Guest Author - Charlita Anderson-White

There is no architecture in New Orleans, except in the cemeteries… white roofs and gables stretching into the distance on every hand, the phrase "city of the dead" has all at once a meaning ...
Mark Twain, 1875

As you are certainly aware, America commemorates the first year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. So, New Orleans, that surreal world that marries the present with the past with it’s historic cemeteries, ghost stories, brothels and a combination of French, Spanish, African and Native American cultures, tongues, music and food, is no longer thought to be the “City of the Dead”. The fantastic and magical, dynamic soulful mix of mystery and humanity was once thought irreparable. But it is coming back with a vengeance. The levees are being repaired, tourism is up, and Bourbon Street is, well…Bourbon Street once again.

Our hearts quicken at the memory and the never ending images and footage of destroyed buildings, lives and broken spirits and the possibility of further victimization at the hands of the infamous Hurricane Katrina’s much more evil sister Rita. And we all are still questioning whether appropriate governmental intervention was utilized to lessen the loss of lives. Former FEMA director, Michael Brown is again a hot commodity on TV news shows. We’re still watching the horrific footage of rescue efforts some unfortunately unsuccessful. And hundreds of thousands of New Orleanians are trying to come home to whatever they can salvage, some are just trying to make a life wherever they had the good fortune (or misfortune) to land. All told the death toll, was far less than estimated, but at almost 1000 and counting and at any rate, is unacceptable. And the rumors of rampant murder and crime were thankfully exaggerated. The bumbling Mayor Nagin was re-elected, much to my chagrin, and is plugging away, managing to insult thousands of other souls victimized by the unfathomable event that left a “hole in the ground” in New York City and a hole in the nations heart, five years ago.

America joined together to fight one of the worst natural disasters in modern history. There have been a thousand benefits. The jury is still out on who, if anyone, got to see one penny of the donations. All the stars shined, and the other celebrities went to New Orleans to show they cared. This tragedy brought out the best and the worst of us. It exposed the insidious nature of racism and biased attitudes about poverty in that people were truly incredulous that someone can be so poor as to not be able to run from a hurricane. It exposed our inherent sense that certain people in our population are by virtue of their skin color, honest and law-abiding so that in times of crisis, they “find” means for their survival. While others were assumed to “loot”, “pillage” and “steal” for the same essentials.

We learned a valuable lesson a year ago. With the anniversary of 9/11 and Katrina falling within days of each other, our country has been challenged, once again, to evaluate what is important to us here. And when it comes down to it, life is most important, not skin color or wealth or status. When we view the images of babies snatched screaming from their mother’s arms and swirled out of sight by a massive sea of filthy water. And of children and families falling from the sky burning to death because of an unexplainable frenzy of religious fanaticism, we put the labels that separate us behind us.

Love for life is what New Orleans stood for all along. That mixing pot simmering from an unlikely recipe of slaves, Canadian rejects, Native Americans and Europeans celebrating life with their Gumbo and Jazz and sharing it with the New World. That’s the symbol of humanity that represents what we love and revere most about living here, our family and neighbors and music and a simple stew. A simple, wholesome dish that sustains life. The Africans called it Ochinggombo. We can call it America. Louisiana called it New Orleans. You can’t hold that down.

Keep New Orleans and this years potential victims of natural disasters in your prayers. Click onto the related sites on the right for information on what you can do to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. They still need our help.

Have a great Labor Day weekend.

Chazz