Kremlin R Us

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now reports on a visit to a FEMA trailer site for hurricane evacuees in Louisiana. You can read the dismal nature of life there, and of residents' perceptions of FEMA's inconsistencies and shortcomings.

But the most interesting-- and chilling-- part is that residents are not allowed to interview with a person like Amy Goodman unless (a) they leave the site or (b) Amy is accompanied by a FEMA handler. Excerpts:

AMY GOODMAN: As we traveled around, the security guards told us that we had to leave. These were security guards from C.S.S. of Grand Rapids, Michigan, hired by FEMA. That's Corporate Security Solutions. These were guards, a number of whom had been in Afghanistan and Iraq. The residents, though, of Renaissance Village, seemed surprised that they weren't allowed to speak in their own community, and one man asked if he could talk to us. And this is what happened.

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Deception. Lies. A famine. A shortage. . . . Everything. And it ain't no good to be here.

SECURITY GUARD: Turn it off.

AMY GOODMAN: We were going in the car, and he said, "Please interview me."

SECURITY GUARD: Yeah, he -- he can't. That’s not his privilege.

AMY GOODMAN: He’s not allowed to talk?

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: What's wrong? What's wrong?

SECURITY GUARD: You can go -- get that -- you’ve known the deal since --

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: No, I don't know the deal. Tell me. What is the deal?

SECURITY GUARD: You can go get interviewed as long as it’s off post. . .

AMY GOODMAN: You mean, he has to come off of the property?

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: What is -- there’s a problem being interviewed?

SECURITY GUARD: Turn it off.

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Turn it off, man. I don't want no problems.

AMY GOODMAN: Okay.

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: ’Cause I don't know anything about not being able to be interviewed.

SECURITY GUARD: You -- no, you can be interviewed, as long as it’s off the installation.

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Well, okay, we can move over there.

SECURITY GUARD: Other than that that [inaudible].

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Okay, we can move over there. ‘Cause I was sitting out here reading my Bible. But I didn't know anything about -- we will not being interviewed, because --

SECURITY GUARD: Yes, you can be interviewed --

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Okay.

SECURITY GUARD: -- if they had a FEMA representative with them, but since they don’t and do not have an appointment --

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Oh, okay. ‘Cause I know they do it all the time.

SECURITY GUARD: Yes, they have the FEMA public relations officer with them.

RENAISSANCE VILLAGE RESIDENT: Okay, well, I didn't know.

SECURITY GUARD: I’m not mad at you, Red. You know that.

AMY GOODMAN: As we drove off of Renaissance Village, we were chased by the guards in golf carts, who said they would be taking down our license plate and that we couldn't return. This was the day after FEMA had ended the free meals that they had been providing to the more than thousand people, anyone who wanted to take advantage of it in Renaissance Village, again, about an hour away from New Orleans in Baker, Louisiana.

"Off post", "off the installation"? Is FEMA a military operation? Free speech is not this person's "privilege"? The pursuit by golf carts would be funny, if the whole thing weren't so un-American.

FEMA/CIA: gotta protect those government secrets!