[Rhodes22-list] Hurricane Evac (Political)

[Herb Parsons]

The implication was clear from the context, but if we're going to get technical about it, and play stupid little word games, I'll play right along

...

Gee Bill, you're very touchy aren't you? I only said that you didn't know what my opinions were before I went to NO. I didn't say you made any claims about what they were or when I went.

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There, now that THAT'S done, of course the levees that were breached were not the ones laid out by A. Baldwin Wood, nor was it my intention to imply that. As a matter of fact, I don't think I even mentioned levees laid out by him. You assertion was that the people of "NO did not ask for" the levees. My point in mentioning A.Baldwin Wood was that the fact that the NEED for the levee system was indeed created by the people of the city of New Orleans. Your statement made it sound as if they levee system was something foisted on them by the feds against their will. It wasn't. It became something NEEDED because of the desires BY THE CITIZENS of NO to build in low-lying areas. I stated that the problem there is not as simple as you were making it out to be, and it's not.

Herb Parsons

S/V O'Jure
1976 O'Day 25
Lake Grapevine, N TX

S/V Reve de Papa
1971 Coronado 35
Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana Coast

>>> bill at effros.com 8/28/2006 12:32:22 pm >>>
Herb,

You are so touchy...

I said only that you had strong opinions before you went to NO.  I said 
nothing about what your opinions were, nor when you went there.

The levees laid out by Albert Baldwin Wood were not the ones that were 
breached.

Bill Effros

Herb Parsons wrote:
> Beg Pardon Bill, but you don't know what my opinions were before I went to NO, because I "went there" long before I joined this list. I have a boat there bud. Please, feel free to express your opinion about things you know about, but do a little research before you tell me what my opinions are/were.
>
> There was a plan, but you're wrong in your assertion that the people and the city "followed the plan". They did not. That's simple.
>
> Not only that, individuals MUST look at themselves and ask THEMSELVES what they should, and could, do differently. I've seen very little of that. If folks sit around and insist that others "do for them", then there is going to be another tragedy when the next storm hits.
>
> A little insight on the levee system in NO is in order though. Your assertion that "the people of NO did not ask for them" is simplistic and largely untrue. The city hired Albert Baldwin Wood in the late 1800's to improve the city's drainage system. He did that very well. He then spearheaded the efforts to reclaim the low-lying areas that were previously uninhabitable. This lead to the need for the levee system.
>
> Please Bill, this whole issue is NOT as black and white (no pun intended) as some would make it out to be. There has been tons of money allocated to the area for the improvement and maintenance of the levee system. It was squandered. That is due in part to the local politics AND due to the lack of Federal oversight.
>
> My point though, was and is that Mayor Nagan, as well as the people of NO, do themselves a disservice to not only point at everyone but themselves as the cause for their problems, but to further hurt themselves by insulting those that DID respond to them and their city in their time of need.
>
>
> Herb Parsons
>
> S/V O'Jure
> 1976 O'Day 25
> Lake Grapevine, N TX
>
> S/V Reve de Papa
> 1971 Coronado 35
> Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana Coast
>
>   
>>>> bill at effros.com 8/28/2006 10:04:01 am >>>
>>>>         
> Herb,
>
> You had strong opinions before you went to NO.
>
> Most people in NO did not die from the hurricane, they died because of 
> levee failure.
>
> The Federal Evacuation Plan for people without cars living in New 
> Orleans was not implemented by the Federal Government (read FEMA).  The 
> people and city followed the plan.  FEMA failed to provide the promised 
> resources to move them out of the city.
>
> The Federal Government put up and certified those levees.  The people of 
> NO did not ask for them.  The people of NO had been complaining for 
> years and years and years that the levees would not hold if they were 
> ever hit by a Cat 3 storm, and that they should be raised to Cat 5 
> standards.  That still has not been done, and the levees are still not 
> up to Cat 3.
>
> I think the days of shifting the blame and pointing fingers at everyone 
> else are coming to an end.  We shall see shortly.
>
> Bill Effros
>
>
>
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