New Orleans

[kimberkit]

I only understood how bad it really was today. Up til yesterday, the news didn't have exact reports; the channels of communication had all been sliced, and I didn't want to face it.

It seems inconceivable, at some level, that an entire city could be demolished. And there are some of my angry-incredulous reactions back there in my head, accentuated as I read more news - why weren't we better prepared? Why did we build a city below sea level? Why didn't the fools who had advance warning leave? But I realize, talking to myself: Kim, those aren't helpful reactions; it doesn't particularly matter that it's upsetting, because other city planners and emergency response people are the ones who have to deal with it. At a personal level, it's just my job to deal with the idea that some of my memories of a place are gone.

Okay. I didn't love it when I visited there; I thought the people were too snobbish, too racist, too loud. I thought it was the typical South; it still remembered slavery. And then I think about people going into cardiac arrest, starving in a crammed stadium, poor people who lost everything, and, most of all, I think about the stunning beauty of the place... I guess I tried to forget that part. I forgot the old, old oak trees, the smiles of the salespeople who were kind, the old cemetaries, and I didn't understand that they were probably all gone.

The cold thoughts worked til I really looked at it.

So I lit this candle, and said a prayer, and felt a little lost.

Comments

[shellaby.livejournal.com]

I didn't know the city was built under sea level either. This tragedy has taught the nation many things, it reminds me of the great Chicago fire, among other national tragedies where the impact could have been lessened if communities and government took precautions...

[kimberkit.livejournal.com]

It wasn't originally actually built below sea level, correction - it was built at sea level, but the anti-flood protections made it so that the very spongy land, previously used to floods every year, shrunk. And when it shrank, the city sank several feet below sea level, which is why the big danger. (They tell you this, when they give... gave... you the tour of the graveyards, explaining why some of the graves were flooded. Matt reminded me of that fact.)

[wenchamuffin.livejournal.com]

What bothers me is that after a clean-up effort, knowing Americans, we'll just rebuild the damn city. We don't like to listen to Mother Nature.

[kimberkit.livejournal.com]

They might; but it's unlikely. New Orleans was built there at first because of its prime position on the river for trade. Now that it's totally demolished, there's no reason to stay in that location, unless you're some kind of farmer (the flooding is actually good for farmers, sometimes).

[shellaby.livejournal.com]

The oil refineries there and the port are important. If the French Quarter was not as destroyed as the other parts of the city (which I heard was true in one NPR account) then the tourism industry will come back - albeit probably very slowly.

[sir-graeme.livejournal.com]

It seems that our thoughts are, once again, not too far away...

I've been reading a lot of speculation. Wondering if the displaced people will end up wanting to move elsewhere instead of waiting to rebuild a city that could be destroyed again very soon and that may not have a strong economy for years. Asking if rising insurance rates in the area will effectively make it prohibitively expensive to build or live in the area. One article argued quite convincingly that we need some sort of port where the Mississippi meets the sea, for our agriculture and industry still depend heavily on river transport. And, of course, much discussion of preserving the history and culture of this unique town.

But Chaucer makes a point by comically comparing idle chatter with farting. Right now, the very real problems faced by over one, two million people simply overwhelm any discussion of what should happen afterwards. Real people, with real lives and real suffering. Sigh...