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Military requests medics from anarchist relief project

international | miscellaneous | other press

Friday September 16, 2005 22:53

by Anthony

Anarchists in cooperation with local residents have set up an alternative mutual aid relief project called the Common Ground Wellness Center to provide medical care and other necessities to survivors in New Orleans. Bizarrely, they were recently asked by the U.S. military to help in provide medics and other basic services to local residents.

Comments (1 of 1)

its not bizarre @ all.

by ipsi

Sat Sep 17, 2005 15:08

Prior to the disaster New Orleans had one of the most developed social movements scene in the US. Per capita involvement in non-heirarchial projects rivalled NYC. This was perhaps due to the cosmopolitan atmosphere which attracted many people from the north to the city.
When the shit hits the fan in any city, those with heightened sense of community, and established social networks are the first to organise for themselves "autonomously" in helping others. "The Survival tips" as appended to the feature on New Orleans were /are well familiar to members of such groups in many states. Also such groups who focus their interest on the problems in their community, (housing, shelter, health issues, inequality etc..) generally include those with above average levels of education, intelligence and training. Like I said in the survival tips - "you can open a squat you can provision supplies". By the third day I know (coz I contacted them) that members of social groups in N.O. were working with the police in provisioning essential medical supplies and food. This might seem strange to people who consider the weekly chat on the geopolitical problems of the world and capitalism in a pub or rented room, but to larger centres of population (such as my part of the world) its taken for granted.

Shit hits the fan - we're on the same side - saving the weakest.

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