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John Frum (America)
August 21st, 2008
Celebrating John Frum Day on Vanuatu.
Some folks have written to show concern. I appreciate the concern.
I’m still getting email about policy matters. I’m inclined to respond with, oh, wow, very interesting. Hey, seen what I’ve been up to lately?
I’m going to enjoy being rid of these people who engage me as a resource, people who have no resources to offer. That has been particularly tiring.
I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. Many New Orleanians are engaged in a cargo cult dance to bring down some form of funding for the grassroots efforts that drive the recovery. They dress up, wave the sticks, march and dance, and but the DC-3s do not land. The cargo is not for us.
It’s uncommon that local efforts are overlooked, that nonprofit organizations parachute in and disappear as quickly.
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Comments 
This helps everything make alot more sense.
While I have never been in your position, I can strangely sympathize with it.
I wore out 2 perfectly good pairs of dancing slippers dancing to the misleading radio transponder signals of one of those high-flying DC3s, before I realized that it wasn’t going to actually, you know, land.
The cargo cult analogy is right-on. The cargo is NOT for us. For the most part, the portion of cargo we are suffered is stageprops arranged to the end of (consults notes) “improving [organization X's] domestic diversity profile among [organization X's] funders.” Textbook motherf*%^ery! It still blows my mind that one of the green velvet suits looked at me and said that to my face..
Don’t attempt to hail the mothership. BE the mothership. We are all motherships.
New Orleans is THE Mothership.
I’m looking forward to what I think is going to be the creative and productive inward turn that characterizes the start of the renaissance of New Orleans. I vote for secession.
Benjamin and Pop-Tart
Sorry your comments were lost in moderation for a day or so, I’ll look into that.
Kevin Brown from Trinity Christian Community just called. He was concerned. I told him not to worry. I gave him a pat explanation for people who are not part of the problem, it went like this:
I need to shut down Think New Orleans in no uncertain terms. People get confused and think I’ve got a full time nonprofit job. People need to understand that if you need Alan Gutierrez to do something for you, then you need to figure out how to pay Alan Gutierrez.
I can’t get into a conversation where I’m being told that everything will work out if I play my cards right. I don’t have any cards left to play.
Anyway, Benjamin, I’m sure you can sympathize with it. It’s not uncommon to mistake to make.
Pop-Tart, I like the idea of becoming the mothership. I like the idea of becoming a CITY again and having an economy.
Also, I’ve had people talk to me about the diversity of my efforts. A perfect example of what a mismatch nonprofiteering is with our very personal rebuilding efforts. It’s hard to talk about your friends that way.