FEMA seems to be stepping in it again.
Coming from the "Hey, what was that about freedom of speech? department."
FEMA media rule sparks fury.
Article excerpt:
Members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation said Monday that FEMA’s policy restricting media access to residents living in FEMA-managed trailer parks is absurd, outrageous and denies park residents their rights as American citizens.
“FEMA just strikes you as a bureaucracy that’s out of control,” said U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner. “You don’t lose your fundamental rights just because you’re living in temporary housing. It’s an outrageous pattern of behavior.”
Jindal was referring to a July 15 article in which The Advocate detailed an incident in a Federal Emergency Management Agency-operated trailer park in Morgan City where a reporter and photographer were ordered off of the site.
The two had been invited into a trailer occupied by resident Dekotha Devall and her family. But during the interview a security guard ordered the reporter and photographer to leave.
The security guard called the police after the reporter attempted to give Devall a business card, an act the guard said was forbidden.
Later, the security guard told another resident, Pansy Ardeneaux, she was not allowed to speak to the media through a chain link fence surrounding the park and ordered Ardeneaux to return to her trailer.
Okay, so on top of FEMA's hardcore screwup last year (along with everyone else, I will admit) managing the Katrina disaster, they're pulling this shit? A federal agency telling private citizens what they may or may not do, just because they're getting assistance from them? Really not cool. I am happy to see that the LA congressional delegation is taking them to task on this one.
Getting roasted in the press, if they're lucky, will be the least of their problems.
Sheesh.
FEMA media rule sparks fury.
Article excerpt:
Members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation said Monday that FEMA’s policy restricting media access to residents living in FEMA-managed trailer parks is absurd, outrageous and denies park residents their rights as American citizens.
“FEMA just strikes you as a bureaucracy that’s out of control,” said U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner. “You don’t lose your fundamental rights just because you’re living in temporary housing. It’s an outrageous pattern of behavior.”
Jindal was referring to a July 15 article in which The Advocate detailed an incident in a Federal Emergency Management Agency-operated trailer park in Morgan City where a reporter and photographer were ordered off of the site.
The two had been invited into a trailer occupied by resident Dekotha Devall and her family. But during the interview a security guard ordered the reporter and photographer to leave.
The security guard called the police after the reporter attempted to give Devall a business card, an act the guard said was forbidden.
Later, the security guard told another resident, Pansy Ardeneaux, she was not allowed to speak to the media through a chain link fence surrounding the park and ordered Ardeneaux to return to her trailer.
Okay, so on top of FEMA's hardcore screwup last year (along with everyone else, I will admit) managing the Katrina disaster, they're pulling this shit? A federal agency telling private citizens what they may or may not do, just because they're getting assistance from them? Really not cool. I am happy to see that the LA congressional delegation is taking them to task on this one.
Getting roasted in the press, if they're lucky, will be the least of their problems.
Sheesh.