I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp

An awful lot of screening going on..
Here's something from a nearby newspaper:

Arrivals from NOLA

I truly think a mistake was made early on...and there are some serious criminals
intermingled with those who just want help..

I have first-hand knowledge that the st. bernard prison emptied itself of all misdemeanor inmates on sunday, the day before the hurricane at around sundown. the doors were opened personal effects distributed and they walked away. no rides.

Valhall

Keep up the good work, and keep up with the updates. This thread and your story is being seen by more and more people every day.

I just found a link to this thread from the cuttingedge.org on their daily news updates for September 7, 2005 right near the top in the first section. They have 50+ news headlines per day with a large readership. I imagine it will be showing up other places as well.

Originally posted by jayfo
I have first-hand knowledge that the st. bernard prison emptied itself of all misdemeanor inmates on sunday, the day before the hurricane at around sundown. the doors were opened personal effects distributed and they walked away. no rides.

Just walked away?..Misdemeanors only though..
interesting, can you say how you came about this knowledge?

Originally posted by jayfo
I have first-hand knowledge that the st. bernard prison emptied itself of all misdemeanor inmates on sunday, the day before the hurricane at around sundown. the doors were opened personal effects distributed and they walked away. no rides.

jayfo. Welcome to ATS.

Statements like that need to be backed up. I highly doubt that the LA correctional authorities simply opened the cell doors and said "go on git'outta here". The day before the storm? At most they were bused to another prison, not set loose.

Please stay on topic.

[edit on 9/7/2005 by Gools]

I'm the trial defense counsel for camp shelby. one of my clients was AWOL and kept at the prison awaiting military transportback here. He came to me from the red cross kinda shaken up because he was left to his own devices during a hurricane. I know for a fact that he should not be walking the streets. he should have been escorted into military custody. I cannot find any other possibility explaining how he is not in civilian custody; also, don't think this soldier was lying. He was upset and not what you'd call a flight risk.

I think jayfo is on topic.
Val is wondering about the treament of people in the camp.
Would not a theory, that some might be "released prisoners" be a
possible factor in the way people are being treated?

Originally posted by jayfo
I'm the trial defense counsel for camp shelby. one of my clients was AWOL and kept at the prison awaiting military transportback here. He came to me from the red cross kinda shaken up because he was left to his own devices during a hurricane. I know for a fact that he should not be walking the streets. he should have been escorted into military custody. I cannot find any other possibility explaining how he is not in civilian custody; also, don't think this soldier was lying. He was upset and not what you'd call a flight risk.

Let me get this straight.
Basically according to the your client... the prisons were cleared out of anyone with misdemeanors, and given their personal effects and told they were on their own.

What did they do with the rest of the inmates? Where were they transported to?

What am I missing here?

I'll probably be the first one voted for the "way below no secret award"

[edit on 7-9-2005 by sosuemetoo]

Outstanding work Val and very good first hand reporting, and while I would have felt the same suspicions had I been in you & your families shoes, I as a military man cannot believe that if this was to be somekind of a containment camp that you and your good intentions would have even gotten within 10 miles of the camp and there would certainly wouldn't have been OKSP guarding the entrance, I do lean toward the possibility that it is under tighter scrutiny (for health & medical reasons), preplanning for a possible cholera or other waterborne disease is a responsibility of this recovery, it may not sound right being that this is the US but I don't care how much you prepare for possible events, GOD always has the upper hand and if He chooses to unleash his wrath, nothing of the earth is up to the task....even the mighty US...

Now there is the beginning of blame for this storm and its aftermath, many people will believe what the politicians' say, I do not, I understand what has happened and all I want is those yet to be rescued, rescued, those who wish to stay, let them stay, you want New Orleans to be again, take the time to haul in plenty of rock and soil and fill it to the top of the levees and once you have firm ground "above sea level", build the city again......

Originally posted by sosuemetoo

Let me get this straight.
Basically according to the your client... the prisons were cleared out of anyone with misdemeanors, and given their personal effects and told they were on their own.

What did they do with the rest of the inmates? Where were they transported to?

What am I missing here?

I'll probably be the first one voted for the "way below no secret award"

[edit on 7-9-2005 by sosuemetoo]

I know this was not directed at me but:

why would you say "way below no secret"?

With all the other screw ups, do you think that the ONLY thing that was taken care of properly were the inmates? Is it possible that there could have been a screw up there too?
I'm just saying that between the things that Val was saying, and the article I read in my local paper..It seems there is some heightened paranoia. That people are being checked out and monitored more closely than I would have suspected..

"You have voted Valhall for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have one more vote left for this month"

Thanks for writing this up, Valhall. That was a really good read. I genuinly believe your story, and I agree with the points you made, for sure.


[edit on 123030p://170912 by MERC]

Actually the prescedent and model is the Japanese-American Internment Camps. But our government has become much craftier and powerful since then.

I will point out a few possible "alternative reasons for some rules."

The reason you don't allow cooking is that people treated so oppressively in such a place very likely will do what ANY FREE PERSON so treated would do; BURN THE FRIGGIN CAMP DOWN. Erego the internees will not be allowed access to anything that could start a fire. No cooking, no smoking no matches, no lighters probably no magnifying glasses either

I believe that the fact that these people will not be allowed access to fire is a prime bit of probable evidence that the assertion that they will be "ALLOWED TO LEAVE. BUT NOT COME BACK" baloney is just that- BALONEY, for a credulous public. I believe it means they will NOT BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE. If they really were "guests" (allowed to leave) and not "prisoners" the authorities would not be so afraid of their burning the place down. Prisoners do that.

Permitting them to cook would have also necessitated allowing them access to metal knives, forks, and spoons, which the authorities might fear might be made into weapons (to help them free themselves?) Thus all cutlery will likely be plastic.

But, ASIDE FROM EVERYTHING PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED WE MUST SOUND THE ALARM ABOUT THE MOST REAL, OBVIOUS, DANGEROUS SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS SOLITARY CAMP

This SHOULD GIVE YOU NIGHTMARES:
WHY?
Because this camp model shows that, if given absolute power and control of all variables in an isolated social model and framework, (like FEMA would have had at this camp,) the Feds believed the best, most harmonious community model of government, The one THAT OUR GOVERNMENT, THROUGH (FEMA) WOULD CHOOSE TO INSTALL IS AN OPPRESSIVE COMMUNIST MODEL WHICH THEY MUST VIEW AS THE BEST, MOST IDEAL WAY TO GOVERN AND PROVIDE SAFETY, SECURITY, EQUALITY, PEACE AND HAPPINESS IN THAT CAMP!

[B]Folks, If the Feds DO think oppressive communism is the best way for people to be governed to obtain maximum security, peace, progress and success then: WE NOW HAVE THE WRONG GOVERNMENT FOR AMERICA![/B]

Therefore, if that is true, we can expect that, in the future, the more power the Feds get, the more they will try to exert it to shape America along the "fairest" most "peaceful",most controllable Communist model.

Actually, I forsee a PARALLEL SYSTEM emerging: Communism administered and dictated by the elite for the worker classes AND Cutthroat Capitalism for the segregated upper, wealthy class (not classes) no middle class.
__________________
Defending and enabling your government playing deceptive semantics with the law and truth can be hazardous to YOUR health.

[edit on 8-9-2005 by ainitfunny]

[edit on 8-9-2005 by ainitfunny]

It appears something similar to what has occurred here - where the state and local people have rushed to organize facilities and then FEMA has all of a sudden called off sending evacuees - has occurred in several states.

www.newsok.com.../main

Gov. Brad Henry said his counterparts across the country are frustrated at Federal Emergency Management Agency officials who told Oklahoma late Tuesday to back off plans to receive thousands more of Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

Henry participated in a conference call early Wednesday between state governors, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and FEMA
director Mike Brown, who faces growing criticism for his handling of the
hurricane aftermath. About 18 governors asked questions, Henry said.

“Every state has had the same experience,” Henry said. “Some of the
stories I’ve heard from other states are worse.”

State officials and volunteers prepared to house as many as 3,000 evacuees at the Falls Creek Conference Center, a 350-acre site operated by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma near Davis.

The federal agency, charged with coordinating disaster response,
repeatedly changed its story on when, if ever, evacuees would arrive at
Falls Creek.

this thread just keeps getting more and more bizarre...............as if the ORIGINAL posting wasn't enough to weird me out for days............all these updates from you VALHALL are just bizarre.

first it IS a camp..........now its NOT...........no maybe............well not for sure because FEMA can't get their heads on straight..........

i tell ya.........the head of FEMA really needs to go back and find his old job working with ARABIAN HORSES. .................oh WAIT..........he got FIRED from that one didn't he???

he's blown through a TON of money.........just in his total disorganization and pathetic planning...........i'd be curious to know what the cost was of the org just in your church camp area...............the phone lines.........cell towers.......all the prep work that wasn't done by your gracious church members......having all those fire trucks, ambulances w/ emts and state and hwy patrol officers just kindda hanging around.............

this is just more disturbing every new piece of info that comes out.......and now to see FEMA has 18 other states have similar situations........

gggeeesssshhhhhhh what a mess.

thanks again valhall............you are doing great work by keeping us all informed of what's going on in OK.

angie

You have voted Valhall for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have two more votes this month.

you have my vote!!! thanks again for your excellent reporting!!


angie

This thing just is killing me. It is not going to surprise me when the governors take over. I mean truly just kick FEMA out of the situation.

Governor Perry in Texas is pleading for help. He's got every convention center in Houston packed with people sleeping in a communal space with no privacy, not even a semblance of dignity. THERE IS NOTHING DIGNIFIED ABOUT HAVING TO SLEEP AMONG 12000 PEOPLE ON AN ARENA FLOOR.

He needs help. He needs to start moving these people out of this situation. He calls for help and the good governors of the surrounding states step up to help him. BUT FEMA SCREWS IT UP.

Falls Creek, if used PROPERLY, LOGICALLYand PRAGMATICALLY, and with what should be the utmost priority of moving the most people to the best environment in the quickest manner, would be the BEST processing site anyone could pick. If the camp was used to house people for no more than 2 to 3 weeks while you are finding them an apartment and getting all their needs set up through entitlements, it would be a pleasant, peaceful place that would at least give some semblance of dignity and community versus a FARKING ARENA FLOOR.

But NOOOOO, even if the "host" was dead wrong and these people were going to be allowed to come and go after some "processing" period, this is not a place you take 3000 urban dwellers and stick themf or 5 months! And even if they "come and go" it would be limited because it would have to be scheduled bus runs to places.

If farking FEMA isn't working to get ever single displaced person into an apartment or house in some metropolitan area as quickly as they possibly can - THEY ARE CONTINUING TO SCREW THESE PEOPLE!

Let's just say there are a 1/2 million people who need to be placed in long-term housing and all a full entitlement package (food stamps, aid for dependent children, medicaid, housing and utilities). The whole farking package would be $5000/month or less. And assuming that each of the 1/2 million people got their own apartment (which isn't so because there are families) that's 2.5 billion/month. FEMA's SPENDING 1/2 BILLION A DAY!

AND - to say that the 2.5 billion/month was all due to Katrina would be flying crock of # because with 25% of New Orlean's population under the national poverty line A WHOLE HEAPING HELPING OF THESE PEOPLE WERE ALREADY ON A FULL ENTITLEMENT PACKAGE!

These people need to be moved 3000 at a time out of the humiliating environment that Barbara Bush thinks is "good" to places like this camp for no longer than 2 - 3 weeks and then MOVED INTO HOUSING. There's Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, OKC, Tulsa, Ft. Smith, Shreveport/Bossier City, Little Rock, Memphis, Louisville.

Start treating them like people! PULL YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR ASSES!!!

[edit on 9-8-2005 by Valhall]

If I recall correctly, If a prison dies in your care during a storm you can be charged with manslaughter.

I did a search and found this at feeds.oklahomacitynews.net...

``Once our guests from the Gulf Coast walk off the bus they will be welcomed with a warm Oklahoma smile and a 'Bucket of Blessing', a care-package type bucket full of essential items, snacks, books and toys, all prepared by our church members,'' Jordan said.

Sanders said a variety of activities are planned for the evacuees, including movies, crafts, recreation and relaxation.

``Within the coming days we fully expect school-age children to be back in an educational setting with a variety of learning experiences available for adults as well,'' he said.

State Superintendent of Schools Sandy Garrett said the Department of Education is working to reduce bureaucratic barriers that would prevent their placement in an Oklahoma public school.

Michelann Ooten, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, said The Salvation Army will provide clothing and the Oklahoma Veterinarian Association and the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter will provide housing for any animals that accompany the evacuees.

It also goes on to say that travel agencies are working together with the red cross to find food and clothing for the evacuees at falls creek.

So, maybe it will be ok. They said the first group arived Saturday night.
I am just going to pray everything works out great for these people.

[edit on 8-9-2005 by mrsdudara]

No mrs....they didn't arrive Saturday night. And please note that the statements made in that article were made by the Falls Creek leader PRIOR to FEMA telling them how it would REALLY be.

All weekend church members worked to fill these "buckets of blessings" and to ready this camp to PAMPER these people and dote on them as long as they needed to. Then - Monday came and a big phat reality check.

I've got to tell you at this point I'm not sure the deal wasn't busted on the Falls Creek side instead of the FEMA side. I'm serious. I have more pictures of our time in there than what I've posted on this thread. One picture my daughter took was of one of the top men at Falls Creek...one of the people in charge. As we turned the corner which led us passed the troops this man was standing with two other men who appeared to work for Falls Creek. This man was VISIBLE ANGRY. I noticed his face as I turned the corner, but did not know who he was. My daughter knows him. She goes "OH my gosh, mommy! There's (I forget his name). Oh my gosh! Look how mad he is! Oh my gosh!" And she snaps the picture.

She later told me that he is a very happy person who she has only seen get angry one time before and it was over some situation that had been reported out of Germany where the German government had pulled something with some southern baptist missionaries. But she followed up - He wasn't near as mad as he looked yesterday!

I personally have to state that I don't want the camp used for a 5 month holding facility. Wouldn't that just be f-ing great to have horror stories come out of a southern baptist camp? And I also have to say I'm not sure this whole 5 month holding plan wasn't chosen for this camp BECAUSE OF THAT. So that if anything went wrong, or the whole experiment went bad FEMA could just blame it on those crazy fundamentalist, evangelical southern baptists!


[edit on 9-8-2005 by Valhall]

seems like attention may have delayed something in this case...

gosh val..maybe you did stumble into a fema detention facility. as evacuees/refugesare id'd..they will be 'undesirables' around. maybe fema wants a place to put them, rather that let them sit in local jails. this area would be a perfect place..very secluded.

if i am reading the articles right...they say they are not using the camp? but your friend saw busses in camp, but i don't recall him seeing any 'evacuees'......