photographs
Here are some pictures from New Orleans and Slidell. They pretty much speak for themselves.
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Here are some pictures from New Orleans and Slidell. They pretty much speak for themselves.
Here it is--my much easier to use blog, thanks to Jesse (plasticmind design.
Here it comes--the wind and rain have already begun. Rita is big enough that even though she's hitting west of us (right around Lake Charles--on the La./Tx. border) we're going to really get some rain. And some wind. For those of you who don't know, the east side of the storm is the bad side--which is why Baton Rouge is probably going to get winds and rain as bad as Katrina even though Rita isn't as bad of a storm/farther away. This, again, bodes ill for New Orleans. While the rain will help wash away the gunk, rain is also not the best thing for a city just trying to dry out right now. I certainly hope all those people stuck on the interstate in Texas are managing to find a way out--I'm not really sure why there wasn't a contra-flow plan in effect, but. . . . I think more people than expected were evacuating due to Katrina. One thing that is good is that on that side of Louisiana, there aren't a whole lot of people/towns south of the interstate--unlike east La. Unfortunately, Beaumont, Tx., is a lot closer to the Gulf than any La. cities of that size. The rain is really pouring down here right now, and the storm isn't officially going to hit until late tonight. Please keep everyone affected in your prayers. Now we just have to wait and see what happens.
article from the Washington Post
By Donna Brazile
Saturday, September 17, 2005 12:00:00; Page A21
New Orleans is my hometown. It is the place where I grew up, where my family still lives. For me, it is a place of comfort and memories. It is home.
Now my home needs your help, and the help of every American. Much of my city is still underwater. Its historical buildings have been wrecked, its famous streets turned to rivers and, worst of all, so many of its wonderful people -- including members of my own family and my neighbors -- have lost everything.
On Thursday night President Bush spoke to the nation from my city. I am not a Republican. I did not vote for George W. Bush -- in fact, I worked pretty hard against him in 2000 and 2004. But on Thursday night, after watching him speak from the heart, I could not have been prouder of the president and the plan he outlined to empower those who lost everything and to rebuild the Gulf Coast.
Bush called on every American to stand up and support the rebuilding of the region. He told us that New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast would rise from the ruins stronger than before. He enunciated something that we all need to remember: This is America. We are not immune to tragedy here, but we are strong because of our industriousness, our ingenuity and, most important, because of our compassion for one another. We are a nation of rebuilders and a nation of givers. We do not give up in the face of tragedy, we stand up, and we reach out to help those who cannot stand up on their own.
The president called on every American to reach out to my neighbors in New Orleans and throughout the Gulf Coast. The great people of this country have already opened their hearts in the immediate aftermath of the storm, and their tremendous generosity has done more than just provide extra comfort -- it has saved lives. Now the crisis of survival is over. But the task of rebuilding remains, and the president made it clear that every single one of us has a role to play.
Each of us belongs to some group -- a church, a union or a fraternal organization, or even a book club -- that can make a difference. It is those groups that can pool resources and then reach out to their counterparts in the stricken states and ask, "What can we do?" Schools, Girl Scout troops, Rotary clubs -- this is the time for every community group to step forward to lend a helping hand. We need it.
The president also laid out the federal government's goal for rebuilding. It is unprecedented in its scope and ambition, matching destruction that is unprecedented as well. He made the challenge clear: This will be one of the biggest reconstruction projects in history. But he also made it clear that we can and will do this. New Orleans, Biloxi, all of the Gulf Coast will rise again. And the residents are ready to pitch in and do their part.
I know, maybe better than anyone, that there are times when it seems that our nation is too divided ever to heal. There are times when we feel so different from each other that we can hardly believe that we are all part of the same family. But we are one nation. We are a family. And this is what we do. When the president asked us to pitch in Thursday night, he wasn't really asking us to do anything spectacular. He was asking us to be Americans, and to do what Americans always do.
The president has set a national goal and defined a national purpose. This is something I believe with all my hearTITLE: When we are united, nothing can stop us. We will not waver, we will not tire, and we will not stop until the streets are clean, every last brick has been replaced and every last family has its home back.
Bush talked about how we bury our family and friends. We grieve and mourn. We march to a solemn song and then we rejoice and step out and form the second line. That line is now open to every American to join us in rebuilding a great region of this country. New Orleans will rise again. My hometown is down but not out, and with the help of every American, it will be back on its feet, bigger and brighter than ever.
Mr. President, I am ready for duty. I am ready to stir those old pots again. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.
The writer, a Democratic political consultant, managed Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign
Well, it's been a little while since I posted, mostly because I've been buried in the Iliad. Not that it's bad to be buried in the Iliad, but I do get myself overwhelmed in research, etc. Since my last post, here's the main news:
Two Saturdays ago I helped people from the shelters register at the FEMA trailer park in Baker, Louisiana. After five weeks in shelters, these people were ready to have their own space, even if it is just a travel trailer. The facility is actually going to be quite nice--almost like an apartment complex. A catering company is providing three meals a day to the residents, they have a small building with washers and dryers set up, and soon will have a small community center for the residents. There were, of course, a few people who were unsatisfied with anything they have been offered--finding fault in the trailer, wanting something different--but that is to be expected, really. For many, they are so frustrated with everything that they just don't feel like being nice about anything. And then there are just those who are never grateful no matter what happens to them. But for the most part, people were just genuinely happy to have something that is theirs--a space for them and their families, some privacy most of all. Some of these people were just heartbreakers--many people, including blacks (regardless of media frenzy), had to leave behind middle class jobs and middle class houses, decent schools for their kids--not that the losses of porr people are less dark for them, but somehow seeing a family used to a roomy house, people who had jobs to go to where they were useful, relegated to travel trailers was really hard. Maybe that makes me a classist, I don't know. Of course, I get very bothered by the media attention on only poor blacks. I'm not trying to deny that there is a segment of New Orleanian population that is poverty stricken, and that much of that population is black. That's true. The problem is it does such a disservice to the many--and I mean many--working class and upper class black families that have lost everything. You'd think black "leaders" would want to show the tragic losses of succesful black families instead of characaturing all black in N.O. as poor. But then, I suppose I'm execting too much. It's just irresponsible to ignore a large segment of the population as though their losses aren't important. Some of the greatest destruction was in working class and upper class subdivisions--where not only white, but asian and black families lived. And regardless of what the media seems to think, these losses are the worst for N.O. After all, these people live in these neighborhoods because they own businesses there. They are the employers of the city. Anyway, enough of my little rant. The poverty of N.O. is a terrible reality, but it isn't the only part of reality, either.
At any rate, I was thoroughly blessed by my day at the trailer park. What never ceases to amaze me is the fellowship of believers. Not only were there several believers there from the area volunteering, there was a church group from New Jersey that had come down for the week to help at the park. I am always fascinated that you can meet believers from anywhere in the world and it doesn't really seem like you've just met. The common bond of Christ is fascinating. Working with these people was such a blessing. And meeting evacuees was a blessing, too. Such a reminder to me of what God has given me.
This past Saturday, my parents went to meet my uncle, aunt and grandmother in Metarie. Dad said her house isn't too bad. All the floors are a loss and most of the furniture (only a couple of peices were salvageable). The appliances and bottom kitchen cupboards were destroyed (and gross). My uncle's friend, Jack, is going to renovate for her--he wants to update the floorplan while he's at it and she's a little unsure--frankly, I think she's still in shock about everything. They also drove through the neighborhoods where they grew up (both of my parents grew up in N.O.). Dad said it was like a plague movie. Everything is dead--trees, grass. He said there weren't any cats or dogs, very few squirrels (which is really bizarre) and almost no birds. The water line on the house where my dad grew up in Gentily was just over the eaves--this is a house up on about three feet of pilings (like most houses there). The "no people, no pets" designation was spray painted on the top of the gable--because that's where the boat was when they got there to hack open the roof. The house had just been purchased and renovated by a young man for his soon-to-be wife. Now everything is gone, covered in mildew and bold. The house my great-grandmother used to live in is almost as bad--it was about a foot higher than my grandmother's old house. He said they drove through Lakeview and Bucktown--everything is covered in inches of mildew and dust. He said he seriously expected zombies to start appearing from behind the houses. Everything was just a bleak wasteland. The Baptist Seminary was completely flooded. All the crepemyrtles that used to line Elysian Fields avenue are just gone--killed by the saltwater floods of Katrina, blown down by Rita. I was afraid to ask about the oaks in City Park. Dad has to go back to pick up his truck (he left it at Jiffy Lube to get the fluids changed--it flooded up to the transmission)--I hope to go with him and take pictures. Ya'll have to understand, these are places I grew up around. I can't really even fathom it all being dead, houses with water lines at the eaves, mud covering everything. It's just unbelievable. I'm not even sure that seeing it will make the pieces fit.
On a far lighter note--a survey I stole from a friend
1. What is your full name? renee annette doiron
2. What color pants are you wearing? denim
3. What are you listening to right now? local news
4. What was the last thing you ate? goldfish
5. Do you wish on stars? yes
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? silver, it's glittery
7. How is the weather right now? absolutely lovely
8. Last person you spoke to on the phone? my uncle David
9. Do you like the person who sent this to you? of course
10. How old are you today? 27
11. Favorite drink? cherry limeade
12. Favorite sports? soccer and baseball
13. Hair color? mousy blonde
14. Do you wear contacts? no
15. Siblings? younger brother, younger sister
16. Favorite month? august
17. Favorite food? my mom's jambalaya
18. What's the last movie you have seen? troy
19. Favorite day of the year? halloween :)
20. What do you do to vent anger? if sarcasm doesn't work, yell
21. What was your favorite toy as a child? my little pony
22. Summer or winter? summer
23. Hugs or kisses? hugs, usually
24. Chocolate or vanilla? chocolate
25. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? sure thing
26. Who is most likely to respond? i skip this question
27. Who is least likely to respond? ditto
28. When was the last time you cried? saturday night at A Chorus Line
29. What is under your bed? crap, and my design files
30. Who is the friend you have known the longest? ummm, and still contact regulary? margaret villagomez
31. What did you do last night? helped my brother with papers
32. What are you afraid of? being useless, hights, rejection
33. Plain buttered or salted popcorn? buttery (but kettlecorn is even better)
34. Favorite car? bentley two-door
35. Favorite flower? lily-of-the-valley
36. Number of keys on your key ring? 7 or 8, i think
37. How many years at your current job? some months
38. Favorite day of the week? tuesday
39. What did you do on your last birthday? pitched my literature co-op at a home school meeting
40. How many states have you lived in? 2: Louisiana and Florida
41. How many cities have you lived in? 5: Lafayette, La.; Baton Rouge, La.; Walker, La.; Denham Springs, La.; Pensacola, Fl.
42. What is your favorite football team? if i really cared about football, i guess i'd have to go with LSU
43. What is your favorite candy? reese's pieces, or dots
Just a quick update--I'll write a longer entry later. Please be in prayer: Nagan is allowing residents of the 9th Ward to return during the day to begin clean-up, etc. I can't imagine what it must be like--many of these people's homes flooded twice: Katrina, and then again during Rita (it rained around 9 inches in less than 24 hours). For many people, that first sight it is very discouraging. Also, it's now been a month--for many people frustration and discouragement will begin giving way to depression. Please pray for them--for strength, for courage, for a clear path. They need prayer now as much as ever before.