After spending a time in New Orleans over the past few months and nearly having a mental breakdown of my own I totally understand this article. I vividly remember one of my first conversations with someone who had his whole life turned upside down by Katrina. I young guy my age with a family, a house in the suburbs, a young wife and a child. His house was under 10 feet of water and everything he had worked for was destroyed. This past weekend while talking to him I found out that when Katrina hit his wife was 8 months pregnant. Just imagine the stress of that whole situation. Today he has rebuilt a house on higher ground but continues to deal with insurance companies and endless paper work. Imagine the normal stress in your life compounded by such an experience that just drags on and on. Now imagine yourself in different shoes… already poor, not having insurance or the means to pick yourself back up. There are literally thousands of stories like this in New Orleans and most people have not been as fortunate as this one person I can now call a friend.
Here is another article aptly entitled: “It’s Worse Than You Thinkâ€
Interesting view on the crisis that is not getting that much media attention anymore.
Good Post.
Thanks.
What I also didn’t mention is that last time I was there two or three weekends ago the National Guard was out in full force. Fully loaded Hummers were driving around downtown patrolling. It was a little surreal to think they had been called in just to preserve the peace in a city were violent crime is just out of control.