Do You Know What It Means to Lose New Orleans?

September 3, 2005 3:33 PM

Do You Know What It Means to Lose New Orleans?WHAT do people really know about New Orleans? Do they take away with them an awareness that it has always been not only a great white metropolis but also a great black city, a city where African-Americans have come together again and again to form the strongest African-American culture in the land?
posted by Postroad (39 comments total)

george w. bush the day AFTER the hurricane. a picture IS worth a thousand words.
posted by specialk420 at 3:54 PM on September 3, 2005

SpecialK: When the link doesn't work the picture is worth nothing.
posted by shagoth at 3:58 PM on September 3, 2005

hmmph. not a word about vampires.
posted by Hat Maui at 3:59 PM on September 3, 2005

Nice Pic, (I'd seen similar) but you have to decode the URL first -- try This
posted by snakey at 4:14 PM on September 3, 2005

This one's even better: Bush, only one full day after Hurricane Frances. In an election year. In Florida.
posted by Miko at 4:18 PM on September 3, 2005

This is one of the first responses I've read which echos the post 9/11 solidarity... Viewing this hurricane from the UK has been very odd. Condolences to everyone effected by this awful event.
posted by laukf at 4:20 PM on September 3, 2005

special, we've all seen that picture. Lets discuss the article shall we?
posted by delmoi at 4:35 PM on September 3, 2005

Why is Miko's picture--clearly labelled as a White House picture--redirecting to microsoft.com?
posted by interrobang at 4:37 PM on September 3, 2005

That link may have been the only one I've opened this week that did not lead to a picture of Bush holding a guitar.

Miko, your link's broken too.

Oh, the essay? Good stuff.
posted by Epenthesis at 4:38 PM on September 3, 2005

But to my country I want to say this: During this crisis you failed us. You looked down on us; you dismissed our victims; you dismissed us.
posted by amberglow at 4:40 PM on September 3, 2005

My god, I think that could very well be the best thing Anne Rice has ever written.
posted by Kellydamnit at 4:41 PM on September 3, 2005

heres w. the day after the hurricane the man who says "zero tolerance" for anyone caught doing what they need to do to find food or water - because of his governments inability to provide for its citizens in the face of disaster...

wtf?
posted by specialk420 at 4:43 PM on September 3, 2005

See also the essay by local architectural historian and preservationist Frederick Starr. His words were sadly buried in the Home and Garden section of the NYT earlier this week, even though they are about so much more than structures...
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 5:10 PM on September 3, 2005

My god, I think that could very well be the best thing Anne Rice has ever written.

Agreed! Although the porno novels weren't bad.

About my pic: That's really f*ing weird, since I checked the link before posting, and it worked. Annnyway -- I found it under Google Images by searching Frances, hurricane, Bush.
posted by Miko at 5:11 PM on September 3, 2005

Try this -it's working in preview
posted by Miko at 5:13 PM on September 3, 2005

Ditto Kellydamnit! I am especially moved by what she said about loyalty & ancestry. I am not from New Orleans, but my ancestors were and most of my mother's family lives within 100 miles or so from the city. We have well over 200 years of history there and because of that connection to it, it's been especially painful and devastating to watch what is going on. I'm completely heartbroken.

I just hope that America doesn't forget what our government failed to do for the people in Louisiana and other parts of the Gulf Coast.
posted by SoulOnIce at 5:43 PM on September 3, 2005

What kellydamnit said. New Orleans is one of my favorite places in the world, and I have wonderful friends who are from there. This whole experience has been like watching a loved one get beaten and you can't do anything about it. Rice's essay is the most elegant expression of pain I've read so far in this ordeal.
posted by BoringPostcards at 6:27 PM on September 3, 2005

My New Orleans memories are of drunken people, grade D- street performers, and an ex-friend throwing a 4 AM coke fit.
Based on reputation; I was afraid to explore the rest of the city.
So, from what I know of it, Disney could recreate it. Just have a quarter mile street of no laws applied (drunk in public, drug sales, nudity, sex laws) and well... to me and a whole lot of other people, that defines New Orleans Land USA LLC. Come, and celebrate the decadence, the lawlessness; be the fool you have always wanted to be.

I feel for the people that are trapped by the unfortunate events that have occured, and I have expressed my feelings via voluntarianism and billfold both.
posted by buzzman at 6:34 PM on September 3, 2005

Over 90% of the people of New Orleans have survived, thank God.

Right now, that's a million ambassadors of a French-influenced, jazzed-up, cosmopolitan culture of tolerance and joie-de-vivre spreading out through America.

(Some of them might not be the best ambassadors, but still).

Over the long term, it might just change a few things, not necessarily for the worse.
posted by cleardawn at 6:52 PM on September 3, 2005

The mayor's recent description of crazed addicts looting hospitals for a fix didn't help much. I went there for a conference in 1992 and was delighted to be in a place that felt differenct from everywhere else, unlike Denver or even Chicago, to a degree. Any place where you can hire your own blaring police limo escort can't be all bad.
posted by mecran01 at 6:58 PM on September 3, 2005

Buzzman. That's why I always stayed away from the Quarter, except for a few local's haunts, and I left every year at mardi gras and only came back after ash wednesday when all the idiotic tourists were gone. When I moved there in 2000 it literally felt like I had finally found my home. There is so much more to New Orleans than the lunacy and crassness of the French Quarter. During my years living there (93-2000) I saw mardi gras turn into just another spring break. At least the crowds for jazzfest seemed to have a proper appreciation for the many local places that make that city so special. And after moving away in 2000 I was glad to see that Nagin won the election and actually brought some trust to the office of mayor instead of the cronyism that was perpetuated by the "old line" political families for years. The city has made good strides in recent years to cleanup the appearance of New Orleans and remove corruption in many government offices. I plan on putting my money where my mouth is and will be buying property there as soon as the city is habitable again. I have never seen a city with more down to earth, fun loving, and helpful people. I know the city will bounce back and the people of New Orleans will always hold a special place in my heart.
posted by white_devil at 7:21 PM on September 3, 2005

That was a great article, thanks for posting it Postroad.

I really wish I had had more time in New Orleans when I went last year on a combination business/pleasure weekend. New Orleans really does have such a history and flavor to it that goes beyond the shots of drunken tourists during Mardi Gras time.
posted by Fricka at 7:29 PM on September 3, 2005

Buzzman: You missed out. You really missed out. I hope you'll be a bit more of an adventurous traveler when you go somewhere again, and do a little advance research so you can find the wonderfulness. AskMe is actually a good place to research destinations and learn how to avoid the tourist traps.

I was very lucky that my brother and his wife lived there. I got to experience the amazing, unique, almost other-wordly vibe of New Orleans. I loved the cultural mixing. The music. The incredible food. The graceful architecture -- even in poor neighborhoods. The palpable history. The vibrant street life.

We did spend one evening on Bourbon, and I enjoyed it for what it was, but God help me, I would never have wanted to stay in the Quarter for a whole weekend. Too much dumb-ass tourist behavior.
posted by Miko at 7:38 PM on September 3, 2005

Thanks, that was a great piece. One would think that the National effort would be much greater. Further proof that we do live in bleak and dismal times. NO is a gem but the entire effected region is being treated like an unwanted step-child. How damn sad.
posted by snsranch at 7:43 PM on September 3, 2005

New Orleans really does have such a history and flavor to it that goes beyond the shots of drunken tourists during Mardi Gras time.

Drunken tourists? That would have been me. Went there once for Mardi Gras and basically spent the whole time drinking and fucking. Oh, and eating crawfish and the like.

Seemed like a a nice enough place, though.
posted by Ayn Marx at 7:48 PM on September 3, 2005

If only Katrina had just hit Bourbon Street...
posted by brundlefly at 8:20 PM on September 3, 2005

I know there is more to New Orleans than what I saw. I worked with a lady that was born there and is currently houseing family from there. Right on, wrong crowd and wrong destinations.
I did do right in NY... "State Lands, State Parks"... dozens of wonderful weekends camping. My own Walden.
posted by buzzman at 8:39 PM on September 3, 2005

The french quarter can be wonderful. Music, architecture, food, history, it's all there. You just have to get off bourbon street and explore a little bit. It's only a small part of new orleans, but if someone only had a day to spend in the city it's where I'd send them.

And the tourist are annoying, but needed.
posted by justgary at 9:02 PM on September 3, 2005

Yeah, the Quarter has a bad rep because of Bourbon, but it is a wonderful neighborhood (albiet one that has increasingly been taken over by condos for rich, weekend residents). Get off of Bourbon and it's a rich culture of its own. A city within the city.
posted by brundlefly at 9:52 PM on September 3, 2005

I was in New Orleans last month for the RTDA trade show. It was an amazing place. I actually stopped by Anne's infamous old house on First and Chestnut and took a few pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64233804@N00/sets/879652/

I wonder how the garden district faired.
posted by hex1848 at 11:28 PM on September 3, 2005

Disney could recreate it.

Disneyland already has New Orleans Square, and it's always been my favorite area of the park.

posted by afx114 at 12:25 AM on September 4, 2005

By the way, my favorite thing about the REAL New Orleans: The swamp boat tours. It's the only time I've ever felt like I was on another fucking planet. Oddly foreign, stunningly beautiful. I'll never forget how that felt...
posted by afx114 at 12:30 AM on September 4, 2005

We can be sure that New Orleans will be rebuilt, and that when it is, it will no longer be New Orleans as anyone really remembers it. When it is rebuilt, it will be rebuilt as an idealized version of what we remember it to have been. Or rather, what the people with the cash to rebuild it remember it to be.

Or rather, to be perfectly frank, what the people with the cash need it to be, in order to get ROI on New New Orleans.

The sooner we recognize the violence that's about to be done to it's memory, the sooner we can start preserving a sense of what the town was really like. It was beautiful, and harsh; joyous and beautiful, and mean and ugly; laid back and wired on jazz, tourist money, sex trade, and corruption.

It was something. May she rest in peace, and may we remember her honestly.
posted by lodurr at 6:43 AM on September 4, 2005

The sooner we recognize the violence that's about to be done to it's memory, the sooner we can start preserving a sense of what the town was really like. It was beautiful, and harsh; joyous and beautiful, and mean and ugly; laid back and wired on jazz, tourist money, sex trade, and corruption.

What lodurr says is right, and part of that is the diaspora. These thousands of poor that are now displaced, and will be relocated -- many of them were the city's tradition bearers. Once they relocate, how many will amass the money to move back to a rebuilt New Orleans? How many will want to go back? It's going to be a New Orleans diaspora. The heart, I'm afraid, has been lost. A handful of Harry Connicks and Fats Dominos will continue to love and live in the city, but they won't be enough to bring back its soul. I don't think.
posted by Miko at 7:35 AM on September 4, 2005

Never went for Mardi Gras, not my sort of thing. New Year was plenty enough fun!

But on reflection, I've not been there in 30 years. My memory is very fond. My grief is for a city with the warmest, friendliest city people I've ever found.

I only learned about this Friday. I've been off chasing after lions and leopards in the lowveld, ignoring news. Back in civilization, I was confronted by a newspaper headline. I hadn't even known a hurricane was on its way.
posted by Goofyy at 8:07 AM on September 4, 2005

I've been talking with my fellow refugees about the effect the NOLA diaspora will have on the rest of the country. Speech patterns will change. Eating habits will change. People will get lazier. Cigarettes will be smoked EVERYWHERE.

"Gimme another beer! What...? Last WHAT?!"

Ya'll don't know what's heading your way.
posted by brundlefly at 8:11 AM on September 4, 2005

I've been talking with my fellow refugees about the effect the NOLA diaspora will have on the rest of the country. Speech patterns will change. Eating habits will change. People will get lazier. Cigarettes will be smoked EVERYWHERE.

Someone in another thread pointed out that this might not be a bad thing. An influx of people who love to eat and dance and relax might not hurt a lot of American communities. It might just break down some of the repulsive regional sense of superiority I've been witnessing in New England and the Mid-Atlantic.
posted by Miko at 8:56 AM on September 4, 2005

We can be sure that New Orleans will be rebuilt, and that when it is, it will no longer be New Orleans as anyone really remembers it.

I think it's too early to tell, but I'd have to disagree with you. Sure, there will be changes, but some might even be good onees.

People have deep roots in new orleans. Just tonight I was listening to a radio station out of new orleans. They were interviewing people waiting in line for food. Almost all were positive about the situation (amazingly so), and vowed to return to rebuild. I wouldn't bet against them.
posted by justgary at 7:32 PM on September 4, 2005

I'm not betting against them; if I were a betting man, I'd bet with the money, but I'm not betting against New Orleanians.

Maybe you're right. We can hope. I'll stand by my contention that it will be different, though.
posted by lodurr at 7:09 PM on September 5, 2005