Think you'll ever hear people say that? Of course not. It is just plain illogical to make such a statement.
What flooding, let's party
But it sure is easy for these people to blame the federal government when a hurricane hits their shores and they are unprepared. Blaming the Katrina disaster on anyone but themselves is ridiculous. Everyone is still trying to point fingers when the largest responsibility for the Katrina mess sits right at home.
Sorry if this is tired by now. But when the failed response to the disaster happened, all I could hear myself say in my head was "Maybe if they didn't party so much and spent a little more time getting prepared for an eventual disaster that could strike a city that's below sea level, then maybe the mess could have been lessened".
Now I understand that a little venting, like holding a Mardi Gras parade in light of the still looming disaster, can help morale. But in my mind it still somehow points to the fact that partying seems to be the focus of this town, not doing what needs to be done for a town under sea level.
I'm hoping that some lesson has been learned. Hopefully their focus will be a little more on preventing such a disaster in the future.
8 comments:
I will accept the idea that Mardi Gras brings a lot of tourist money to this area and that is great, but lets get real here. This area needs something more than Mardi Gras to bring in revenue and less handouts to the unwilling. You are right, this is a tired subject and a sore one to boot, but to me, New Orleans is the product of the liberal Utopia. A classic case of Ant and the Grasshopper.
The ant and the grasshopper fits very well. I wanted to make that analogy in my post, but my post was long enough as it is.
As I was unfamiliar with the insect reference, I learned something new and also found this. There are three parts/rebuttals.
New Orleans was doomed, cursed, spited by God, whatever, but no amount of preparation, money, projects, or planning could have prevented the storm from it's path of destruction, be you ant or grasshopper.
Ah yes the great Clinton economy...How did that end again? Nihil-You are right to blame the elements and not people, but lets face it, if a storm hits here then I am fueling up and driving east. :)
While I will admit that the storm would have been destructive no matter what preparations had taken place, I have to believe that some good could have been done if the Federal money given to New Orleans to fortify the levees over the years had been used for just that rather than fountains and roadwork. Those fountains and roads look like crap now.
This was very enlightening.
nihli,
That link you posted is only for Chicago Tribune paid subscribers. Can you copy and paste the text?
Mike
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