FEMA Tries to Silence Trailer Park Residents

If you live in a FEMA trailer, you may not invite reporters to your trailer without FEMA permission.

“If a resident invites the media to the trailer, they have to be escorted by a FEMA representative who sits in on the interview,” said Rachel Rodi, a FEMA pokeswoman. “That’s just policy.”

Reporters apparently are not allowed to hand business cards the residents who invited them into the trailers.

If you live in a FEMA trailer, you may not speak to reporters through a chainlink fence.

2theadvocate.com News FEMA media rule sparks fury: "FEMA media rule sparks fury"

Isn't this exactly the reason we need First Amendment freedoms? FEMA has no right to tell storm victims they need permission to talk to the press.

What is FEMA's excuse?

FEMA has said the reason it’s not allowing media easy access to its trailer parks is to “protect the privacy” of the residents.

If FEMA insists on sitting in on conversations residents choose to have with the media, and is dictating whom the residents can invites into their homes, then FEMA is the one attacking privacy -- not the press.