An Open Letter
An Open Letter to the Citizens of Everyplace But New Orleans
Please, don’t hate us.
You see, for nearly seven weeks, we New Orleanians have been dealing with issues of betrayal. At first we felt betrayed by the feds and the governor and our hometown officials. Now, as we begin moving home, we feel betrayed again, only this time the hurt is much deeper, much closer to our hearts, because it’s being caused by our friends and neighbors who have chosen to move on.
Sure, we understand that many people lost everything. We understand that many people weren’t having such a great time before the storm and should’ve left long ago. We proclaim loudly and at every opportunity, “I don’t blame anyone who wants to relocate.” But the fact of the matter is that New Orleans, like any city, is its people, and when people abandon a city, those left behind feel betrayed somehow. It’s made even worse in New Orleans, a city that doesn’t ask for fidelity, but lures you into it anyway.
Today, however, we find ourselves on the other end of the stick. Over the past weeks, you’ve all been overwhelmingly kind. You’ve opened your doors, shared your roads, and although our accents aren’t quite right, you’ve made us feel completely at home. Today, as many of us pack up and move back to our deeply scarred, beloved city, we suddenly feel as if we’re the ones who are doing the betraying. We’re leaving you, our hosts, after we’ve spent weeks getting to know you. Most of us knew the relationship would be temporary, but we’re still sorry to have to break it off.
So please, don’t hate us for abandoning ship. We can’t help ourselves. Besides, we’ll just be a few miles down the road. We’ll write and visit often, I promise. We’ll always think of you like we think of our favorite aunt: we don’t get to see her everyday, but when we do, she makes us feel like we’re family. Like we’re home.
Thank you. For everything.
Sincerely,
Richard
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the people who dont return are smart. why would you say they abanded there city? why would you want to move back to a place that is a danger from storms and the danger of high crime and other factors. it seems the people who left now know they have it better where they are. and for you to damn there decision is wrong! so you move back in and injoy your self while others are rebuilding there lifes somewhere else where it is safe from mother nature and crime and most of all the local government! Like RAY NAGIN choseing casnios over more important things! cant belive he is still mayor but that will change.
First of all, BigDickDaddy…go away. You’ve posted several places on the NOLA Blog and, frankly, your comments are not needed. It’s people like you that help make this world more screwed up than what it is already.
Second, Richard, I’ve been reading your blogs since Katrina and, I have to say, that I wish I had run across them sooner, because I truly enjoy them. I have enjoyed lots of laughter while diggin’ through your archives.
You always maintain a certain amount of class when you post. Especially in the last six weeks. Others bloggers..though I won’t mention names…have seemed so ungrateful and so self absorbed through the whole thing. Yet, while frustrating, you have allowed for “mistakes” by people and you have always tried to see both sides of the fence. You aren’t a whining baby like another blogger here.
So, with that said, have a safe trip back into NOLA and with the re-energizing and re-building of your city. If I ever get back, I guarantee you that I’m checking out “Running with Scissors”.
Thank you for your honest and enlightening blogs.
Aw, shucks… You sure know the way to a Leo’s heart!
I’ve been reading this blog since I found it right after Katrina. Although I’m not from NO, I have loved her since I began going there as a small child in the 1960s. My son was to have started college at Loyola NO on August 29, luckily we were in town and were able to bring him home safely. He will return - he loves NO as I do.
My heart has bled for NO and her people, it’s almost something personal for this Yankee. NO has, or shall I say, “had” a feel, an ambience, a soul that is not the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, Pat O’Brien’s and all those touristy places. It’s within her neighborhoods, her people, the openness and friendliness that I have encountered. It’s a smell, a feel to the air, sometimes electric, sometimes sultry, always interesting. The language, the culture, the diversity, the mix, all contribute to a glorious whole that is much greater than the sum of its parts.
We will return, you can bet on that. And so, too, NO will rise again. Godspeed, NO.
Well said, Richard.
WeeWillyWanker, or whatever your name is;
You very obviously don’t “know what it means to miss New Orleans” if I may be so bold as to steal a line from the great one.
Why dont you go start your own blog on how much you hate this, that and the other thing, and leave these guys alone? Is it not obvious that this fine group dont really feel the way you do? is your life so vastly empty of any entertainment that you jump up and down like a gleeful child on Christmas morning at the propsect of making others feel bad? Where, pray,tell, do you live? Is it so wonderful where you are? If it is, then again, why mess with these good folk?
I really and truly feel sorry for you, you obviously have nothing more substantial in your life to do,and I find that quite sad and pathetic.
Folk of N.O. MetBlog,
Thank you. Your words and reports are greatly appreciated. I check in on, and pray for y’all daily, and cant wait for the day I can bring my two sons down to see the city and people that I have come to love so very much.You guys have friends in North Carolina for sure!
And just because I feel like being mean;
“why would you say they abanded there city?”
ABANDONED THEIR CITY
“for you to damn there decision is wrong!”
THEIR
“so you move back in and injoy”
ENJOY
“there lifes somewhere”
THEIR LIVES
“RAY NAGIN choseing casnios’”
CHOOSING CASINOS
Please, if you’e going to harass people on THEIR blog, at least do it with the correct spelling of words, ok?
pssst - hey maybe if we ignore it, it will go away. Shhh - here it comes. Everyone pretend it’s not here.
A.
Ann,
I know, and you are totally 100% right, but sometimes I just cant resist pointing out to
half-wits who post anonymously with names that over glorify what is most likey an inadequate supply of “manly stature” how absolutely atrocious their spelling is.
But you are correct, and I am ignoring “it” from here on out, fingers firmly in ears, screaming at the top of my lungs; “I CANT HEAR YOU!!! LALALALALALALALALA!!!!!”. ;-)
FLINSTONES! MEET THE FLINSTONES!
hee hee.
A.
I can already start to hear the great stories you’ll be telling to each other when you get together for weekends in NOLA in the years to come.
Not betrayal–just mourning and melancholia.
Steve;
Shouldn’t you be screaming “NOLANOLANOLANOLA”?
Karma;
I started reading this blog at the same time you did and I have gone back to Richard’s archives and enjoyed them, too. Until I can make another visit to NOLA I’ll have to enjoy it vicariously.
WeeWillyWanker; (Love that name, Steve, thanks)
You are so lucky that you chose a place to live that has no natural disasters, no crime and all your politicians are perfect.
ED
I absolutely love this space… the most eloquent, and all the way down to “cavespeak”.
You go N.O.! Show everybody what you got!
personally I would just delete troll posts like that. they bring nothing to the conversation but annoyance.
A Thibodaux-born&raised expat here, just adding my thanx and well wishes to the folks on this blog for providing hope, tears, laughter and info over the last month and three-quarters. All of my family still lives along the coast, including a son in NOLA.
“SHIP THOSE NIGGERS BACK” by: Johnny Rebel
Ring that bell, shout for joy
The Whiteman’s day is here
Gather all those equals up
And herd them off the pier
(CHORUS):
America for whites
Africa for blacks
Send those apes back to the trees
Ship those niggers back
Ring that bell, shout for joy
The Whiteman’s day is here
Twenty million ugly coons
Are ready on the pier
Hey there man, I’m not getting in that boat
Looks like that boat’s leaking to me
Smack-smack-oooh yes
White man here I come
(CHORUS)
Ring that bell, shout for joy
The Whiteman’s day is here
Boats are ready for the trip
We won’t shed a tear
Don’t you love us nice colored folks anymore
Smack, smack, smack, oooh, oooh
(CHORUS)
Ring that bell, shout for joy
The Whiteman’s day is here
Hand that chimp his ugly stick
Hand that buck his spear
Hold on there man
I’ve left my bottle of wine back there on the dock
Smack, smack, oooh, man
(CHORUS)
Ring that bell, shout for joy
The Whiteman’s day is here
Twenty million jigaboos
To Africa we’ll steer
How we gonna find America, man
We ain’t got no carpets
How we gonna find that island, man
Smack, smack, oooh, oooh, nooo
(CHORUS)
Ring that bell, shout for joy
The Whiteman’s day is here
There they go, far out to sea
See them disappear
Hello, hello there back on the dock
I believe this boat is leaking man
(CHORUS)
Ring that bell, shout for joy
The Whiteman’s day is here
Boats are leaking badly now
They sink, we’ve settled it here
Help, help, we’re sinking, gggllluuuggg
(CHORUS)
Ring that bell, shout for joy
The Whiteman’s day is here
No more nigger civil rights
Led by nigger queers
(CHORUS)
Ring that bell, shout for joy
The Whiteman’s day is here
Our homes, our schools, our city streets
Of niggers, will be clear
(CHORUS)
Ring that bell, shout for joy
The Whiteman’s day is here
America will be all white
The land we love so dear
(CHORUS)
Ship those niggers back
Ship those niggers baaaack
Johnny Reb? So it has come to that then? Man, how utterly sad, you truly are the feces that is produced when shame eats too much stupidity! You make me envy the deaf and the blind!
Beautiful letter Richard.
I understand the desire and longing to be back home in your unique city. Hopefully your hurricane hosts will be able to visit you all soon and often.
It seems that every place to live has their challenges and for ONE to judge why or why not people return is short sighted. He forgets that that is your HOME. Of course you will go back.
Good luck with the rebuild. I have never been to New Orleans but hope to someday.
Sandy in Massachusetts
You spoke so eloquently for so many of us, and then one looks at the comments and we have a couple idiots and Johnny Rebel. I know you have the power to delete that offensive post, so please do. You don’t have an obligation to provide a forum for every sicko on the net. Please take down that post. Thank you.
Dear Richard and all returning NOLA residents:
You’re welcome. We were glad to have helped you while you were displaced from your homes. We can’t begin to understand what it’s like to have our lives turned completely upside down and then thrown out to unknown places to try and keep some normalcy while you wait to go home.
This is what America is. It’s people helping people in spite of governmental flaws, beaurecratic red tape, and insurance nightmares.
Even though we will miss you, we celebrate your return to the life and city that you love. This won’t be easy and we will be concerned for you everyday. So don’t forget to keep us updated and even call for help if you need it.
I know you’ll keep us up-to-date via this blog about your trials and your joys. We’ve bonded with ALL of you. You are our friends, relatives, strangers who became friends, but you are our neighbors who take care of a very important city in our country’s history.
Good luck, be safe, and know you’re in our thoughts and prayers.
J.