More gratitude, less attitude, Pardner.

More gratitude, less attitude, Pardner.
Originally uploaded by ellis_earl.

At four months out people in Los Angeles were tiring of Katrina. At six months out people are sick of Katrina.

They are sick especially of the constant whining and ingratitude displayed by the locals on T.V. and in print. For me the beginning of my draining compassion goes back to the statements of a woman in the Not-So-Superdome-Anymore. She complained about the MREs she was GIVEN to eat. "I cain't eat 'dis! It ain't even hot!" Food just not warm enough for gratitude, I suppose.

And the icing on the "Don't bother me with Katrina cake" was watching drunk locals slogging along a very trashy Bourbon St. wearing "costumes" critical of the only people and agencies who are actually helping them. Helping them with personal effort and big-piles-o tax money. BILLIONS of dollars just not enough to inspire gratitude I suppose.

And the message sent by airing the debauchery? Once a year New Orleanians can dress as condoms (or cross-dress, etc.) and drink on the streets ... that's a good enough reason to spend Billions of dollars rebuilding (Actually building from scratch) Ghost Towns which lie below sea level?

The rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, the Port of New Orleans, The French Quarter... to me that is all N.O. has to offer the rest of the Country. I can hear it now, "Why do we have to offer the rest of the Country anything!" Yeah, offer nothing and expect everything.

Most people who've visited N.O. tell me, "I had a great time, hardly remember anything, and I never left The French Quarter." Who but a Revolutionary War buff (Like myself) would visit Chalmette? But to watch N.O. natives on the news saying repeatedly, "We aren't getting enough," and, "We're not getting it fast enough," and, "What we're getting isn't good enough," and "Give, give, give but don't ask me to take any responsibility for choosing to live below sea level," and blah, blah, blah.

What outsiders hear is simple, "After all we've given, all you can do is complain. "And what they then think is understandable, "Well. do it yourself then... we don't want to hear it anymore... you're on your own."

Does anyone think rebuilding in Arabi or the 9th Ward only to be re-flooded this year will send a message that New Orleanians can be trusted to reasonably spend relief money? We already are hearing of disappearing dollars.

Tourists will not be visiting St. Bernard but it would serve well to fix-up N.O. proper. And I sense that after only 6 months "nostalgia" is setting in among the locals and especially among the displaced. Even I have to remind myself to remember the trash, crime, and danger of late nights in The French Quarter, and this was BEFORE Katrina (Not to mention riding the rims if you had a blowout in the wrong neighborhood form fear of getting knifed or worse if you stopped)!

Just what was REALLY in the 9th Ward, Arabi, or Chalmette? Since I grew up in Arabi and went to Chalmette High (Nothing scarier than enraged owl) I'll speak about them only. 'What was REALLY there?"... A collection of mini-malls and middle-class homes. Ben's Pizza and Rocky and Carlo's. Chalmette Battlefield. Really not much that one can't find elsewhere nearby (Metarie et all).

SHOCKING FACT!!! There IS life outside of St. Bernard Parish! I hear people on the forums yearning to "Go home," well your home isn't there anymore.

Hear me, "It's gone."

And believe me it tears my heart to say so. My whole childhood and early adulthood were wrapped up in Arabi and Chalmette. Some of my fondest memories are from those areas. Lunch counter sandwiches and Aurora Kong with Grandma. "Don't lose the pieces," she said.). But all of that is gone now. All we have left of that are a few good polaroids from the destroyed and horizontal fridge in "The Old House."

Foggy memories of youth can't be allowed to determine the city's future rebuilding plans. My Parents, Aunts and siblings have made peace with "The Old Neighborhood" and "The Old House." I'm even at the point where I'm looking forward to seeing what the Arabi "Green space" will be like. Will we be able to take a boat out? Curiosity is a strange thing.

In my opinion it would help the entire relief effort if New Orleanians would go out of their way to at least appear grateful at any opportunity.

Thank the Corps of Engineers for attempting to rebuild your levees before the next hurricane season. Thank the American people for Billions of tax dollars in aid. Thank the Feds for trying to come up with a reasonable rebuilding plan. And, yes, even thank FEMA for giving money to people who (Like my Parents) chose to live below sea level WITHOUT FLOOD INSURANCE.

It's hard to face the simple fact that by by who you've elected and where you've chosen to live you have brought this situation on yourselves. And who since Betsy and Camille can say they didn't know the danger of living in New Orleans? Well, after playing Creole Roulette for forty years your number finally came up. Other than the insurance companies, who really owes displaced residents a dime? One penny? Be grateful for any assistance you may receive.

My Aunts, Uncles and Cousins ARE rebuilding, but not in St. Bernard and certainly NOT below sea level. Only one of my Cousins is staying and this because he is a firefighter in Da' Parish. Yet even he is living elsewhere (His home was on the same block as my parent's home) and commuting. By the way... his estimate for Chalmette "coming back,"... 10 years. Arabi? Never. Green zone. A sober estimate from a rescuer who has been there from the beginning.

A true hero he was rescuing people in St. Bernard Parish while everyone else was occupied with The 9th Ward and N.O. proper. Cousin Norman even rescued my Cousin Butch who then "commandeered" a boat and helped in the rescue effort. Butch also lost his home, his business, is rebuilding (Wisely outside of St. Bernard) and was even deputized by the local Sheriff! Amazing stories and amazing loss, yet they are both grateful for what they still have and what they kindly have been given.

And they don't blame their misery on anyone or anything else. They accept that they chose to live in St. Bernard and that they choose to live where they are re-building now.

Let's sum it up. The only bit of good news I've read lately coming out of the New Orleans area is that the city of Mandeville has implemented new building codes since Katrina. All news homes being built in vulnerable areas must be elevated 11'! 11f'! Thank God someone's finally got it!

Also, to tie-in with the general theme of "We're tired of New Orleans and it's me, me, me citizens," I've linked a story from Houston about "Compassion Fatigue." Those kind folks were only trying to help but didn't know what they were getting into.

Here's the link:Compassion Fatigue!
So don't blame Blanco or Bush (Or even that idiot Nagin) for reaping the results of your choices. And do put on a grateful face, especially on T.V. or in print whenever you get the chance. Be grateful and thank EVERYONE for their aid... or next flooding (Which could be this year) people will be very unwilling to give even another dime. Picture this... "You mean all those FEMA trailers in St. Bernard are under water AGAIN? I guess those folks don't know how to rebuild their own city. Good luck to them, but I'm not sending another penny!"

Oh, it's raining here in L.A. I barely get to see it before it's down the gutter, into the drain and out to sea. Living in California you visit the water and when you leave it stays put. I'll always think of New Orleans every hurricane season but I'm darned grateful I chose to live in a drier city. -Earl

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P.S.- OSCARS!
Can anyone say pompous, pontificating, self-absorbed and self-congratulatory? When the best films aren't even nominated and the best "clips" are from fifty years ago (i.e.; Ten Commandments), what's the point? I watched just enough to now know that McCarthyism is BAD, homosexuality (especially between two unnaturally good-looking cowboys) is GOOD, films are a "Social Statement Medium," and... and... (*yawn*) blah, blah, blah... *snore.*

Catch it next year if you can't sleep.

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P.P.S.- Why John Wayne? Why not! I can hear him now, "Now that that pesky house is gone, I'll have a lot more room for the barbecue, Pardner."