The Depth of Despair
There are so many reasons why the news from the south have been depressing in the last few days.
Ode to New Orleans
As a historian I am heartbroken to think about the potential damage to places that have such an interesting and amazing history. New Orleans is unique among American cities in many ways - its creation, architecture, ethnic groups, food, and music are special and different. My gosh - the creation of jazz alone makes it a very important place. I had heard recently about the risk to the old buildings in the French Quarter and I fear that those relics are ruined under all the water.
But most of all, and this is completely selfish, I have never been there! I have planned to visit someday and I am afraid that I will never get to see what I have heard so much about. On my 8th birthday my parents took me to a Dixieland Jazz Band performance here in Portland and it was a magical experience for me. I was even invited onstage to dance! I am so sad that I may never get to see where it came from. Even if New Orleans rises again, it will never be the same.
Ode to the Forgotten Towns
In the midst of talking about New Orleans, it is also disheartening that we have forgotten about the many small towns in Lousiana, Mississippi and Alabama that have also been devastated. Some towns are gone completely. The rural communities that already struggled with poverty are incredibly damaged. I hope in our rush to save the big cities that we don't forget about the rest of the affected area.
There But For The Grace of God . . .
It has been scary and saddening to watch and hear about the looting and violence that is happening more and more. But I keep thinking what if it were me?
What if I lived in New Orleans and didn't have a car because of their good public transportation system. So instead of driving out of town I go to the Super Dome like I was instructed. After the excitement of the initial attack comes what has got to be the more frightening experience - nothing. No lights, no water. No INFORMATION. It's incredibly hot, humid and stinky. Everyone is scared and confused. And no one knows anything. We just know that we can't leave. What would I do?
Or what if I couldn't leave because of taking care of a sick relative and thought - my house is pretty strong and New Orleans has been spared so many times before. And even though the storm is brutal my house survives. But then comes the water. Soon my house floods and my sick relative and I are on the roof with no food, no water and no communication. I think that of course the authorities will come and pick us up. But hours go by and nothing happens. My relative sinks closer to death as I watch dead bodies float by and can do nothing. What would I do?
Or suppose I got out of the house and into a hotel. But when the flooding started we were told to go to the Super Dome. But a river of water separated me from there. I have no food, no water, no clear instructions and am getting desperate in the intense heat. What would I do?
This isn't even looking at the best case scenario: If I evacuated the city and had a car I would be stuck where I was. I would have no knowledge of the state of my house and everything I own (let alone the state of my friends and loved ones). And to get gas I would have to wait in line for hours to pay an incredible amount. And what if I ran out of money?
What Do We Do?
I know that there are so many government and private agencies that are right now desperately trying to reach and help people. But the problems are so scary. Do they rescue the people on roofs or stop the looting? Do they pick up everyone on the road or deliver the food? Do they evacuate people from the increasingly desperate Super Dome or start taking the dead bodies from the streets and water? And how the heck do they get the water drained?
And I can only imagine the desperation and frustration of the confused, hot, hungry, dying refugees. Why are trucks and helicopters and boats going by me without helping? It probably feels like no one cares, while the helpers feel impotent to stop the rising tide of catastrophy.
I can only pray that somehow soon that someone can get a handle on the situation. I hope that the refugees don't give up. I pray that the entire area doesn't turn into a war zone of desperate angry people. And I pray that someday, that section of the United States will recover.
Ode to New Orleans
As a historian I am heartbroken to think about the potential damage to places that have such an interesting and amazing history. New Orleans is unique among American cities in many ways - its creation, architecture, ethnic groups, food, and music are special and different. My gosh - the creation of jazz alone makes it a very important place. I had heard recently about the risk to the old buildings in the French Quarter and I fear that those relics are ruined under all the water.
But most of all, and this is completely selfish, I have never been there! I have planned to visit someday and I am afraid that I will never get to see what I have heard so much about. On my 8th birthday my parents took me to a Dixieland Jazz Band performance here in Portland and it was a magical experience for me. I was even invited onstage to dance! I am so sad that I may never get to see where it came from. Even if New Orleans rises again, it will never be the same.
Ode to the Forgotten Towns
In the midst of talking about New Orleans, it is also disheartening that we have forgotten about the many small towns in Lousiana, Mississippi and Alabama that have also been devastated. Some towns are gone completely. The rural communities that already struggled with poverty are incredibly damaged. I hope in our rush to save the big cities that we don't forget about the rest of the affected area.
There But For The Grace of God . . .
It has been scary and saddening to watch and hear about the looting and violence that is happening more and more. But I keep thinking what if it were me?
What if I lived in New Orleans and didn't have a car because of their good public transportation system. So instead of driving out of town I go to the Super Dome like I was instructed. After the excitement of the initial attack comes what has got to be the more frightening experience - nothing. No lights, no water. No INFORMATION. It's incredibly hot, humid and stinky. Everyone is scared and confused. And no one knows anything. We just know that we can't leave. What would I do?
Or what if I couldn't leave because of taking care of a sick relative and thought - my house is pretty strong and New Orleans has been spared so many times before. And even though the storm is brutal my house survives. But then comes the water. Soon my house floods and my sick relative and I are on the roof with no food, no water and no communication. I think that of course the authorities will come and pick us up. But hours go by and nothing happens. My relative sinks closer to death as I watch dead bodies float by and can do nothing. What would I do?
Or suppose I got out of the house and into a hotel. But when the flooding started we were told to go to the Super Dome. But a river of water separated me from there. I have no food, no water, no clear instructions and am getting desperate in the intense heat. What would I do?
This isn't even looking at the best case scenario: If I evacuated the city and had a car I would be stuck where I was. I would have no knowledge of the state of my house and everything I own (let alone the state of my friends and loved ones). And to get gas I would have to wait in line for hours to pay an incredible amount. And what if I ran out of money?
What Do We Do?
I know that there are so many government and private agencies that are right now desperately trying to reach and help people. But the problems are so scary. Do they rescue the people on roofs or stop the looting? Do they pick up everyone on the road or deliver the food? Do they evacuate people from the increasingly desperate Super Dome or start taking the dead bodies from the streets and water? And how the heck do they get the water drained?
And I can only imagine the desperation and frustration of the confused, hot, hungry, dying refugees. Why are trucks and helicopters and boats going by me without helping? It probably feels like no one cares, while the helpers feel impotent to stop the rising tide of catastrophy.
I can only pray that somehow soon that someone can get a handle on the situation. I hope that the refugees don't give up. I pray that the entire area doesn't turn into a war zone of desperate angry people. And I pray that someday, that section of the United States will recover.
posted by Portia | 9/01/2005 12:44:00 PM
3 Comments:
Damn, I was hoping to leave your inaugural comment, and here I am, losing out to someone who goes by the name "Cat Furniture." Oh well.
Yes, the situation in New Orleans does seem particularly bleak. It may be years before it bounces back, and even then, some things will be forever lost. But the city will return, I'm sure of that. You don't just give up after 400 years. And it will be worth the visit when it does, I promise you.
(By the way, I linked to you from my blog. Hopefully you'll start getting a little of my traffic, meager as it is.)
Perhaps in years (as in 40 or 50) New Orleans will be back to where it was. But the poor folk won't be able to move back (real estate prices are going to go through the roof), and the neighborhoods will have lost their original charm.
It's kind of like a clear-cut or a forest fire. When you go back and plant a bunch of trees, you get a tree farm, you don't get an old growth forest. It takes time to get back to the original character.
New Orleans might be neat when they rebuild, but it has been completely changed and will never be the same.
Great - if I do get there - everyone will tell me how different it is and how I missed the real thing. Damn.
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