PRESS RELEASE

Residents from the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association will hand deliver more than 3,300 signed petitions to Keep the National Guard in New Orleans to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s office Monday, May 19, 2008 at 11:45 a.m.

We are requesting that the Louisiana National Guard remain in New Orleans until we have achieved the following goals:

1. NOPD sub stations are rebuilt and staffed in all the storm-affected areas of the city.
2. The number of NOPD officers reaches pre-storm levels.
3. FBI crime statistics show a decrease in the city’s violent crime rates.  

“These minimum standards of safety are essential for the restoration of our great city,” said Pam Dashiell, the Chairwoman of the Board for the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association and director of the Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development.”

Although the petition was started in one New Orleans neighborhood, it has become a city-wide effort, as everyone is affected by the city’s skyrocketing crime.

Since starting the petition three weeks ago, Holy Cross’ efforts have been endorsed by the grassroots, anti-crime organizations Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans and Silence is Violence.  Both organizations added links to the petition to their respected Web sites
and have sent emails to their listservs requesting people to sign. Citizens has 20,000-person strong listserv, and Silence is Violence has about 1,000 people on its listserv.

The original petition, a free template, can be found at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/keep-the-national-guard-in-nola
As of 7:30 a.m. on May 19, 2008, this site had received 643 signatures.

As of 8 p.m. Sunday evening, Citizen’ Web site had received 2,457 signatures.
http://www.citizensfor1greaterneworleans.com/

We have gathered about 250 signatures on hard copies, bringing the total to about 3,300.

This number is rising by the minute. We hope, and believe, that we will be able to collect at least 10,000 signatures by the end of May.

Please contact Ariane Wiltse if you have any questions at 352-328-7369.