Passing of a Friend
I've been extremely lucky. I have never had a friend, or even close acquiantance, pass on too soon in life. I've had elderly relatives die, but that's to be expected. I suspect it's far easier to deal with the death of someone on his last legs than someonewith quite a bit of life left in him. However, I think I know how it feels to have a friend die unexpectedly and far too soon: that's how I feel about the events transpiring in New Orleans.
N.O. is one of my top 10 favorite cities (the list, in no order, is NYC, LA, Chicago, N.O., Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Paris, London, Sydney, Miami). I've been there twice: once when I was 15 and once, just 3 years ago, to see a Saints - Steelers game with my brother. You have to be of legal drinking age to fully appreciate N.O. The city itself is 50% party and 50% history. If you're walking down the street and you don't feel in the mood to either drink or spot and reflect on what may have happened on that spot 200 years ago, you're definitely on the wrong street. And now, it's gone.
I'm hoping not forever, too. I think it's safe to say that Bourbon Street will open up to nightly revelers again. There will be drinking on the streets and titties exposed in exchange for beads. But underlying all of that, now, will be the added layer of "Thousands of People Had Their Lives Irrevokably Changed Here." And I think that will change the vibe there significantly. On 9/11, in NYC, basically, 2 city blockes were destroyed. They still haven't re-built them. In N.O., an entire city has been destroyed. I'm not sure how a city can recover from that, fully.
There are a few underlying things here that make me mad:
1) I'm mad that Village Idiot's response (or lack there of) is being politicized. He f'ed up big time on this one. But he's f'ed up worse than this before, except now, it's affectd a city here at home rather than a country half way around the globe. He should be roundly and summarily villifiled for cutting budgets for levee maintenance, then not positioning relief effort in advance of the hurricane (he had 3 days to get ready once the storm passed through Florida), then flying out to San Diego for a fund raiser on Tuesday and finally for waiting until Wednesday before sending any Federal Forces for aid. It is all inexcusable and should be viewed as a general continuing failure of his administration. Unfortunately, it will just turn into a shouting match with the Left yelling about his idiocy and the right yelling that he did everything he could do. It's both a sham and a shame.
2) I'm mad that what will undoubtedly bring N.O. back to prominance will be the tourist industry. And as a result, I'm sure most of the rebuilding effort will end up having that touristy gleam and all of the history is essentially being washed away as the levees continue to fail. Part of the charm of N.O. is the grit. Will it still be that way?
3) I'm mad that N.O. will probably lose the Saitns as a direct result of this hurricane. I was hoping my bro and I could recreate our trip in 6 years when the Steelers return. And if any city was built to house a Super Bowl, it was N.O. (my favorite writer at ESPN says that the Super Bowl should be on a 3 city rotation od San Diego, Miami and N.O.). The NFL is infinitely more fun with the Saints in N.O. I just hope they stay there. Plus, knowing how much I love my football team, I feel so terrible for the fans there; as if they hadn't lost enough.
But really, it's very tragic and very sad and it just makes me sick. That sick feeling is what I think most resembles the feeling of losing a friend. N.O. was a great big friend and the entire country should be feeling just a little sick now that it's gone.
N.O. is one of my top 10 favorite cities (the list, in no order, is NYC, LA, Chicago, N.O., Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Paris, London, Sydney, Miami). I've been there twice: once when I was 15 and once, just 3 years ago, to see a Saints - Steelers game with my brother. You have to be of legal drinking age to fully appreciate N.O. The city itself is 50% party and 50% history. If you're walking down the street and you don't feel in the mood to either drink or spot and reflect on what may have happened on that spot 200 years ago, you're definitely on the wrong street. And now, it's gone.
I'm hoping not forever, too. I think it's safe to say that Bourbon Street will open up to nightly revelers again. There will be drinking on the streets and titties exposed in exchange for beads. But underlying all of that, now, will be the added layer of "Thousands of People Had Their Lives Irrevokably Changed Here." And I think that will change the vibe there significantly. On 9/11, in NYC, basically, 2 city blockes were destroyed. They still haven't re-built them. In N.O., an entire city has been destroyed. I'm not sure how a city can recover from that, fully.
There are a few underlying things here that make me mad:
1) I'm mad that Village Idiot's response (or lack there of) is being politicized. He f'ed up big time on this one. But he's f'ed up worse than this before, except now, it's affectd a city here at home rather than a country half way around the globe. He should be roundly and summarily villifiled for cutting budgets for levee maintenance, then not positioning relief effort in advance of the hurricane (he had 3 days to get ready once the storm passed through Florida), then flying out to San Diego for a fund raiser on Tuesday and finally for waiting until Wednesday before sending any Federal Forces for aid. It is all inexcusable and should be viewed as a general continuing failure of his administration. Unfortunately, it will just turn into a shouting match with the Left yelling about his idiocy and the right yelling that he did everything he could do. It's both a sham and a shame.
2) I'm mad that what will undoubtedly bring N.O. back to prominance will be the tourist industry. And as a result, I'm sure most of the rebuilding effort will end up having that touristy gleam and all of the history is essentially being washed away as the levees continue to fail. Part of the charm of N.O. is the grit. Will it still be that way?
3) I'm mad that N.O. will probably lose the Saitns as a direct result of this hurricane. I was hoping my bro and I could recreate our trip in 6 years when the Steelers return. And if any city was built to house a Super Bowl, it was N.O. (my favorite writer at ESPN says that the Super Bowl should be on a 3 city rotation od San Diego, Miami and N.O.). The NFL is infinitely more fun with the Saints in N.O. I just hope they stay there. Plus, knowing how much I love my football team, I feel so terrible for the fans there; as if they hadn't lost enough.
But really, it's very tragic and very sad and it just makes me sick. That sick feeling is what I think most resembles the feeling of losing a friend. N.O. was a great big friend and the entire country should be feeling just a little sick now that it's gone.
posted by RauluaP at 12:54 PM
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