Lake Pontchartrain Causeway
This was my view 9 1/2 years ago when I visited NOLA. Beautiful isn't it? It still is.
I am going to attempt this again. I don't know if I will be able to finish. 9 1/2 years ago was my last trip to New Orleans. I was there to sprinkle my brother's ashes in Lake Pontchartrain (as were his final wishes). I haven't been back yet. One day I want his son to see the city that his dad loved so much. I have only been relieved twice in my life that my brother was dead. The first was in those days and weeks following The Bitch that was Katrina.
I hope you will follow along with me. I want to show you pictures that not everyone saw and I will try not to show anything too graphic. I will share excerpts from the best book (in my opinion) written about Katrina.
The Great Deluge by Douglas Brinkley
I want people to remember what happened there....so we may never leave another American city to rot.
That was enough for the Louisiana SPCA, which brooked no discussion and no debate: with the announcement that a major hurricane was on the way, the preset plan went into motion. (The Great Deluge, DB)
263 dog and cats and a few other species were evacuated from the shelter on Japonica Street. It was incredible. No discussion or debate?
No such plan was in place for St. Rita's Nursing Home. The animal shelter had a well organized plan but St. Hell's nursing home let 35 drown. I cannot let go of my anger at this. There are no excuses for not having a plan for the most helpless among us.
13 comments:
I remember reading about that nursing home, just terrible!!!! My best friend (who lives here in PA now) lived in Mississippi before Katrina, they had good jobs at one of the casinos till it was destroyed. She also worked at a vet clinic and they took in hundreds of animals, so sad! Thats great you were able to honor your brother's wishes, a beautiful resting place:)
I have no qualms with saying that this country has slid into a mindset and subsequent behavior set of predicating the worth and value of anything being measured by money. We see it played out in legal decisions (when do the wealthy get anything more than a slap on the wrist?..."tort reform" is another example of disempowering the non-wealty), in governmental decisions (bail out the banks but not the homeowners), in the treatment of our fellow animals who are seen as objects to be exploited for profit and tragically...in the response to the disaster in New Orleans. That city was one of the poorest in the country and its racial makeup was a majority of non-white. We saw the 'perfect storm' of disregard for the poor and of racism.
The United States is not what it pretends to be, at times in the past it was sometimes a bit closer to its image of itself...but right now this "land of the free" stuff applies to one segment of the population and one segment only. New Orleans happened to be unlucky enough to get in a disaster situation when the forces against equality and justice are at their peak.
Unless and until money loses its power and disregard for the weak and the needy loses its strength you can expect other New Orleans events to occur.
Carmen please extend my best to your friend.
Glenn.....this event changed how I view a lot of things. I have great big bleeding wounds from it. I heard remarks from people that made me literally want to drive my fist into their face. I have numerous internal debates as to whether or not this was more about race or class. The response to New York was instant...the response to New Orleans was..."meh, when we get around to it"
BUT there are many wonderful stories of people helping. I will talk about them too.
I agree, many many individuals and small groups stepped forward, there are lots of good folks around...the problem lies with the power folks...we've turned over the controls to a bunch of dipsh*ts and we're paying the price for it.
Yes indeed.
I visited NO twice years ago and found it to be a city so rich with history, character, and beauty even within the poorest sections. There were so many sights, sounds, scents to take in and savor: a city truly for all the senses. The flooding was avoidable; what happened after was not and it makes me sick.
Aw Juli, even the sidewalks breathe.
Some of the flooding may have been avoided if the levees had been properly maintained.
The levees: that is the issue that was avoidable.
You said it Juli.
(((hug))) No words.
I feel so bad for those seniors' families. Would you have really thought to do differently if you had been their families? I would expect that the people charged with keeping them safe, was keeping them safe.
My parents still go to NOLA every year or two. I think my dad wishes he was Cajun. Certainly loves the food. Jon is leaving thursday for his first visit.
Yes and No Lisa. All the nursing homes that were in greater NOLA were asked repeatedly to evacuate. Some did but my ass aint leaving a city until all my loved ones are loaded up or arrangements have been made.
Tell Jon I really hope he enjoys his visit. I hope you will send me an email and tell me what he thought.
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