I love New Orleans. It's really one of the world's great cities, beautiful and historic and unique. I was on my way to move there when my van broke down in Dayton and due to strange circumstances I ended up living in Ohio for five years, but New Orleans was always on my mind. That city, along with San Francisco and Baltimore, are the only cities I thought I'd be happy settling down in, and I plan to do my graduate work at Tulane, if they'll have me.
Last year, when Hurricane Ivan came through, everyone was afraid that New Orleans would just wash away. The levees weren't in great shape, due mostly to the fact that the current government has slashed funding for the US Army Corps of Reserves, and there was real fear that the city couldn't survive. But it did, and when people gave similar warnings leading up to Katrina's landfall yesterday, I maybe wasn't as worried as I'd been last time. Still, it does leave a sort of sick feeling in your stomach. So, the first thing I did today was check the news to see what had happened to New Orleans. I was afraid I'd wake up today and it would be gone. But it was still there. The prophets of doom had exaggerated again. There was trouble, but the worst was over.
That was before the levees broke today, and now my beautiful city is destroyed. I've heard that in places the water is 20 feet deep, which I can't even imagine. The Red Cross says this will be the biggest relief effort in its history.
I don't even know what to say about all this. I guess I'm beartbroken, like everyone else who loves the town. All hope and love to the residents, and to the people of Mississippi and Alabama as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment