"The morale is higher in Mississippi about the future than in Louisiana," says Douglas Brinkley, history professor at Tulane University and author of The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, published in May. "There's a can-do spirit in Mississippi that transcends what you'll find in New Orleans."
I found the above quote in the following USA Today article (today's edition): In Mississippi, Katrina recovery gaining steam
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"The morale is higher in Mississippi about the future than in Louisiana," says Douglas Brinkley, history professor at Tulane University and author of The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, published in May. "There's a can-do spirit in Mississippi that transcends what you'll find in New Orleans."
As a former resident of the New Orleans area and frequent visitor to the Mississipi Gulf Coast, I can confirm that this is true. The two areas were affected very differently... the damage in Mississippi was more concentrated within a half-mile or so of the beach. Buildings in that area were pretty much smashed to splinters, then the storm surge sloshed back out (taking much of the debris with it). For Mississippi, although the damage is severe, the cleanup phase is pretty much complete.
In contrast, areas that sat under water for weeks (mostly New Orleans and neighboring St. Bernard Parish) are filled with houses which are awaiting a visit from the bulldozer. As those houses are demolished, they keep finding the remins of storm victims. So yeah, morale is a bit higher in Mississippi.