[Rhodes22-list] Hurricane Evac (Political)

[Herb Parsons]

Beg Pardon Bill, but you don't know what my opinions were before I went to NO, because I "went there" long before I joined this list. I have a boat there bud. Please, feel free to express your opinion about things you know about, but do a little research before you tell me what my opinions are/were.

There was a plan, but you're wrong in your assertion that the people and the city "followed the plan". They did not. That's simple.

Not only that, individuals MUST look at themselves and ask THEMSELVES what they should, and could, do differently. I've seen very little of that. If folks sit around and insist that others "do for them", then there is going to be another tragedy when the next storm hits.

A little insight on the levee system in NO is in order though. Your assertion that "the people of NO did not ask for them" is simplistic and largely untrue. The city hired Albert Baldwin Wood in the late 1800's to improve the city's drainage system. He did that very well. He then spearheaded the efforts to reclaim the low-lying areas that were previously uninhabitable. This lead to the need for the levee system.

Please Bill, this whole issue is NOT as black and white (no pun intended) as some would make it out to be. There has been tons of money allocated to the area for the improvement and maintenance of the levee system. It was squandered. That is due in part to the local politics AND due to the lack of Federal oversight.

My point though, was and is that Mayor Nagan, as well as the people of NO, do themselves a disservice to not only point at everyone but themselves as the cause for their problems, but to further hurt themselves by insulting those that DID respond to them and their city in their time of need.


Herb Parsons

S/V O'Jure
1976 O'Day 25
Lake Grapevine, N TX

S/V Reve de Papa
1971 Coronado 35
Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana Coast

>>> bill at effros.com 8/28/2006 10:04:01 am >>>
Herb,

You had strong opinions before you went to NO.

Most people in NO did not die from the hurricane, they died because of 
levee failure.

The Federal Evacuation Plan for people without cars living in New 
Orleans was not implemented by the Federal Government (read FEMA).  The 
people and city followed the plan.  FEMA failed to provide the promised 
resources to move them out of the city.

The Federal Government put up and certified those levees.  The people of 
NO did not ask for them.  The people of NO had been complaining for 
years and years and years that the levees would not hold if they were 
ever hit by a Cat 3 storm, and that they should be raised to Cat 5 
standards.  That still has not been done, and the levees are still not 
up to Cat 3.

I think the days of shifting the blame and pointing fingers at everyone 
else are coming to an end.  We shall see shortly.

Bill Effros