Indian Chief Al and Skeleton Chief Al
New Orleans, LA
A couple days ago, I wanted to write about where direction action casework fits into an eviction crisis of this scale. I was trying to set up the story of “Skeleton Chief” Al Morris. Al is a lifelong resident of the Treme neighborhood. This is where we organized the N.O. H.E.A.T. coalition meeting where Sonia spoke so well. (That monologue is featured over the top of Flux’s video I linked to a couple entries ago. Attentive readers may also have noticed the footage Emma and I shot of Diane, the day we drove her home from Wal-Mart to salvage her possessions.)
Chief Al was also the man we were looking for at that second line parade in the Treme. It’s not so easy to coordinate a direct action case with someone who had his cell phone stolen. Meeting the chief for the first time was a funny episode all by itself…
One of the volunteers at the Algiers medical clinic got arrested doing a “cop-watch”. There was a press conference at Orleans Parish Prison. One of the speakers was a tall, thin African-American named Chief Al Dusset who had been recently brutalized and arrested by NOPD. I had been tipped off several days earlier by a local activist interested in working on the eviction issue that his neighbor was put out illegally and robbed by the landlord’s men.
I started talking to Chief Al Dusset after the press conference about it. He was polite, but eventually stopped me: “I hear you, but I didn’t get evicted.” I showed him my notebook. He studied the address for a moment. “You’re talking about Skeleton Chief Al. He stays in the Treme. I’ll take you up to the Backstreet (Cultural Museum), he’s usually around there.”
I followed the chief of Uptown Mardis Gras Indians up into the Treme. He pulled up at the Backstreet, and sure enough, there was his counterpart sitting with a half dozen friends on the porch. Chief Al Dusset hugged Chief Al Morris, introduced me as someone working with Malik who was here to see about helping him with the eviction thing.
That’s how I met Al Morris, First Chief of Northside Skull Bone Gang.
Jeremy
January 22nd, 2006 at 2:55 am
Please pass this announcement to your email list, help us get the word out to those who are targets of military recruiters in New Orleans.
What do the 1989 invasion of Panama, the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the 2005 Katrina disaster have in common?
AMY LAFONT of New Orleans, and the EMPOWERMENT PROJECT
announce the North American Premiere screening of
SOLDIERS SPEAK OUT
Friday, Jan 27, 7:30pm
and
THE PANAMA DECEPTION
Winner of the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 1993
Saturday, Jan 28, 7:30pm
at the ZEITGEIST THEATER, 1724 O.C. Haley Blvd, New Orleans
Join filmmakers BARBARA TRENT and DAVID KASPER
and special guests: IRAQ VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR
to connect the dots…..
For detailed information, please see Zeitgeist Theater listing below:
Visiting Academy Award Winning Filmmakers Barbara Trent and David Kasper come to
Zeitgeist Friday & Saturday, January 27 & 28 to present their films:
Friday, January 27 @ 7:30 p.m. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE SCREENING of
SOLDIERS SPEAK OUT by David Kasper and Barbara Trent. A powerful, first-hand testament
to the reality of the military experience, told entirely in the words of American veterans who have been to war and are now opposing it. We hear how they came to join the military, about their experiences in training and in war, and what led to the turning point when they decided they could no longer, in good conscience, participate in the war, or keep silent. “Soldiers Speak Out” sheds light on the growing and courageous anti-war and anti-occupation movement within the military and their families. There will be a reception in the filmmakers’ honor at 7:30 with the film @ 8:00 p.m. Q&A to follow. By donation. Proceeds support efforts to distribute Soldiers Speak Out, especially to those who are targets of US military recruiters.
Saturday, January 28 @ 7:30 p.m.
THE PANAMA DECEPTION by Barbara Trent and David Kasper. The 1993 Academy Award-winning Best Documentary feature is a riveting critique of the government’s history of militarization, made all the more timely by the current war on terrorism and the government and media’s response to most current events such as Hurricane Katrina. The Panama Deception documents the untold story of the December 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama; the events which led to it; the excessive force used; the enormity of the death and destruction; and the devastating aftermath. The Panama Deception uncovers the real reasons for this internationally condemned attack, presenting a view of the invasion which widely differs from that portrayed by the U.S. media and exposes how the U.S. government and the mainstream media suppressed information about this foreign policy disaster. The Panama Deception includes never before seen footage of the invasion and its aftermath, as well as interviews with both invasion proponents like Gen. Maxwell Thurman, Panamanian President Endara and Pentagon spokesperson Pete Williams, and opponents like U.S. Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY.), Panamanian human rights workers Olga Mejia and Isabel Corro and former Panamanian diplomat Humberto Brown. Network news clips and media critics contribute to a staggering analysis of media control and self-censorship relevant to any news coverage today, particularly during times of war. “It’s a cinematic Molotov cocktail,” A discussion with the filmmakers and special guests to follow. By donation. Proceeds benefit the Empowerment Project.
http://www.empowermentproject.org
to download a printable flyer for the events: http://www.empowermentproject.org/pages/schedule.html
_______________________________________________________
Zeitgeist Multi-disciplinary Arts Center
1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. (@ Felicity St, 3 blocks from St. Charles)
504 525-2767 or 504 352-1150 www.zeitgeistinc.net zte@bellsouth.net
all events are $6 general/$5 students & seniors/$4 Zeitgeist members
unless noted.
January 31st, 2006 at 1:07 pm
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