Spring Break
New Orleans: Helping those who help themselves
Ken Kaighan
Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: Ed-Op
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There are numerous topics I tire of hearing on a constant basis. Global warming and the death of polar bears would be one. The "Bush lied, people died" meme would be another. But since I'm a U.S. boy and an architectural engineer, what really irks me are the barrage of reminders that parts of New Orleans still lay in ruins as remnants of a Hurricane Katrina landfall.
People are quick to condemn the local, state and federal governments for inept handling of the immediate aftermath of the crisis. Even if it was, what astounds me even more is how these same people are so willing to lay blame on the American populace as a whole. Take some of the paraphrased quotes from the locals in Louisiana, who cannot believe Americans gave more in charity to the 9/11 victims than those of Katrina.
Maybe here is where the difference is apparent: while on 9/11, the victims did nothing to invite their destruction, the victims of Katrina were already living six feet below sea level. And they wondered why their homes were flooded.
It's not like this is the first time in American history that a storm has ravaged a coastal city. The storm of 1900 buried Galveston, killing upwards of 12,000 people and causing $700 million worth of damage in today's dollars. Katrina is estimated to have killed 2,500 people at most, although the damage was far more costly. In fact, this country's history is riddled with stories of natural disasters striking populated areas.
Remember the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 that killed 3,000 and left hundreds of thousands homeless? What about the more recent quake in 1989 that interrupted a nationally televised baseball game and destroyed an elevated highway with people still on it? Then there are the countless numbers of tornadoes and dust storms across the Midwestern states that ruined countless towns, crops and lives.
Katrina might mark a particular first, though. It might be the first time a US city has been so decimated by a storm that it appeared unwilling to rebuild on its own or even lend a hand in the efforts of others.
People are quick to condemn the local, state and federal governments for inept handling of the immediate aftermath of the crisis. Even if it was, what astounds me even more is how these same people are so willing to lay blame on the American populace as a whole. Take some of the paraphrased quotes from the locals in Louisiana, who cannot believe Americans gave more in charity to the 9/11 victims than those of Katrina.
Maybe here is where the difference is apparent: while on 9/11, the victims did nothing to invite their destruction, the victims of Katrina were already living six feet below sea level. And they wondered why their homes were flooded.
It's not like this is the first time in American history that a storm has ravaged a coastal city. The storm of 1900 buried Galveston, killing upwards of 12,000 people and causing $700 million worth of damage in today's dollars. Katrina is estimated to have killed 2,500 people at most, although the damage was far more costly. In fact, this country's history is riddled with stories of natural disasters striking populated areas.
Remember the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 that killed 3,000 and left hundreds of thousands homeless? What about the more recent quake in 1989 that interrupted a nationally televised baseball game and destroyed an elevated highway with people still on it? Then there are the countless numbers of tornadoes and dust storms across the Midwestern states that ruined countless towns, crops and lives.
Katrina might mark a particular first, though. It might be the first time a US city has been so decimated by a storm that it appeared unwilling to rebuild on its own or even lend a hand in the efforts of others.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 40
doctorj
posted 4/20/07 @ 8:00 AM EST
This writer and article are a great example of what is wrong with this country and this government. I am a native New Orleanian and I have been in the devastated neighborhoods helping these "lazy?" citizens rebuild their lives. (Continued…)
terri echols
posted 4/20/07 @ 4:26 PM EST
I suppose the simplest reply to the previous post would be...amen.
The writer of the article mentions complaints regarding the disparity between donations to support 9/11 survivors as opposed to survivors of Katrina. (Continued…)
Elizabeth Hofheinz
posted 4/20/07 @ 5:36 PM EST
You do not have the full picture. Fantastic, home-grown groups such as Beacon of Hope and the Preservation Resource Center pour their sweat daily into pulling the city up by its bootstraps. (Continued…)
Louie Bonnecarre
posted 4/20/07 @ 6:24 PM EST
This article sickens me. The author's mentality epitomizes why Americans are perceived around the world as heartless and arrogant. There are good reasons why the recovery process is slow. (Continued…)
Barbara O'Brien
posted 4/21/07 @ 8:34 AM EST
I was in lower Manhattan on 9/11, so I understand how the city coped. New York is a rich and resourceful city. The Financial District must be close to the most esxpensive real estate in the world. (Continued…)
Nancy Brister
posted 4/21/07 @ 12:00 PM EST
Apparently, Mr. Kaighan didn't take advantage of Drexel University's courses in geography. Calling New Orleans a "coastal city" is the first tip-off that he doesn't have a clue what he's talking about. (Continued…)
Chris Robert
posted 4/21/07 @ 11:59 PM EST
The writer is a hateful bigot.
Nancy Brister
posted 4/22/07 @ 3:34 PM EST
Bless your heart, Ken. Do you have a reading problem or a comprehension problem? Let me try this one more time. I'll speak slowly for you. Yes, Katrina was a Category three when it hit the "coasts" of MS/LA. (Continued…)
Sorry Ken
posted 4/22/07 @ 5:34 PM EST
Sorry Ken, You're wrong.... (and in so many ways)
Katrina hit LOUISIANA as a cat 3 but weakened to a Cat 1 by the time she hit New Orleans.
http://wizbangblog. (Continued…)
doctorj
posted 4/22/07 @ 7:56 PM EST
Ken,
Since you are reading the comments, I second the recommendation. Go read the wizbang post. Wizbang is a conservative blog that I was going to long before the hurricane. (Continued…)
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