The following is an interview with Mama Dee, a community leader in the seventh ward/ mid-city neighborhood, and Manuel Mercator ("Merc") of the Soul Patrol. They speak about the formation of the Soul Patrol, a group that began with rescue efforts and is now engaged in restoring the neighborhood and the return of evacuees.
Saturday, September 24 we spent the afternoon at Mama Dee's house in the mid-city neighborhood, seventh ward of New Orleans. The neighborhood was heavily flooded during Katrina and still had large piles of branches lying in the streets, blocking most traffic. A police patrol in a black SUV, m-16 in tow, that we encountered on the way in warned us about the neighborhood and was disparaging of Pacifica press credentials "Is that some college radio station?" We were asked why we hadn't "checked in with them." After four days in post-Katrina New Orleans, we were used to this sort of attitude from the police.
Mama Dee's house is in on Dorgenois by Broad and St. Bernard. A small crew that was a mixture of Food Not Bombs volunteers and locals was working cleaning out her basement, attempting to get rid of mold-damaged items and sanitizing the building. Mama Dee cordially met us on the porch and shortly produced red beans and rice for all present. She was sitting with Manuel Mercator, or Merc, and Ronnie ("her boys"). Merc, a carpenter and handyman, is coordinating restoration work.
Before we were able to get this interview, a dozen or so troops from the army 82nd airborne arrived at the house in two personnel carriers. Mama Dee made sure that everyone had red beans, and charmed the group until they were eating out of her hand, referring to her as "Mama". The 82 airborne, unlike the police, regularly arrive to check up on her and make sure that everything is OK.
The following is the interview with Mama Dee and Merc about the formation of the Soul Patrol. For those of you not from the south, "boo" is a term of endearment, like baby or dear.
I remember Mama "D" in that blur of coverage before, during, and after KATRINA hit NOLA. I was re-commended back to her story by Douglas Brinkley's characteristically excellent book, The GREAT DELUGE. There I reconsidered the Mama "D' story in more detail, who and what this tireless champion of the poor and the outcast is to those who are loved by her.
I could envision her--fierce and regal, like a honey bee--standing on her porch, as Katrina approached, "Howlin'" she says, "like a Momma who lost all her children." I have read some thoughtless and, frankly, wicked comments about her from various and sundry folks--all of whom have one thing in common: the wicked status quo and their stake in it and their hatred of humility and the righteous.
Not since the Gospel have I heard of such a thing as Mama "D" --Dyan French Cole. She's a Rainbow Lioness. I never had the honor of meetng this Giant of a woman but I thank God Almighty for her anyway. And those who have something rotten to say about her ought to go sit in a corner somewhere and be ashamed of themselves.
In the first place, the comments about her being a looter are by salivating, rabid neofascists--be they racist or otherwise. The common law and for centuries the law in the U.S. has recognized the defense of necessity to any property invasion. That the horror of KATRINA was a necessity is beyond any meaningful dispute. Those items she described as being "liberated" were truly liberated, for they would have been ruined and no human would have been helped by them. You don't talk back to a woman who saved lives, self-lessly, without fanfare, except with her usual and, as I understand it, ordinary sunshine! She didn't steal, she redistributed, lawfully, in an emergency, and she did it openly.
Ever see a woman with so much love in her heart that she knows no fear--because God has chased out all the fear--walk down the street, feeding the poor, giving cool drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, helping the stranger, visiting the sick? When the Messiah says, when I was a stranger you didn't take me in, when hungry you did not feed me, when thirsty you did not give me cool water to drink, when I was naked you did not cover me, when sick and in prison, you did not visit me, he will probably NOT be saying THAT to Dyan French Mama "D" Cole. Mama "D" does those things like second nature--hers, as she gets it from God. We call it grace and I know who lights hers.
Those who attack her are the wicked of today.
All of the world ought to hear the full story about Mama "D" in the 7th Ward of NOLA. I rarely if ever have seen anything so radiant in all my life. And those who badmouth her ought to be viewed as who and what they are--slanderers. And their father is the devil--a name that means "slanderer." Wicked is as wicked does.
Mama "D" is a Rainbow Lioness because the rainbow is the covenant with all flesh by God that all flesh will not be again detroyed by the flood waters. Mama "D" is out there working for the fulfillment of that covenant, doing the work that almost all others run away from and turn aside at. She goes into danger and risk like a fearless soul, indomitable, defiant to injustice, rebellious to all but compassion and mercy and that which is light in darkness can readily be seen through her eyes.
NO, you do not slander Mama "D" unless you are wicked and a son or daughter of lawlessness.
Mama "D" doesn't live in any museum, but she's definitely MY KIND OF SAINT. I hope I can be honored and privileged to meet her someday.
