[mikenola]

New Orleans is a true national treasure, and every effort should be made to reconstruct it.

The city is cultural hothouse, music, culinary arts, cinema just to name a few. And that culture has seeped into and become a part of American culture as well.

New Orleans' uniqueness is part of what makes America unique.

To be sure the city has problems, but it's my hope that this tragedy will be the catalyst to bring the city together and work to a better future. As a former resident , I can tell you there are few New Orleans who would disagree the city is worth saving.

[Monti Cello]

As someone who regrets never having visited, I agree it's worth rebuilding it, though it may entail razing much of what is left now. I am sure the best hydraulic engineers in the world have some ideas on how to do things right. New Orleans seems to have a reputation as a city of the past, charming, but somewhat decrepit, with some of the worst dysfunctional poverty and crime in the country.

No reason why it can't be remade into a city of the future, keeping much of the attitude and charm (including permissible public drinking) but fixing up the entrenched social and physical problems. There is no reason a renovated New Orleans couldn't be the top city of the South for decades to come.

[Conservative4Ever]

My daughter and boy-friend traveled to NO last fall and sent me tons of pictures of NO...Ann Rice house, French Quarter..lots of different houses, parks, etc. Pulled them out from the file box and just wondered if NO can rebuild.

Red

[Fred Hayek]

Now that you put it that way, the U.N. might then designate it a "World Heritage Site", prohibiting any re-building. (/tinfoil hat)

[Liberty Valance]

Great post.