Living in New Orleans After Katrina

Saturday 28 August 2010

by: Jordan Flaherty, Images by Zeph Fish, t r u t h o u t | Graphic Essay

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Beautifully told. A tragic

Sat, 08/28/2010 - 12:15 — Fran (not verified)

Beautifully told. A tragic situation which holds glimmers of hope here and there, in spite of the overwhelming power of the political and business outside interests trying to take over New Orleans. Small pockets of community peaceful resistance can indeed make inroads. It just takes time. Look at Gandhi and how India managed to shake free of British dominion after peaceful but dogged resistance. I pray for New Orleans to rise again like a phoenix from the ashes in spite of the incredibly hard situations most natives of the city face. There is strength in numbers, but only if those numbers are organized together. Internet is a powerful tool for that.

New Orleans is certainly not

Sat, 08/28/2010 - 13:38 — Anonymous (not verified)

New Orleans is certainly not alone, this is going on everywhere, possibly slightly more disguised, look at San Francisco's Bayview-being 'developed' and gentrified out from under those who live there, many not realizing what's going on, or too caught up in themselves to care. Wake Up everyone!

Some home truths and a lot

Sat, 08/28/2010 - 13:52 — Anonymous (not verified)

Some home truths and a lot of half truths. New Orleans is a more complex place than this piece suggests, and the recovery process has been more complex as well. It can be comforting to simplify everything and indulge anger, but the city has to find its way through a process very different from that, one in which those who have tried in good faith and good will to help deserve to be treated with respect and not denounced as YURPS. For a fairer, more complete account read the reports sponsored by the Brookings Institution for the five year anniversary. Go to http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2007/08neworleansindex.aspx

Exceptionally done! Hats

Sat, 08/28/2010 - 14:00 — Robert Corsini (not verified)

Exceptionally done! Hats off to your unique presentation of the issues.

As an eyeopener -- go to www.AL.com -- Mobile Press Register and read the comments about Obama's visit tomorrow. There you will read the essence of the divide in America.

Wonderful graphics and

Sat, 08/28/2010 - 16:03 — Silent Kate (not verified)

Wonderful graphics and beautifully told. Kudos!

I have heard it argued a

Sat, 08/28/2010 - 20:37 — Anonymous (not verified)

I have heard it argued a number of times that the 9th ward is being let rot and those blacks who had lived there are not coming back. Why, though, not point out that many who had lived there had represented one of the highest unemployment rates in the mnation, highest drop out rates for school, and living in a crime ridden area. Yes. I know all the liberal stuff about poverty and racism, but you know, when I see here people upset about gentrification I am reminded that money talks and bullshit does not. Why ought not an area be made nicer if those with money are willing to pay to fix it up instead of preserving a shitbox of an area, and then badmouthing because4 it no longer remains a shit hole? more liberal crappola.

Obama has the money and does

Sun, 08/29/2010 - 00:30 — RodMacK (not verified)

Obama has the money and does not want to pay it.... Such a sad commentary by the minority President who is willing to spend our money on Green Project but not his brothers and sisters in Ward 9. Why not? It is my money and I think and feel that you, the citizens of New Orleans deserve to spend it where it will do the most good...

Why isn't Obama helping

Sun, 08/29/2010 - 07:20 — NO Cajun (not verified)

Why isn't Obama helping more? I would have thought that he would have fixed this all by now. Remember when George Bush was a racist for not fixing this problem - what now is Obama? This is disgusting hypocrisy and the citizens of New Orleans are simply political tools - with no change in their situation under Bush or Obama.

"The Solution Is Community

Sun, 08/29/2010 - 09:11 — Bill O'Rights (not verified)

"The Solution Is Community Control And Accountability" - well said and true. It does not add up with the earlier frame: "It is a city where extended families and social networks fill in the gaps left by governments that have abdicated their responsibility for the public Welfare." Note that the Federal Government does not and never did give a damn about the public welfare. Think about how much richer New Orleans (and every other community in the U.S.) would be if all the tax money was locally collected and locally spent. The reference to O's 'not helping his brothers and sisters' and the obsessing on the city's becoming 'Whiter' are throw-back racist appeals, which, if they had been uttered by a white man would have been not only excoriated as 'racist' but invite prosecution for 'hate speech' - the most blatantly unconstitutional law to have been considered in this land - it breaks both the 1st amendment and the equal protection clause. Citizens of NO should be outraged by such racism expressed in this piece, as well as having their 2nd amendment rights violated by Federal Troops during the weeks following Katrina with door to door storm-trooper gun confiscations, depriving citizens of the right to protect themselves. But Kudos for the ending appeal to "Community Control And Accountability" - put your money where your mouth is - support Ron Paul and the Libertarian party.

"bill" new orleans'

Sun, 08/29/2010 - 18:28 — tiffany (not verified)

"bill" new orleans' blackness is kind of what makes the city. the history of new orleans and its role in american history, particularly slave history and black american history can't be overstated. the decline of new orleans' black population is akin to what san antonio would be without mexican-americans.

I understand and agree with

Mon, 08/30/2010 - 09:38 — Anonymous (not verified)

I understand and agree with the general premise of this article. I've been in NO probably two dozen times in the years between 1986 and 2004 -- though not since Katrina.

I agree that the city should not be hijacked as a "blank slate" by anyone. I fear the changes to the school system will become an example to the rest of us -- a bad example. Reform of the NO police force is also a badly needed, overdue change.

The online magazine Salon.com also has recent articles about NO worth reading. One is about the changing racial mix, and one about unfortunate street violence -- and the lack of police action to help victims.

Great story, thanks!

I do believe that the only

Wed, 09/01/2010 - 16:43 — tamara (not verified)

I do believe that the only way the flood victims can be properly compensated is through lawsuit against the fed government (more specifically Army Corps of Engineers), focusing on the MRGO channel. The stage has already been set by one favorable ruling.

Where is Obama? He's more concerned about the mosque in lower Manhattan than he is the displaced residents of NO?