is about. We have no Priest-kings, we have ourselves and our representatives to a government that is responsible to the All, the future and honor of an united Nation. None are left behind but those who choose to remain in the Past.

The Past is just that- the past. This is the 21st Century and it’s time to embrace the hopes and possibilities that are at hand. Living in the 19th Century no longer counts as “living”. We are a polyglot culture that can celebrate our commonality and the specifics that belong to our various cultures. We no longer must separate ourselves from the Whole.

Welcome to the new New Orleans.

Now tell me what you think please?

February 16, 2009

It’s Time To Reclaim Property Taxes

Filed under: Infrastructure,New Orleans,NOLA Politics,Politicians,Rebuilding — Morwen Madrigal @ 6:05 pm

Back in ’04 I was trying to find a derelict property with which to create a Trans shelter/counseling center since many of my brothers and sisters have no place to go safely in the Metro area. I kept running across property after property that was idle, but most of them were “owned” by churches and no-name non-profits. It’s hard to line up funding for such projects if one can’t find a place to base the concept in.

In one of my more curious modes I started searching the property database for who owned what and whether it was tax exempt or not. I didn’t make it through the entire list, but my results showed that almost 50% of the properties I went through were tax exempt, yet nothing was being done with the property. Others had hair/nail salons or other businesses that had NOTHING to do with the mission of the “owners” of the properties.The City and the citizens of said city were getting fucked over by this situation. Why should I pay property taxes on my place only to see a salon operating on a tax free basis?

Last week the City Council voted 6 to 0 on ordering the Assessors’ offices to re-examine the uses to which these non-profit properties had been employed. This has been tried in the Past, but the howls from the cross-wearing crowd and the sham non-profits drowned out any chance of change being brought about. Their bottom line was being threatened. Their milking of those of us who actually did pay our fair share under the Social Contract was going to be dried up. Their gravy train would end.

All of these efforts to equalize the City’s tax base went for naught and our city has suffered for that.

Why the Hell must we tax-paying folk have to subsidize these tax-exempt fucks, especially when the properties in question are not performing the functions under which the limits for tax free usage demands? Why should someone like myself, who does not utilize “religeous” places, be forced to pay for their share of infrastructure costs?  Parks, Public schools and government buildings I have no problem with funding… they exist for all of us, but why must I pay for that which does not mean a damn thing to me or my life?

Centers of religion I have no objection to when it comes to property taxes. It’s just the outside operations, both religious and secular, that have no purpose other than to generate money becomes a business to my mind. Businesses pay taxes.

It’s time we separated religion and City here in New Orleans. Fair is fair, and for those of us busting our tushes off trying to rebuild this is a necessity.

Support the City Council in this matter. Demand transparency when it comes to determine “use” of property. Don’t back down to pressure from those who will not shoulder their part of the burden when it comes to running our home.

This is fraud… and it is extortion. This is one of the ways that some can suck off the lives of the many.  It is not right, and the problem must be corrected no matter how much a certain segment of the population screams and wails.

February 3, 2009

Nagin Must Go…

Filed under: Nagin's Minions,New Orleans,NOLA Politics,Politicians,Ray Nagin,Rebuilding — Morwen Madrigal @ 3:06 pm

By Wednesday I will have the recall petition papers in order to rid New Orleans of the greatest hinderence to our recovery- Mayor  C. Ray Nagin.

Right now I’m compiling data from others that show how Nagin is trying to kill our city.  If you have data that shows the machinations of the Nagin Administration, please send them to me.

This is for the Marigny/Bywater/French Quarter. This is also for the 70 acres of homes in Lower Mid-City. It is also for each and everyone of use busting our tushes to rebuild post-Flood. This is about saving the soul of a city we love.

Ray Nagin needs to go back to Dallas.

January 5, 2009

Wear Red Comrade!

Filed under: Crime,Event,New Orleans,NOLA Politics,NOPD,Politicians,Sinn Fein — Morwen Madrigal @ 10:53 pm

From SILENCE IS VIOLENCE-

January 9-
“Strike Against Crime”

One week from today, on January 9, 2009, we will Strike Against

Crime to send a message to the New Orleans city leadership—

and to each other—that we continue to stand in solidarity as a

city, determined to defy the violence that grips our streets and

neighborhoods.  The year has not begun well: Three murders

scarred the city during the first 12 hours of 2009, and armed

robberies have been prevalent over the past week.

What would happen if the fear and danger we all live with

were to shut down our participation in the amazing energy

that defines New Orleans?  What if every business that

feels threatened by crime were to close, and every

frightened citizen to stay home?  These are the

questions that moved us to call for a “Strike” next week.

We are not asking that citizens necessarily stay home

from work—that would be too detrimental to many

families and to the small businesses that fill New

Orleans. But we are asking that you find some way

to express the toll violence takes on your individual

life, the lives of your family and neighbors, and your

jobs and businesses. We have already heard from

many of you who plan to take public, pro-active

actions that speak both to the crushing violence,

and to the under-served community needs that

could challenge this violence.

Beginning this weekend, we will post a list of planned

actions and activities for Friday, January 9 and the

Strike Against Crime.  For now, we have two specific

requests for participation:
1. If you are a retail business owner, please join us in

contributing 5% of next Friday’s sales to a public safety

or social justice-oriented non-profit organization.

This amount will mirror your city sales tax contribution

for one day.  SilenceIsViolence will provide a list of

suggested non-profit organizations, with brief

descriptions of their missions, to be beneficiaries

of these donations.
2. We have printed yard signs that will serve as crime

self-reporting tools for next week and beyond.

“Crime Happened Here” signs will be available

beginning today at Sound Cafe and through

neighborhood organizations.  We ask that people

use them to mark known crime locations before

next Friday’s strike.

If you have an activity or demonstration that you are

planning for next Friday, please let us know what it is

and we will share the information as part of this citywide

event.  Some examples include: youth resources tables

in playgrounds around town; a community soccer event

to highlight the need for community activities; a Peace

motorcade through violence-ridden neighborhoods; a

public film screening with an anti-violence message.

Use your imagination and send us your plans.

Wherever you are next Friday, wear something red.

This is how we will signal our pledge to each other to

start the peace within our own families and communities.

www.silenceisviolence.org

This speaks for itself Gentle Readers. I’m a member

of the Irish Channel Republican Army and I will be

wearing red to show solidarity with my brothers and

sisters in the battle for our city and the fight against

unbridled violence.

It’s up to us Darlin’s- Sinn Fein!

December 19, 2008

The City Council Speaks and the Mayor’s Minions Still Go His Way

Filed under: Nagin's Minions,New Orleans,NOLA Politics,Politicians,Ray Nagin,Rebuilding — Morwen Madrigal @ 11:30 pm

Here’s the latest, and I ain’t saying anything until it all blows up next week.

Fuck it, Nagin is NOT getting the money for his “glittering jewel” (probably wants it named for him).

December 18, 2008

Why Can’t I Have a Free Car, Gas and Insurance?

I do my job as a proactive citizen- helped create a neighborhood association to work on the rebuilding of NOLA, am a 10 year Veteran of the military, work on Trans and LGBT issues, fight for food banks and just keep up on the news about what’s really going down here. Why don’t I have a city-payed car?

Yes Gentle Readers, the above is pure snark.

The point of this is that the city provides free vehicles, insurance and fuel for many city employees. Why the Hell must my tax dollars go to provide a car for someone who works for the city? None of my past employers gave me a free car, and I was a General Manager for some of the largest bookstores in the country.  Being in the Navy didn’t get me a car. These people who are hired/appointed by the City to jobs don’t own cars?

There are only a few positions in city government that should provide individual vehicles for workers, and that’s Mayor, City Council, the Fire Chief and our top medical advisor. And NO… they can’t take them home. And city-paid fuel should only be for official duties. (Commuting from home to work and back is not an official duty. )

Our City Inspector General (yes, the same position our Mayor tried not to finance), just issued his first report on City spending on vehicles just from the Administration offices… it is a glaring example of waste considering that these are OUR servants. The full text of the report is here.

It is far past time for the fuckmooks to be taken down a few notches. They are abusing the citizens of the City and mostly never deliver on what their job provisions require (or they bring the deals in over budget).

We, the people of New Orleans, MUST reclaim our power as citizens.

And Mayor Nagin is trying to assert his “authoriti” concerning the City’s budget, and I’m leaving that poop to others to illuminate the junkyard of Nagin’s minions.

Sinn Fein!

December 17, 2008

I Am Not Dying, Just Exhausted

Filed under: Gentilly,Nagin's Minions,New Orleans,NOLA Politics,Sinn Fein — Morwen Madrigal @ 10:24 pm

3.5 hours at the V.A. today with my Doc and many others. My low weight is fine, but I need more carbs. Need bloodwork for the HIV, but I look very well.  Yes I need some meds to help sleep and work on my anxiety over New Orleans’ fate. These things can be fixed.

My bleeding prob will be fixed next month. The Ovarian/Uterine worries will be resolved by tests. The sinus/tinnitus probs are to be resolved. Everything is within allowable parameters.

It’s about stress and not having seen a doc for years. Doc said I was worried about too many things, especially about my health condition, our house and the City.  There’s a ton of bloodwork ahead, but this guy is great with HIV stuffs.  He knows my history, and the fact that I violate all of the thoughts on the course of this disease. The rationale is that I have worn myself out whilst trying to fight many issues. (Of course y’all knew that I would go to that point.)

I will not stop on these issues. Now I can calm down on what all of this work is doing to my body. And this verifies that the Third Battle for New Orleans keeps me alive. One must have a reason to exist, and I freakin’ have one- the Soul of New Orleans. Even if I must leave this plane, New Orleans and Her folks must be restored.

Considering the B/S of Mayor Nagin and his business friends, I just might live forever. Works for me Darlin’s.

After my inquisition I headed to Krystal for some Murder Burgers and continued to the Starlight. I chomped away whist talking to friends about what is going down in the community. Had a few cocktails too. Realized that the angst/anxieity/depression of being a rebuilder in the City can make for some strange feelings.  I’m tired, but Doc Oct saved my life today.  What I’m feeling is the fight, not my mortality.

I ain’t going anywhere but New Orleans.

Geek Dinner at our house next month, and I will be able to celebrate all that we NOLA Bloggers have worked for. There is no reason to back down now. The Goddess protects those who PROTECT.  And… It’s time for planning Rising Tide IV. This year nothing will stop me from from being a more active member than last year.

I am NOT going away anytime soon.  The Bitch from Gentilly shall abide, and she will fight like all Hell.

Sinn Fein

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