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September 5, 2007

New Orleans, Wounded, but Beautiful!

I went to New Orleans this summer to help celebrate the future marriage of Skip Pond, one of my best friends from college days, (remember that name folks, he'll be president of the United States someday). Anyway, we had a great time...eating great Cajun food, hanging out with each other, drinking, and even a little slot machine-ing as well. At the end of the trip I was really, really glad I went...it was a good time for me to catch up and revisit people who haven't been in my life that much over the past few years.

New Orleans is such an incredible American city, with it's own unique culture and customs. I had been to 'Nawlins' a couple times before this trip and was reminded of the Crescent City's character. A few examples: the sound of old-school jazz blowing from horns at streetside bars, Crawfish Etouffe, the sight of girls greeting each other with a kiss on the cheek, the talk of Creole being heard throughout our trip. Where else are these things present in the States? No where but New Orleans.

On our final day we drug ourselves out of bed and into the van. As we drove away from the French Quarter our mood was immediatly moved to a lower place. When we got just outside of the city sights began to change. There was empty building after empty building, even Wal-Mart and Home Depot, then came empty neighborhoods...noone on the street. As we continued to drive away from what had been a weekend of fun and laughs we were suddenly sobered at the sights around us. Hurricane Katrina had been to this town, indeed, and taken many fugitives with her. New Orleans is now a wounded city.

As I mentioned before, I had been to New Orleans a couple times previous to Katrina. This time the city was different. It was much quieter...and emptier. Things weren't as I had remembered them...the traffic wasn't there, the people weren't there. I couldn't help but feel the determination of the residents of New Orleans that are left. They seem stretched and worn-out, yet they have a vision of coming back bigger than ever. It's like they keep thinking to themselves, "It's OK, we're almost there..." It's encouraging, but sad at the same time. I wonder how much longer that can last?

I write this not to be a nay-sayer and suggest that they should throw their hands in the air and surrender to the reality of their lives. However, I wonder why America is not helping these people? Have we forgotten? Two years ago New Orleans was trashed with rain and flooding, many people lost houses and are STILL living in trailers, violence is rampant and the murder rate is up...many people have lost the place they grew up in, their childhood and possibly close family members as well. Yet, we don't care. We should be asking those that chose to stay in New Orleans, "What can I do?"

I have no answers. I don't even know who I would send a check to if I could? Do you? My hope is that New Orleans would be vibrant again and full of culture. New Orleans is a whole kaleidescope of beauty, through it's sights and sounds and through it's people, and I hope they will be brought to a better place in the process of rebuilding.

| By Nathan Gemayel | 9:55 PM

Comments

Posted by: Heidi Vincent at September 6, 2007 4:51 PM

Posted by: Nathan Gemayel at September 6, 2007 5:15 PM

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