Screw New Orleans.

ya make good sense, but the government does not have good sense so rebuild we will.

There are so many people that try to cash in on tragedy....someone always wants their cut. They've had a kick in the balls, yeah...but they need to collect their insurance money and try and get back on their feet. The government can babysit you for awhile, but it's not your mother.

It would probably be a good thing to abandon New Orleans and rebuild it somewhere more....safe, but knowing the government and general human arrogance, it'll be rebuilt right back in the same damn place.

~Zoo

Amen!!!!'

NO was a disaster waiting to happen. When you screw with nature like that (building a city below sea level, relying on levee's to keep water out etc)...well, things are bound to go wrong sometime.

I try so hard not to be cynical, but seeing those people on Good Morning America made me even more cynical than i was before. I don't know what happened, how we created this monstosity of a culture for ourselves, but I do know that it's going to be our demise.

Here's the thing that gets me: people are all about freedom, about living a life free from government interference and persecution....but when those lives fall to pieces, the government is the first agency they turn to and demand that their lives be made whole again.

There's a whole generation who don't know how to make it without government assistance in some form. That makes me really sad.

Honestly, I'm surprized that I wasn't flamed or attacked yet. I'm glad to hear I'm not th eonly perosn who feels this way. It means that there are level headed people out there.

There are so many people that try to cash in on tragedy....someone always wants their cut. They've had a kick in the balls, yeah...but they need to collect their insurance money and try and get back on their feet

But as people point out...most of the people were too poor to afford insurance. Or denied the flood insurance.

try so hard not to be cynical, but seeing those people on Good Morning America made me even more cynical than i was before. I don't know what happened, how we created this monstosity of a culture for ourselves, but I do know that it's going to be our demise.

I didn't bring up the race card here, but my cynacism flares even more when Rev. S. or other people try to make this an oppression for blacks. I think you are right in that this culture will be our downfall. Not blacks, not whites....everyone.

people are all about freedom, about living a life free from government interference and persecution....but when those lives fall to pieces, the government is the first agency they turn to and demand that their lives be made whole again.

So well said. I can't say that I wouldn't take a handout if something bad happened here....but it wouldn't be the first place I turned to.

I'm mixed on this, but I think there is so much that needs to be done in the way off damage assessment and what owners in the area want that it is way too early to decide one way or the other.

No, I don't think you are wrong for charging some rent, the people who are only looking for help in getting back on their feet (instead of everyone else doing it for them) shouldn't mind paying what they can. Hand ups and Hand outs are two different things.

But as people point out...most of the people were too poor to afford insurance. Or denied the flood insurance.

Some exceptions can be made...surely that's what the donations are for...they deserve SOME help certainly, but they do have to get on with life.

~Zoo

Hand ups and Hand outs are two different things.

Exactly. And, IMHO, the Hand Up is what the welfare system should be all about. What can we, as a society, do to help those whose life has taken an unexpected turn, get back on their feet? It shouldn't be "Let's drag all of our resources and place it right next to these poor folks on the ground so that they don't have to go out of their way to survive" type actions. That right there is what's gotten us (as a nation) and these folks that were on GMA this morning (and really, all over the place for the last 2 weeks) where we/they are.

the people who are only looking for help in getting back on their feet (instead of everyone else doing it for them) shouldn't mind paying what they can

Exactly. D and I talk about this a lot, and we've already agreed that were we in that position we'd offer to pay for our keep... and if we didn't have any money we'd do the housework, yard work, childcare etc....SOMETHING to repay the folks we were staying with.

It's a damn shame that people feel they're OWED something.

I think there is so much that needs to be done in the way off damage assessment and what owners in the area want

What they want? H,mmmm. If they WANT to live in an area known to be dangerous, then they shoudl have that option. But don't come whining to others for handouts again.

Hand ups and Hand outs are two different things.

I 100% agree with you on this one. That is the problem with our welfare state today. We, as a society should be more than willing to help those who have had something beyond their control happen. We should pull together and support them however possible. They, (or us, should the tables be reversed one day) should be striving to do all they can as well.

Have you heard the phrase, "pray for wind, but row for shore"? Hope is a wonderful thing. Support from others is fantastic, but we shouldn't hold off our responsibilities because we are hoping for someone to solve the problem for us.

I'll answer this post from a purely economic viewpoint, discounting all of my personal feelings about the city of New Orleans.

New Orleans was founded, and exists, primarily as a port. The port of New Orleans is the fifth largest port in the country, and the also-damaged south Mississippi port south of it is the largest. Not rebuilding these ports is economic suicide.

New Orleans sits at the exact place where a port should sit -- it is as far north as you can get and ocean vessels still be able to dock. Did you know that half the country's coffee comes through New Orleans? Not to mention oil, rubber, and a host of other imports.

New Orleans also serves as one of the last places for ships leaving the United States to fuel up and take on supplies. The Mississippi River is the lifeblood of our Midwest farmers -- it's the cheapest way to move agricultural exports. Despite the drawbacks in such a low-lying city, the economic issues here make it impossible not to have a city on that spot. The French realized this, that's why they built the city in the first place.

By your rationale, we should abandon Los Angeles and San Fransisco both -- they're in high risk areas. Memphis sits just east of the New Madrid fault system -- that fault line has caused the Mississippi to flow backwards with the strength of its earthquakes.

I won't chide you for being insensitive -- although your attitude is astoudingly obtuse -- but I would ask you to play a little game with me called "common sense." It is both common sense and an econommic necessity to rebuild the city.

So, I anticipate your answer "Just build a port and not a whole city." Doesn't work that way. A port requires industry to support, to process goods, to provide the people power to run something of the size. Basically, you need an population. A city.

None of you running around going 'burn it, bulldoze it, screw it' has any idea how important New Orleans is to our economy -- not to mention our culture, you guys don't seem to be big fans of culture -- but everybody needs a strong economy. It's a necessary evil, a necessary risk, and if infrastructure investment is better in the future, such damage can be avoided in the future.

Cheers.

On a last note, most of you here express a wonderful "Let them eat cake" philosophy. At first, you all outraged me, and now I just pity you in your sad, hateful little over-priveleged worlds.

But Myrrander, I thought the whole draw of New Orleans was the celebration of over-privelege, over indulgence of life? "Let them eat cake!" seems like it could have been the entire concept of New Orleans (and that was reflected in their emergency plans, and their leader's attitude towards evacuation and response.

Perhaps you don't know who Life-happens is. I won't go into long histories here, but she and I hardly live in what you can call an over-priveleged world. Our spartan lifestyle and everything we have we owe to our own hard work, and the fact that both of us have, on occasion, had our lives put at risk in the course of our military careers. Her outlook and opinion is tempered by a childhood full of abuse, stays in foster homes, assistance from the kindness of strangers, and the unflappable willpower to make her life a success. Her views on politics, welfare, economics, and world diplomacy are flavored by her varied education and her travels to foreign lands; not just tourist spots, mind you, where you put up with snotty locals while you stay in a hotel. She's been to the places where you sleep in the mud, eat whatever falls off the truck, and the locals shoot at you for wearing the wrong uniform. She knows what it means to be destitute, to see hard times, to not know where her next meal is coming from, but she has never fallen into the victim mentality, and so she has little to no patience for those that do. She also feels, and I agree with her, that allowing people to carry on with that mentality is doing them a disservice. So let's all pause a minute before we start casually throwing around words like 'hateful' and 'over-priveleged'. Just what is so special about your background and experience that makes your opinion more valid than hers?

I don't have the time to give this the attention it deserves, but I will be back.
Hint. Myrrander, I was impressed my your fairly mature comment. I didn't expect you to be so polite....until I read the second one. People would be much more likely to consider your point of view if you didn't distract everyone with your rudeness, insults and denigration.

All that aside, I DO understand the economic necessity of NO. But for the amount of money dumpong into the place, I wonder if there are any other options being explored. Obviously I'm not a city engineer or ecologist, but I wonder if there has been any investigation into the rebuilding plans yet. are we really going to spend billions of dollars to clean up, rebuild and then pour more money in to keep it from sinking or being flooded again?

By your rationale, we should abandon Los Angeles and San Fransisco both -- they're in high risk areas. Memphis sits just east of the New Madrid fault system -- that fault line has caused the Mississippi to flow backwards with the strength of its earthquakes

I never said abandon the cities. But use common sense, don't squander local/state and fedral funds for years and then expect everyone else to continue to pull you out of the hole again and again.

you guys don't seem to be big fans of culture

Culture? Puleese, culture isn't only defined by location. There are many ethinc groups in the us who have kept culture from their homelands alive and well. Has it changed, yes. But we change. Bourbon Street and mardi Gras don't define the complete limits of the culture in NO. And the culture is the heritage of the people who lived there. They will keep the parts they treasure alive and well. The parts that are not treasured will gradually fall out of use....but that's what happens!

Parated said it well, so read his comment again and smack yourself for being rude.

It's a damn shame that people feel they're OWED something.

This was mostly the feeling that spured this article on.

***okay, I just deleted a whole bunch. I tend to get loud and rude when something pisses me off and this attitude really gets on my nerves. I don't want anyone thinking I'm heartless and uncaring when I gripe...and it was sounding pretty mean there.****

I thought the whole draw of New Orleans was the celebration of over-privelege, over indulgence of life? "Let them eat cake!" seems like it could have been the entire concept of New Orleans (and that was reflected in their emergency plans, and their leader's attitude towards evacuation and response.

EXACTLY!!!!!!! 'Screw that there's a hurricane coming, let's party!!' was an attitude I saw expressed.

LH...rant on, sistah. Let it all out. Screw those who look down their nose at you and pat themselves on the back for being SOOOOO much more refined and cultured than us plebs. You're entitled to your opinion, and to be honest you're not the only one who feels this way about N.O.

don't care if you think I'm insensitive or rude... I'm going to be honest. I don't want to rebuild NO. Screw it. Burn it to the ground and write it off as a loss. Don't try to rebuild on silt. Don't spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that will keep sinking every year. It was a loss. A tragedy. A failure of the human race. NO was a n example of what can happen to unchecked welfare, poverty and poor leadership.

Honesty is good. But you seem to be missing something major. Where are "most" of Americas petroleum refineries? Think we could do without them? I don't think so. So bearing that in mind....there are no other options. The New Orleans infrastructure is required for those refineries!

EXACTLY!!!!!!! 'Screw that there's a hurricane coming, let's party!!' was an attitude I saw expressed.

See, I'm not the only one to notice that.

The New Orleans infrastructure is required for those refineries!

Maybe this is a good reason to start building more refineries....and not cluster out-dated ones in only one location.

The New Orleans infrastructure is required for those refineries! Maybe this is a good reason to start building more refineries....and not cluster out-dated ones in only one location.

Tell that to the dang tree-hugging environmentalists! They been told that for "years". But to no avail. But you also need that river (Mississippi that is). And by the time you dump enough money into some other place else to make it function as a refinery hub, you would already have New Orleans back in operation.

why be concerned for your own safety, success in life, and well being when you have a government to do all that hard stuff for you, and to blame when you don't end up living a fairy tale life?

I love it! well said.

Yikes I'm a week late on this at best.

I feel the same way you do, lh. Great article. I hope that everything we donated goes to a good cause rather than to handout leeches. I'm also opposed to the rebuilding of New Orleans as it was before. I've been wondering to myself recently, "Who in their right mind would want to go back to that disaster pit?! Perhaps the people who have known nothing but NO all their lives, and generations back." Then of course this thread brought to light the fact that NO is an important porting city. (Thanks, Myrrander for your rare usefulness.) It seems there were a lot of poor people living around NO, perhaps not contributing much. Those people, in my opinion, would be better off setting roots elsewhere, getting on their feet, and to begin contributing. For those who are a part of the huge porting industry, life ought to be set up in New Orleans again (perhaps a bit further north of where it was before?), out of harm's way, out of the areas that require levies.

But thinking on a much much higher plane for a moment, it is our duty as human beings to always help one another, regardless of our socioeconomic views, our constant rationalization, or our prejudices. What goes around, comes around. *Of course I don't live that way, but it's nice to think on a higher plane for a moment.*

btw, I didn't know y'all lived in a duplex? So no one lives on the other side??