New Orleans as it Should Be Today
It’s been now two years since the onslaught of Katrina and the death and destruction she wrought. I am convinced now more than I was then that the reason New Orleans is still a mess and in limbo is RACE.
If this had been a city full of Norwegians there would have been no questions asked. The parts above the flood would be rebuilt. The wards underwater and sinking would be abandoned. The houses, trees and infrastructure still standing in ruin would be pushed together and land filled for building upon years from now. Just like they did after the San Fransisco Earthquake a century ago, just like they did after the Chicago Fire. Till then they could be a nice garden for people to enjoy.
The rest could be left as a big hole in the ground to receive garbage and debris from the other areas like Mississippi to keep raising the levels and not the levees. In a few years there would be substantial additional land recovered. In a hundred years or so perhaps half the city would be back. The rest would be a below sea level forest for people to enjoy when it was dry.
But, we won’t do this. They aren’t Norwegians. They are black. The city represents something that will never be again. Maybe never should.
Let the town become a nice little town of 200,000 people, businesses and homes. Nevermore New Orleans as it was before.
Did anyone ask if perhaps that’s as it should have been? I just did.
