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Today I spent 5 hours walking around Saint Bernard Parish east of New Orleans.
Buses were free - so I caught one and took it as far east as I could. Then I got off and just walked around. You could tell that it was a pretty neighborhood. It was working class but 80% of the folks owned their own home.
James Williams looked about 70. He lived alone with his wheelchair bound son. He was working hard renovating his home. He bought it in 1970 and owned it free and clear. It is all he has in life. During the hurricane he stayed in the home with his son because they had no way out. During the night when the hurricane hit - the wind "came and gone." He said they went to bed pretty smug that they survived the storm. And then in the morning the levee broke just about 4 blocks away. His son told him that water was coming up the steps. By the time he came to look - it was coming in the door. In 10 minutes - they were in the attic - breaking a hole in the roof and praying for help. He said a Fish and Game Boat came along and took them to the bridge to spend the next couple of days above the flood.
The saddest part of this disaster is that it could have been prevented. We knew that the levees could not stand such a hurricane and storm surge - but no one wanted to spend the money to help these people. Most of them are black - poor - and Democrats. So we decided to spend the money on more important things - like invading Iraq to help the oil companies.
I visited 3 little girls that were just as friendly as could be. They all had big smiles on their faces. Everyone I met was willing to talk about the flood. One fella who had almost nothing insisted I have a coke with him. The people here have a strong spirit. I admire them.
As I was walking back - the bus driver saw me - stopped the bus - and asked me if I had enough. I nodded and hopped on. I was the lightest one on the bus in many ways. In a few minutes I was back in the French Quarter swimming in the fancy pool in my 4 star hotel on Bourbon Street. A little later I would attend a really nice party sponsored by Florida State University - and Nancy and I would celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary.
Tuesday we will drive back to our home in Tallahassee. The day before the hurricane hit New Orleans - it was heading straight for Tallahassee. I remember joking on the net that I prayed to God to steer the hurricane away from Tallahassee and send it to New Orleans. I wish I did not have that much pull upstairs. Somehow - the joke isn't very funny anymore.
1 comment:
Nice job, Harry! Keep up the good work! The story needs to be told again and again.
Sally
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