Posted by Dinah on November 3, 2005, at 18:43:30
In reply to Re: ?? » Dinah, posted by alexandra_k on November 3, 2005, at 17:48:01
Alexandra, it's true that they warned that certain hurricanes would do this. But that wasn't this hurricane, not for the majority of the city. This hurricane was within the force levels the walls were designed to hold. At the very least for the 17th Street Canal and the London Avenue canals that have most raised my ire. The Industrial Canal and MR GO are different.
And yes, this is just one news source (though all the local news is about the same), but with all due politeness, I've got to say that I trust the local news to know what's going on in the local area more than I trust the international news who probably don't know the difference between Gentilly and Bywater. And the locals are far far more familiar with the background of the agencies involved than any national, never mind international, news source can be. Why, I saw a picture of the "devastation" showed on the national news that was actually a camp built in the middle of the Bonnet Carre Spillway that is *supposed* to be surrounded by water.
And as far as National Guard numbers, since there were enough when they were sent, I assume there were enough the days earlier when they *should* have been sent. They didn't bring them back from Iraq in that time frame.
And yes, Auntie Mel is correct that New Orleans proper is largely black. But the greater metropolitan area is not. And the greater metropolitan area needs the flood protection, not New Orleans. The entire area is all being thrown to the wolves, not just New Orleans proper.
And as a New Orleanian, as much as I'd like to blame the feds for everything, I just can't. Local officials have earned their reputations honestly, so to speak. Not all of the current ones, certainly. But enough of the ones over the years to have contributed mightily to this problem.
I just don't know how much the rest of the country understands the unique challenges of New Orleans. And I don't really feel up to explaining them. Not under the circumstances of this board, anyway. If anyone's genuinely interested in what's really going on, babblemail me and I'll tell you. But not this way. Not under these circumstances.
I'm not even going to check this board for replies.
I'm bowing out with whatever tattered grace I have left.
poster:Dinah
thread:574039
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20050924/msgs/575116.html