Why The Rush To Rebuild New Orleans

There’s a great deal of speculation how and why to rebuild New Orleans. Every pundit on the internet seems to think they have the answers, me included. It’s up to the residents of New Orleans to plan and execute the rebuilding of their city. It’s their city and their future. If as many, say we must rebuild to assure this never happens again. That’s neither prudent or possible. Let’s assume a dog bits a man. Are we obligated to euthanize every dog in the world to assure it never happen again? Some things aren’t possible to guard against. Nature is every bit a part of our lives, it’s time we learned to accept its idiosyncrasies.

New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast are essential to our national economy. It’s more important to get the region back up and functioning than to plan for future disasters. There’ll be time for such planning once the damage’s been assed. The city of New Orleans has no income, they’re essentially broke. The longer they’re denied access to commerce they more it costs us all.

Contrary to what the media’s reporting New Orleans doesn’t have a third world persona, New Orleans had a vibrant economy. The tacky gift shops and sleazy bars are what’s expected of the French Quarter. They’re what the tourists pay to see. The French Quarter also hosts some of the finest dinning in the world. The Antique Shops and Jewelry Stores on Royal Street are world-renowned. Where else are cemeteries on the Gray Line tour.

New Orleans has survived Buccaneers, the Spanish, the French, the British, the Confederacy, Yankees, Cajuns, and God only knows how many tourists since it’s founding in 1730. In order for New Orleans to be New Orleans it must remain the same city it’s always been. Let the pundits mow and trim their own grass and leave New Orleans alone.

My initiation into manhood came in New Orleans at the tender age 16. I’ve been going back for refresher courses ever since. New Orleans isn’t just good times. Cross Canal Street and you’re in the center of a world of High Finance, Agriculture, Shipping, Oil, Chemicals, Imports and exports. Tourism is only one portion of the economy of New Orleans. It’s what the average visitor doesn’t see that makes the city unique. Let’s not push to change a city with a 275 year history. As for the potential disaster in the future. Cities from San Diego to Seattle startle a tectonic plate that scientists predict will cause earthquakes and volcanoes imminently. Should we worry about those cities and perhaps move them inland to protect their citizens who will undoubtedly be victims?

Not all disasters or as I prefer to call them acts of nature are avoidable. It’s a price we pay for living on the most spectacular planet in our solar system. Man has his limits if he believes it or not. In the end, nature always prevails. Mans mistake is he believes with money all things can be changed to fit his needs. Not so, nature doesn’t give a hoot about money. With all mans knowledge he has no way of predicting what nature will offer up next.

My advice to those who want to dictate to the people of the Gulf Coast, go back to speculating what happened to Natalee Holloway and leave New Orleans alone. In order for New Orleans to survive it needs it’s people back.

E-mail Ken Hughes at ken-hughes@comcast.net