Don't Give Up on New Orleans

[donsutherland1]

In the wake of a terrible hurricane, with flooding continuing to worsen in and around New Orleans, I've seen messages posted on various message boards that appear to suggest that New Orleans/low-lying areas in Louisiana should be all but written off. I could not more strongly disagree.

No matter how severe the flooding proves in New Orleans and elsewhere, no matter how great the ruin, no matter how tempting the siren song of "giving up" might be, New Orleans should never be conceded to the Gulf of Mexico or Lake Pontchartrain.

People have survived great adversity before. Londoners stood naked to the unrelenting aerial bombardment of the Nazi war machine. Even among raging infernos, they did not abandon their city. Britain did not quit the war. The Nazis were vanquished and their totalitarian nightmare turned back.

Similarly, the people of New Orleans, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama can prevail over Katrina's wrath. They are making the effort. All should support them.

In this time of great tragedy, voices calling for surrender to the elements are anything but constructive. The people victimized by Katrina--ordinary people like you and me--deserve nothing but empathy and support. Rather than telling them to give up, people should be letting them know that they will not leave them to face their great battle alone.

That's what being a nation defined by e pluribus unum is all about. That formula worked well in the past. It laid the foundation for the great success story the United States has been. It will work again.

People should pay no heed whatsoever to the voices of timidity. They offer only a recipe for defeat. They only increase suffering. Ignore them.

Instead, tap into the wellspring of courage and empathy that has nourished humanity through its most difficult days. Embrace the spirit of Churchill's determined pledge, "We shall not flag nor fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France and on the seas and oceans; we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be; we shall fight on beaches, landing grounds, in fields, in streets and on the hills. We shall never surrender and even if, which I do not for the moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, will carry on the struggle until in God's good time the New World with all its power and might, sets forth to the liberation and rescue of the Old."

New Orleans was one of the nation's shining cities. It still is, even as the angry, muddy waters swirl through its streets and try to hide its luster and drown its future.

It can and will recover and will continue to be among the nation's most prominent jewels. Let's all support those hurt by Katrina. Let's help them rebuild their lives and again taste the best of what life can offer.

Don't let timidity prevail. Timidity offers no future at all.

[Canelaw99]

Terrific post! It's just sad that it was necessary.

[sponger]

Great post Don! Tragedy really brings this nation together and brings about our best behavior. We will pull through!

[ncbird]

Well said.... I agree 100% with you.

[repeatoffender]

if this map is accurate..



i have to disagree. if the flooding continues til lake level covers the whole city there is very little reason to rebuild. the cost of rebuilding the levy system while it is in shambles and unknown the full extent or location of breaches.. then draining.. then dredging.. then cleaning the contamination.. then completely re-engineering the levy system to make sure an event like this can never do the same again. then rebuilding all the infrastructure and structures...

the cost of that would make the war in Iraq seem pretty small potatoes. Not to dismiss the significance of this city or its people but why not relocate. this was the storm evrybody feared and it is the greatest disaster to ever hit the US. thoughts of rebuilding at the moment seem, not only premature as 100,000+ people are in horrible danger.. but it just seems ludicrous to set oneself up for disaster again by rebuilding when something could happen like this again - or WILL happen again in a matter of time.

this is just a truely horrible situation.. rebuilding seems like such a remote thought to me at this time..[/img]

[robjay]

I understand what you are saying but somewhere there has to be realistic look at the geographic realities and potential cost of rebuilding. You also can't ignore the corruption that NO has had in it city gov't leadership - will such a leadership build the city back stronger which is critical to the rate of return to any restoration investment.

[Stephanie]

Great post Don!

We would never really know how well those levees would work until they met their ultimate test yesterday. They could've all failed at one time and then we would've been talking tens of thousands dead.

Everyone of those cities and towns are special and deserve to receive a helping hand in their moment of need. This was THE BIG ONE folks, regardless of the fact that it "was only" a Cat 4.

[cycloneye]

Excellent post don.

[RichG]

A very eloquent statment however I must disagree. The city is in a bowl surrounded by water. It is already considered a very poor city. Obvisouly poorly run. What would have happened if this storm was a cat 5 and hit the city straight on? It isn't worth the lives in a future storm and money.

[donsutherland1]

With all due respect, I strongly and respectfully disagree. I'd argue that it is exactly that kind of "realistic look" that drove British Prime Minister Chamberlain to agree to the Munich Agreement of 1938.

"The real triumph is that it has shown that representatives of four great Powers can find it possible to agree on a way of carrying out a difficult and delicate operation by discussion instead of by force of arms, and thereby they have averted a catastrophe which would have ended civilisation as we have known it. The relief that our escape from this great peril of war has, I think, everywhere been mingled in this country with a profound feeling of sympathy," he told Parliament. A "realistic look" suggested that this Agreement was a great thing, as it seemingly "averted a catastrophe" and allowed "escape from this great peril of war."

I do not believe it is "realistic" to give up on New Orleans. The City can be saved and better protected. The fact that some of its politcal leaders might have been corrupt has no bearing on the more important idea that the good people of New Orleans do not deserve to have their city, their homes, their businesses, and everything it has to offer coldly sacrificed to the elements.

In sum, what appears to be "realistic" can, instead, be a terrible choice upon closer inspection. Giving up on New Orleans, in my view, would be a choice no better than that made by Mr. Chamberlain. It should not even be considered.

[sweetpea]

Excellent post, brought tears to my eyes.

[inotherwords]

What about the port, though? It's too critically important to the country. Would we just abandon it? I can't imagine that.

Also, don, how would you propose that the city be "saved" given the graphics posted to this thread? Should the city be pumped out and the levees rebuilt knowing it will just be a matter of time until they fail again?

I am torn on this one. While I knew about the levee and "bowl" situation, until I saw that graphic I did not realize how enormously dire and difficult this is.

And I LOVE New Orleans. I'd like nothing more than to see it restored but I'm not sure any historical parallels we could draw would be relevant here. It's unprecedented.

[gboudx]

I can't believe that some people are so damn insensitive to say that New Orleans shouldn't be rebuilt. I'm sick over reading some of the posts on this thread, and others. My family is greatly stressed and antagonizing over if they have a home to go back to. And some people suggest they should just completely drop their lives and move on? Unbelievable.

Great post Don!

[Rob Beaux]

Take this from a Cajun..we are hard headed and we will rebuild. No place is save from diasters.

Should people be allowed to live in NYC after 9/11 or in California after an Earthquakes?

Als the graphic posted is not 100% accurate. The levees only hold back water when the water ways shown are above the normal levels. If you have been to NOLA or live there you know this. We dont all float around on boats like Venice. Normally we have dry land..its just a little wet right now.

Also worried about dolphins and then saying we shouldnt rebuild is completely idiotic.

[Rainband]

Great Post Don.

[wxcrazytwo]

Great post Don, but to some who have lost everything, it is too little, too late.

[donsutherland1]

RichG,

Clearly, just conceding that it is too difficult to secure New Orleans might appear very tempting right now. But difficulty does not mean that the City is not worth saving.

Galveston was not abandoned after the destructive 1900 hurricane. It was shored up by a sea wall that has proved more than equal to the challenges of Category 4 hurricanes.

The same kind of determination and engineering that secured Galveston can also lead to securing New Orleans. People can evacuate when confronted with major hurricanes--they do so everywhere else, so New Orleans would not be any different in that respect. But spending the money needed to rebuild New Orleans is worth it. New Orleans adds great economic value to the nation and immeasurable cultural value.

[donsutherland1]

Wxcrazytwo,

I know it's indescribably difficult for many. I will certainly be making numerous contributions to the Red Cross and other relief efforts and very much wish I could do more. Hopefully, together with all who will be helping, life can be rebuilt for those who are suffering so much today.

[therealashe]

Galveston wasn't below sea level. There has been lots of talk of building a sea wall around New Orleans. The cost would be huge.

I wonder how many of these homes carried flood insurance? How many homeless were renters with no insurance at all? I know in the panhandle after Ivan, many renters were totally lost with no insurance. Sure FEMA helped some, but there were no homes or apartments to rent. Rent for the few available, when sky high. I know many families who are STILL rebuilding from Ivan.

I can't imagine how long it will take to rebuild New Orleans, or if the cost would be justified.

[RichG]

I am sorry I do not see the comparison. Chamberlin believed peace at all costs I do not. The chinese did not invade New Orleans a bad storm did. I would be there arms in hand if they had fighting for every inch of that great city. I believe we should rebuild the world trade center bigger and geater than before for the same reasons you cite. We are talking about a city that is litterally below sea level and surrounded by water. Again the loss of life while bad could have been much greater magnitude if another storm hits there in future. Also what about terrorism. If the city is below sea level and the wall holding in the water are blown up at several points without warning what would happen then. The enemy is flooding water, it kills no matter how stoic you are. By the way Churchill is one of my heroes I think he would see the common sence in my thoughts.