Here are two items on the legislation to create emergency centers--I referred to them as "concentration camps"--on military bases: an email from Mary Magnuson, recounting her exchange with one of Rep. Alcee Hastings's staffers, and Hastings's own speech when he presented HR 645 on the House floor. (The speech was forwarded from Rep. Henry Waxman's office.)
Having sounded, or seconded, the alarm on this, I must say that I find these explanations credible. Certainly that's not to say that these facilities could not be put to some nefarious use, since BushCo's apparatus of repression is still standing, nor do we have the freedoms that were snatched from us post-9/11. But, post-Katrina, one can surely see the sense of having places to accommodate the dispossessed, so that citizens don't end up jammed inside of hellholes like the SuperDome in New Orleans. And I really don't think Alcee Hastings would be in on a conspiracy to lock up multitudes of dissidents or immigrants. So on this one, I am parting company with, like, Ron Paul. And, sadly, there are lots of other items (I'm about to send some out) that do suggest that we're in pretty deep shit, civil rights-wise. MCM >Hi, Mark: > >As an fyi regarding the proposed legislation by >Hastings: Last week, I was listening to the Alex >Jones Show and this was mentioned several times >on his program so I naturally started freaking >out all over again for - the trillionth time. > That said, I called Hastings's Fort Lauderdale >office and, after holding for several minutes, I >was was transferred to what I assumed was one of >his legislative aides, a chap by the name of >Jason. I told Jason I was looking for an >explanation as to H.R. 645, specifically, what >purpose the "emergency centers" held. > >Jason explained to me that the centers were >going to be constructed on unused, existing >military installations in order to "accommodate >American citizens in the event of an emergency". >He >went on to explain that the Super Dome hadn't >served well insofar as "humanitarian needs" were >concerned during Katrina, and that they wanted >to be prepared - again - in the event of a >disaster of some proportion. I explained to him >that it appeared that all regions in the country >were pretty much covered in his bill, and that >here, in Wisconsin, we see few hurricanes; >therefore, we might not even need one of those >centers! Jason suggested that in addition to >hurricanes, tornadoes might create a need for an >emergency center. > >I said this: "It sounds as if the government is >in the process of constructing several >concentration camps, quite honestly, and that is >what I'm asking you." He actually sounded quite >sincere when he said that he'd helped the >Congressman write the legislation and that >concentration camps were the "last thing on his >mind" while assisting in writing the bill. ( > >Just an fyi --- > >Mary Magnuson SPEECH OF HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS OF FLORIDA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2009 · Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce the National Emergency Centers Establishment Act, a bill that I first introduced in the 109th Congress. · Many of us share the belief that the Federal Government's response to Hurricane Katrina was disorganized and inadequate. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, was far too slow to respond and evacuees were left stranded in massive shelters with egregious standard-of-living conditions. · Sixteen months following the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Katrina, more than 13,000 residents who were displaced by the storm were still living in trailers provided by FEMA. Eighteen months after Katrina, half of the homes in New Orleans still did not have electricity. Shortly thereafter, FEMA informed Congress that 60,000 families in Louisiana still lived in 240 square foot trailers--usually at least 3 people to a trailer. · The sluggish and derisory reaction of our Federal Government to disaster victims affects me personally. In 2004, four hurricanes ravaged my home State of Florida, all of which literally destroyed parts of the counties in my district. In the immediate and long-term aftermath, our communities saw FEMA's shortcomings. More than 18 months after Hurricane Wilma struck in 2005, citizens were still residing in trailers labeled on the outside ``FEMA.'' · The lack of natural disaster preparedness efforts and temporary housing options for disaster-stricken citizens only exacerbated an unbearable situation. Deficient recovery responses have led to elongated recovery rates in my district and across this Nation. · Two main problems--increasing the availability of temporary housing in times of national emergencies and improving training and preparedness for national emergencies--must be resolved to ensure that the humanitarian catastrophe that occurred in the gulf coast and continues to happen today will never occur again. · We have an obligation to better prepare and more adequately respond to the needs of communities hit by natural disasters. We have a responsibility to ensure that basic needs of disaster victims are met immediately following the devastation. · My legislation establishes six National Emergency Centers throughout the United States. The Centers will be used, first and foremost, to provide temporary housing, medical and humanitarian assistance, including education, for individuals and families displaced due to an emergency. The Centers will also serve as a centralized location for the training and coordination of first responders in the instance of an emergency. In addition, the Centers will improve the coordination of preparedness, response, and recovery efforts between governments, private companies, not-for-profit entities, and faith-based organizations. · The National Emergency Centers will be located on military bases, with a preference wherever possible for those installations closed during the most recent Base Realignment and Closures, BRAC, round. I am proposing these sites because the necessary infrastructure to house, feed, educate, and care for evacuees over an extended period of time is already in place, thus limiting the cost and time needed to construct these facilities. · Madam Speaker, our Nation was not prepared for the disastrous hurricanes that struck Florida and the gulf coast in 2004 and in 2005. The establishment of National Emergency Centers will go a long way to ensuring that our response to national emergencies are not as disastrous as the disasters that created the emergencies in the first place. · I ask my colleagues to support this legislation and urge the House Leadership to bring this bill to the floor for its swift consideration. From: Linda Sutton [mailto:<mailto:lindasutton...@gmail.com>lindasutton...@gmail.com] Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 9:09 AM To: Rep. Henry A. Waxman; Pinto, Lisa; Goldman, Zahava; Claster, Becky Subject: OPPOSE HR 645_PLEASE Congressman Waxman, I am writing to you to ask you OPPOSE HR 645 when it comes to a vote. I realize you are not on either of the committees where this has been referred, however, please have your staff follow it and IF it comes to a vote, vote NO. We do not need a further expansion of our prison industrial complex and the concentration camps within military facilities that this bill would bring to America. H.R.645 Title: To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish national emergency centers on military installations. Sponsor: <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d111&query...@field(fld0...@4((@1(Rep+Hastings++Alcee+L.))+00511))>Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] (introduced 1/22/2009) Cosponsors (None) Latest Major Action: 1/22/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. ALL ACTIONS: 1/22/2009: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/R?r111:FLD001:E00123>E122-123) 1/22/2009: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. 1/22/2009: Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure 1/22/2009: Referred to House Armed Services -- Linda Sutton 41st AD Delegate CDP Los Angeles, CA 818-992-5187, cell 818-419-7560 when not at home number only -- Linda Sutton Los Angeles, CA 818-992-5187, cell 818-419-7560 when not at home number only --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to Mark Crispin Miller's "News From Underground" newsgroup. To unsubscribe, send a blank email to newsfromunderground-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com OR go to http://groups.google.com/group/newsfromunderground and click on the "Unsubscribe or change membership" link in the yellow bar at the top of the page, then click the "Unsubscribe" button on the next page. For more News From Underground, visit http://markcrispinmiller.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
