Gotta' C it Myself

OldNewOrleans
Originally uploaded by Gna42.

I've made a decision to accept a gift and visit New Orleans and "The Parish." Rest assured that I will be posting an extensive pictures set of my trip. I'll attempt to get shots that show an overview of the conditions existing in the city today. I'll also be posting an "uplifting" set of pics to hearten yawl still determined to stay in New Orleans and rebuild.

I must admit to having mixed feelings about touring the destroyed areas of the city. On one hand I feel a need to "See it for myself," on the other hand I don't really feel like beating myself over the head with old memories of a past life.

Will I be as emotional as I was when I first saw those internet photos of my neighborhood and family home? Will I have the fortitude to search through the muck for a memento or two, or pry into unopened rooms just for a snapshot? Or will I have a drink or two on "The Island," a coffee at Cafe Du'monde and just pretend it didn't really happen... it wasn't really that bad? I'm not sure how I'll feel.

I take some small comfort in knowing that looking through a camera lens puts some distance between one and their environment. Also, I can tell myself that I'll be helping others by posting photos for those who can't, or don't want to, visit. And, of course, I'll be doing what I can to help my family still there and my old neighborhood friends, as I think an objective eye might do the most good in helping asses future plans.

I'll be reading up on New Orleans even more and planning an itinerary over the next few days. Maybe a visit to the New Orleans Zoo will cheer me up... maybe a peek at ragged old Mr. Bingle if he is still up in The Oaks.

When the pictures are up I'll be posting a notice on the St. Bernard and Uptown Forums.

I might even do some "live" blogging from The Quarter. Be seeing some of yawl soon. Stay tuned!

-Earl

Jingle, Jangle, Jingle...

Bingle
Originally uploaded by Gna42.

Well, I asked them. Re: my last post I asked my parents what they were grateful for this Christmas season. Fortunately for me they had just had breakfast with two of my sisters and had said Grace. They are thankful for, in my Mom's words, "Just being alive." Just being alive. Life. So precious!

On the phone today my Mom and I shared a laugh over "The Katrina Diet." She's lost 22lbs. and looks great! She also joked that she'd always wanted a front porch and it only took a hurricane to get it (No, they couldn't afford to buy a house... they're living with my sister).

I was cheered to hear that my Dad was wearing a Hawaiian shirt I had bought him and which he had salvaged from the old Arabi house (It's strange to think of salvaging things from one's family home, isn't it?).

I too am grateful for life. The life of my family and cousins and old family friends. And especially children. Children in our Church and children in our neighborhood. All DRY and safe from the coming hurricane season.

I'm also thankful that many of my relations have moved out of New Orleans, bought new homes, put their kids in school, and are living new and better lives. What better way to say to one's kids, "This will never happen again," than to move them out of harm's way?

It does me good to know that people who have lost everything still have the faith to be thankful... I'm still a new Christian, it's still hard for me.

Ultimately I'm grateful that Christ died for my sins that I might live a new and better life. Remember, the storm IS passing over.

Here's wishing you all a brighter, prosperous New Year and a Christmas full of faith and hope.

-Earl

A toast to... what?

Final Visit
Originally uploaded by Gna42.

SHOCKING NEWS!

My parents just sent me this photo and ... they are most surely white! After reading the news and seeing the television coverage of the New Orleans destruction I was convinced my parents lived in the 9th Ward and had black skin! Why, I even read that the dead were mostly black (caused by Bush blowing up the levees, of course).

NONSENSE!

Even the very left Los Angeles Times carried an article today comparing the dead racially (They see race in everything) and by class (They also see class warfare everywhere) and concluded begrudgingly that Katrina played no favorites... upper, middle, lower-class, black, white... all were hit fairly evenly. Did these knuckle heads at the L.A. Times really think that a hurricane plays favorites? Do they really think that white people don't need help because they aren't "oppressed?" Yes, they really think that way.

Why does this bother me? Simple. While all this attention was paid to the victims living in The 9th Ward and New Orleans proper, an entire Parish was forgotten and left fairly uncovered by the press, especially the national press. And an entire group of victims was overlooked because they didn't fit a racial or class profile. And because of this people who really needed and need help still are slow to get it.

And it's all GARBAGE!

So please stop with the conspiracy theories and realize that you get what you vote for... and for forty years the politicians you elected have been playing hurricane roulette... building River Walks and gambling casinos and "diverting" money intended to go to the levee system.

Do you really want New Orleans to return to what it was? Do you really want the stale welfare culture to return? No?

Then realize that the victims of Katrina are victims, regardless of skin color or social class. The last thing New Orleans needs now is to stir up racial hatred at a time when people are trying to help one another rebuild their lives.

New Orleans will never be what it was and in some ways it's a blessing. Oh, you're wondering what my parents are "toasting" in the picture? The fact that they are alive? The fact that some good souls kept them from drowning? The fact that the big nightmare is almost over? I don't know.

As my next post will be about faith and Christmas... I'll ask them.