On this 8^th Day of Christmas, we extend Happy New Year wishes to all.

LaRoots publishers shared common goals and enjoyed shared success with so many others as 2008 drew to a close. This e-bulletin began in March 2004 as a Louisiana grassroots e-network to elect a Democratic President, continuing in January 2005 to promote the Jazz Funeral for Democracy in New Orleans our communitys public reaction against the reelection of George Bush on his Inauguration Day. The focus of LaRoots moved to community-building, when Hurricanes Katrina/Rita changed life in south Louisiana as we knew it.

Both early goals are now well met.

1. INAUGURATION OF OUR DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT IN WASHINGTON:

For those who want to be in D.C. on Inauguration weekend but have no place to stay, this one is for you -

Two New Orleanians living and working in DC who want to share the Inauguration experience with fellow New Orleanians, are offering housing on Capitol Hill for $2,000 total for 3 or 4 nights - 2 bedrooms and den sleep up to 7 people, with exclusive access to 1 baths. This modern home on 8^th and I NE is a 20 minute walk to the Capitol, 15 minute walk to Union Station, 10 minute walk to metro, and minutes from restaurants and bars on H Street NE. Free morning coffee and bagels, washer and dryer, and Wi-fi. Owners will stay in the home, but won't be in the way. For more information, reply to this email, subject: INAUGURATION HOME.

IN BATON ROUGE: Inauguration Party hosted by Senator Mary Landrieu, Congressman Charlie Melancon, Attorney General Buddy Caldwell and State Party Chair Chris Whittington is on Saturday January 10^th from 6 to 9pm at the Camelot Club, 451 Florida Blvd 21^st floor Baton Rouge, cash bar $75 per person.

IN NEW ORLEANS: Orleans Parish Democratic Executive Committee and Obama Corps celebrate the Inauguration evening on January 20 2009. Details TBA.

IN SLIDELL: St Tammany DPEC fundraiser at the Salmen-Fritchie House on January 17^th 2009 from 7pm-10pm. Tickets are $35 per individual $60 per couple. For more information www.dems4change.org

2. NEW ORLEANIANS HAVE RETURNED TO THE CITY in strong enough numbers to insure the citys continued existence into its 4^th century. Contrary to questions about rebuilding New Orleans that were heard immediately following Katrina, New Orleans will continue to be the port city near the mouth of the Mississippi River, as it has been for almost 300 years. However, the quality of life residents will enjoy is still in question.

Normalization - Sign-up for future recycling in Orleans Parish (not included in current sanitation contract) http://www.sdtwds.com/recycle/signup.html

Crime The group that organized the Silence is Violence March on City Hall two years ago is sponsoring an initiative to encourage New Orleanians to Strike Against Violence on January 9, 2009 to underscore the negative economic impacts of the continuing, crippling, violent crime in our community.

For additional information and to participate http://silenceisviolence.org/article/130

Recreation Offering young people in the New Orleans area meaningful recreational alternatives can turn them away from the unstructured, unsupervised, and eventually, the illegal activities that are common today. A Citizens Advisory Panel, scheduled to issue a report to the Youth and Recreation Committee of the City Council in early 2009, is now examining possible reasons why the New Orleans Recreation Department, considered visionary by national experts in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, was floundering even before Katrina.

A reinvigorated, dynamic, and visionary municipal recreation program can also promote New Orleans as a City that is wisely using the nations considerable investment in our survival to build a better city, not just replace the one that was lost in Katrina.

Restructuring recreation in New Orleans toward more modern models will allow residents to reasonably expect the excellence we deserve only 3% of the recreation agencies nationwide are structured like NORD is currently, and none of them is ranked in the top 20 recognized for excellence by the National Recreation and Park Assn.

Economic Opportunity projects in every neighborhood must positively answer the question, Does this serve the greater good?

Plan Ahead for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 2009 http://www.nojazzfest.com/

Making every day count - REV MARSHALL TRUEHILL JR died suddenly on Christmas Day of a heart attack at the age of 60, having been awarded his PhD only days before. Rev.Truehill was a lifelong advocate for those who shared his humble start in the City's public housing. He was an inspired leader for all New Orleanians who seek a brighter future for our City. Funeral services will be held at Christian Unity Baptist Church, 1700 Conti Street corner North Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans at 11am on Saturday January 3 2009. Visitation begins at 9am. A memorial fund is being set up but in the meantime donations may be made to Faith in Action (a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, which will hold the funds until they can be transferred to the Memorial Fund. Checks payable to Faith in Action Marshall Truehill Memorial Fund, P O Box 13952, New Orleans 70185-3952. http://www.city-works.org/index.htm

Climate Change www.wecansolveit.org

Democratic State Central Committee Meeting Saturday January 10^th 2009 at 1pm in the House Chambers of the State Capitol, North 3^rd on State Capitol Drive in Baton Rouge, unless a special session is called and venue must move.

The publication of the e-bulletin continues and submissions to LaRoots@cox.net are welcome. Selection and editorial comments represent the private opinions of the publishers and do not reflect official statements of any Democratic Party organization or other government officials, unless attributed or quoted.

Prayer for Peace

Let us Pray,

Let us pray that in time,

mankind will come to see,

that ours is not the only culture worth preserving,

that ours is not the only view of god worth worship,

that differences will not be settled by the sword,

that blood shed will only pass on the prejudices and hatreds to future generations,

that we are all linked by a desire to better the world for those we love,

that love should moderate our actions,

that we all share desire for a better world.

Let us pray that mankind can remove ideological prejudice from his negotiations,

so that issues of land and resources and wealth can be settled by practical compromise,

so that we may move beyond the territorial and resource imperatives,

that taint our current political climate.

Let us pray that an appeal to mans better nature can prevail,

that human nature can rise above its primal urges,

that humankind can enter a new era of harmony based on understanding,

Understanding that until all men share in the wealth of the planet there will be no Peace.

Amen

The Langhoffs

www.LaRoots.net

New Orleans