My City of Ruins......
Trip Start
Jun 05, 2006
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88
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Trip End
Jul 15, 2007
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
I do not usually talk much about my home life in my blogs because as of the last few years that has not been my reality to report on, but as I am making my way in the direction of New Orleans it is slowly becoming the reality I will have to face. It is crazy to think that over the next few months my overland journey will straddle the Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Chechnya borders. The scariest part about me mentioning that is that one of the most dangerous places I will find myself in the next year will be the city I call my home New Orleans. It sickens me to read the news about what is happening there right now. I have picked up a few international news papers in the Far East over the last few months only to read about my home town. Unfortunately it has not been news about all the good things and the recovery effort that is going on there, it has been about the post Katrina violence that is plaguing the city.
When I think about what an amazing opportunity New Orleans has to start over and work on correcting the problems, it is clear that we are letting it pass by us. The worst part of it all is that we are being scared from our own homes by nothing other then illiterate Jr. high school drop outs with guns. It made me sad to hear that my sister told me a few days ago that she and her husband did all they could to enjoy Mardi Gras this year because with the way things are looking they do not know if they will be living in the city this time next year. But really, how can you blame them? New Orleans does not just have one of the highest murder rate per capita at this point it has the highest murder rate of any American city.
Believe it or not, just last week I actually had to take over $500 out of my travel budget to replace 2 doors on my house in New Orleans. Only after one of the doors was busted in during a break-in did I decided it was time to replace them both with metal ones. It blows me away to think that those two doors have been on that house probably since the house was built almost 100 years ago, but the city has gotten so out of control that the wooden ones are no longer safe enough.
Who do we have to blame for all of this? Above all I think we are seeing the effects of electing mediocre officials into office. If you ask me, I think New Orleans is suffering from the bottom up when it comes to that. From the Non-existent mayor (who I unfortunately supported in the last election), to the "chubby bunny" in the governor's mansion, to the clowns in the White House. I am at a loss for words when I think about the fact that the President of the United States of America, less than 2 years after the biggest national disaster to ever affect the nation, did not think that the gulf coast recovery and the rebuilding of New Orleans was worth even a mention in his last State of the Union address. Where have our priorities gone? I know I am being negative and that a lot of good things are going on in New Orleans. I just think if things don't change soon we will be on the verge of losing New Orleans and one of the most unique cities and cultures in America, not to mention one of the most unique cities I have come across in over 3 years of traveling around the world.
Lucky for us all we only have 692 days until Lil' George moves back to Crawford and we can begin to reassess our priorities and attempt to move on with our lives! (2-25-07)
"I'll wait for you in Baton Rouge, and I'll miss you down in New Orleans" ~Counting Crows
Do you think the Captain of the Titanic cried? Something has to give. ~Johnny Nomad
Comments
Root of the problem
The root of problem is the educational system. It keeps so many caught up 'in the system.' It also keeps many young professionals with young families away from the city b/c of the cost private schools. Just my opinion...