As we approach this second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina I am just so angry and appalled at lack of response by our federal government. Over one million people have been displaced, tens of billions in damages occurred, almost 2,000 died, half the hospitals are not open, only 17% of transportation system is up and running in NO, over 40% of the homes have no electricity.
New Orleans is one of America’s most important cities. It is one of the keys to our cultural heritage. Lives have been displaced perhaps permanently. OK, even if some argue that we should not rebuild in the path of flooding and potential hurricanes what is our responsibility to our fellow citizens who have met with disaster?
The people of NO might as well be living in Darfur or Mozambique or Bangladesh. What we have not done to massively rebuild that community and to help its citizens is an abomination.
Most of the work being done in the Big Easy is being done by you and me, by volunteers who give their time to rebuild those communities, to provide medical care, to fight for the rights of the incarcerated.
If we can’t rebuilt the Big Easy, then what do we expect to do in Baghdad?
-Marc
