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To: Rodney King

We're supposed to pay for it because New Orleans is important to America.

The quiet resistance New Orleanians practiced during the Butler regime, that became a model for the rest of the South when we also fell after the war, and in fact, served as the inspiration for Joe Cain's infamous wagon stand

Most people don't realize this, but the only reason Mardi Gras survived the Civil War is because in the cities that had had it before the war, it was decided that continuing the tradition was one way to thumb their noses at federal authorities without committing an act that Union officials could create trumped up charges for.

Also, the simple fact that, New Orleans actually can be saved, you can rebuild the levees in a way where this never happens again, if you combine this with a wetland renourishment program in the areas to the immediate south of St. Bernard, you could effectively eliminate the danger of this ever happening again.

New Orleans has flooded from hurricanes before, and this never happened. Wihtout the levees, it would have been like Betsy, like 1947, like 1915, like Last Island, and many hurricanes before that. The problem with the levees were that inherent design flaws existed which caused them to fail. After all, the New Orleans Cat 5 disaster scenario never involved the the levees breaking, it involved water higher than the levees topping them, creating the dreaded bowl situation. No one expected that the levees would crack, thereby causing a flood of water equalization.

It makes as much sense today to rebuild New Orleans today as it did to rebuild Galveston 105 years ago. While I don't think New Orleans will ever be like it was (this could be a good thing) it is still vital to our economy, the city is an economic and cultural asset, and it would be a tragedy to let it slide into history. On the streets of New Orleans, you see the way society used to be, the way that neighborhoods used to look like, in many ways, New Orleans never really left it's antebellum mindset, and that is an asset to America. The fact that New South banking interests were able to build skyscrapers and co-exist with all the varied components of what was the epitome of the Old South, it was an important message.

Now maybe it would be smarter to trash all levies, and go back to the situtation where we let the city flood once every 10 years, and let the sedimentation deposit. Thats a possibility. But it would be sad to desert a city that meant so much to America. A city which had as much to do as anything else with keeping Huey Long from becoming President.


54 posted on 12/15/2005 11:46:08 AM PST by AzaleaCity5691 (The enemy lies in the heart of Gadsden)
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To: AzaleaCity5691
We're supposed to pay for it because New Orleans is important to America.

Every city is important to America. So, you simply believe that nothing is a local issue.

The quiet resistance New Orleanians practiced during the Butler regime, that became a model for the rest of the South when we also fell after the war, and in fact, served as the inspiration for Joe Cain's infamous wagon stand

Huh? All those people are dead. That is a silly reason to prop up the bums that live there now.

Most people don't realize this, but the only reason Mardi Gras survived the Civil War is because in the cities that had had it before the war, it was decided that continuing the tradition was one way to thumb their noses at federal authorities without committing an act that Union officials could create trumped up charges for.

Yeah, so?

Also, the simple fact that, New Orleans actually can be saved, you can rebuild the levees in a way where this never happens again,

Of course, they haven't promosed that it will protect a CAT 5, so you are wrong. There can always be a bigger storm.

if you combine this with a wetland renourishment program in the areas to the immediate south of St. Bernard, you could effectively eliminate the danger of this ever happening again.

I disagree, but still, why should I pay someone else's costs?

New Orleans has flooded from hurricanes before, and this never happened. Wihtout the levees, it would have been like Betsy, like 1947, like 1915, like Last Island, and many hurricanes before that.

So you are saying they are better off without the Levee's? Fine with me. Don't rebuild them.

The problem with the levees were that inherent design flaws existed which caused them to fail. After all, the New Orleans Cat 5 disaster scenario never involved the the levees breaking, it involved water higher than the levees topping them, creating the dreaded bowl situation. No one expected that the levees would crack, thereby causing a flood of water equalization.

So let's not rebuild the Levees.

It makes as much sense today to rebuild New Orleans today as it did to rebuild Galveston 105 years ago.

Did people from around the country pay to rebuild Galveston, or was it mostly a local affair?

While I don't think New Orleans will ever be like it was (this could be a good thing) it is still vital to our economy,

How so? You don't need the whole city in order to have ports for river barges.

the city is an economic and cultural asset,

That's a matter of opinion.

and it would be a tragedy to let it slide into history.

So says you. I disagree. I couldn't care less if it goes away. It has been a dump for well over 100 years.

On the streets of New Orleans, you see the way society used to be,

That is not a good thing. By that standard, it would be okay to have a city where slavery is ok.

the way that neighborhoods used to look like, in many ways, New Orleans never really left it's antebellum mindset,

Fair enough?

and that is an asset to America.

Why? You are full of personal opinions.

The fact that New South banking interests were able to build skyscrapers and co-exist with all the varied components of what was the epitome of the Old South, it was an important message.

What is that message? I've never heard it.

Now maybe it would be smarter to trash all levies, and go back to the situtation where we let the city flood once every 10 years, and let the sedimentation deposit.

Sounds good to me.

Thats a possibility.

I hope so.

But it would be sad to desert a city that meant so much to America. A city which had as much to do as anything else with keeping Huey Long from becoming President.

Well hey, I'm not deserting it. If the people that live there don't want to desert it, that's fine with me.

In short, you simply like New Orleans and want it rebuilt, and want to take money out of the pockets of everyone else to do it.

57 posted on 12/15/2005 11:57:15 AM PST by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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