Sunday, November 20, 2011

The homeless: Pawns in the war on OWS? A death at Occupy NOLA leaves protesters questioning the motives behind the city's closure of a nearby tent city By Matthew Reichel, Alternet / Salon

Saturday, Nov 19, 2011 6:00 AM 09:50:09 PST

The homeless: Pawns in the war on OWS?

A death at Occupy NOLA leaves protesters questioning the motives behind the city's closure of a nearby tent city

A homeless man sets up a tent at Occupy Seattle on Oct. 5, 2011
A homeless man sets up a tent at Occupy Seattle on Oct. 5, 2011 (Credit: AP/Ted S. Warren)
This article originally appeared on AlterNet.
Beneath the veneer of New Orleans’ vibrant culture lies a history of tragedy. From the yellow fever outbreaks of the 19th century, the many catastrophic storms that have visited the city, the violence of the Civil War and Reconstruction, to the vast social dysfunction of contemporary New Orleans, this is a city that has known adversity throughout. It is sadly fitting, then, that Occupy NOLA is one of the few occupations to have witnessed a death at the encampment. Last week, 53-year-old Ronald Dean Howell, known as “Curly” or “Old School” to friends, was found dead in his tent. The coroner’s chief investigator, John Gagliano, stated that the cause of death was “complications from alcohol abuse.” According to other occupiers, the man was homeless, and likely relocated from another tent city at Calliope Street and the Pontchartrain Expressway, which was closed by authorities on Oct. 27.
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Matt Reichel is a writer currently living in New Orleans. Respond to him at: mereichel@gmail.com. More Matthew Reichel

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