Hey, a party!
Our beloved groundhog of a mayor poked his head out recently to announce a long list of mostly useless, patently inappropriate, three days worth of bullshit for the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. You can read the article here. With all that is left undone, not the least of which are the schools that need to be cleaned as pointed out by Laureen, why is the mayor and the other whos of whoville planning extravagant events? Fuck that. I am not going to participate - instead, I’m going to work on my house. Here’s a thought Mayor, maybe something productive as well as commemorative would have been a better idea. Have the whole city sweep itself, gathering trash as a sign of solidarity. No, no, you’re probably right; a masquerade gala is a much better idea. I’ve even got a costume idea for you: Dress up like a competent leader - no one would ever recognize you.
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it’s offensive. we should have massive neighborhood-sponsored rallies (I’d say have “action days” but every day is an action day - the neighborhood level is where it’s all happening). Show the mayor and the world what’s really going on.
And I hate to be negative about the events - I really do. But it just seems so trite and avoidant. It’s like, they can’t handle the real needs of the people so they throw a party as a PR stunt. When really, only the weathiest people can afford to go since everyone else - especially if you own or work for a small business are barely eeking by.
I just can’t support this approach to rebuilding the city. “Action Days” - I do kind of like that.
it really would be cool - imagine on that day EVERYONE in the city is outside, and everyone is wearing the same color - red or purple or something - and everyone is working on fixing some part of the city - picking up trash, fixing your own house, fixing someone else’s house, painting a school (’cause even though school will have started then i’m sure it will still be needed)… what a statement.
It’s really sickening. Here’s a link to the schedule for the hoop-dee-doo.
I’m not sure which of the “mini events” being planned makes me the angriest, but I believe the fireworks display is pretty damned disgusting.
Thanks, Ray for helping New Orleans look bad once again, you crazy psycho man.
Thanks for posting about this. The question I asked myself when I first read about this was: “What is this going to accomplish?”
Great, we’re going to have press coverage and they’ll show our “leaders” dressed like buffoons conducting ceremonial acts of absolutely no purpose.”
So, our mayor shows up only to spend city (recovery) money on staged bullshit like this?
I wanna know how a moron like this gets elected inthe first place?
With a little help from his friends.
(Symbolic victory for the displaced black population, my hind quarters. How does symbolism help people get back on their feet?)
“Have the whole city sweep itself, gathering trash as a sign of solidarity.”
Maybe if you had actually perused the cities website, you would see that this idea has already been implemented. It’s called the Citizens for a Cleaner New Orleans Campaign.
Here’s the Cleanup Schedule:
Saturday, February 22 7 - 10 a.m.
Sunday, February 23 6 - 8 a.m.
Monday, February 24 7- 10 a.m.
Wednesday, February 26 7 -10 a.m.
Saturday, March 1st 7 - 10 a.m.
Sunday, March 2nd 6 - 8 a.m.
Monday, March 3rd 7 - 10 a.m.
Tuesday, March 4th 7 - 10 a.m.
Wednesday, March 5th 7 - 10 a.m.
You did notice, Takemeoffyourlist, that the last cleanup was scheduled for almost 5 months ago, right? Maybe you’re being sarcastic and I just couldn’t smell it all the way up here. ;-P
I think the wearing the same color (or maybe purple, green, or gold) and doing volunteer work - or working on your own property is a great idea. I see (or at least I think I do) the idea behind the events, but given the enormity of the task still at heand, I also think a ball etc. is in poor taste. jazz funeral - OK; laying the wreaths, prayer service, OK. But a ball? and a silent auction - who gets that money? A comedy night? WTF? Food tastings?!The rest. that have reopened need the business more than Emeril’s ego needs stroking.
I can appreciate the spirit of it all but it’s still just wrong. The city wants to scream to everyone “we’re fine, come on down” because they’re too shortsighted and unimaginitive to come up with new revenue streams. Plus there’s something discounting in it. What I mean is, there’s something in it that says ‘we don’t care about the people living here as much as we care about the perceptions we’re putting out to the rest of the country’. It’s like saying ‘I can’t handle the real needs of the people in my city but I can sure fool the people who elected me on the promise of bringing everyone back who are still sitting elsewhere, into thinking everything’s great and they’ll be coming home any day now’.
If I wasn’t so lazy, I’d be of a mind to disrupt festivities to call attention to the real state of the city.
It’s all a bucket of poop.
The events the public are invited to are more in line with what we locals would do in rememberance of last year (not the fireworks). The party crap is for the big wigs, plain and simple. This is the disconnect between New Orleans and the Mayor’s Office.
New Orleans is not a show, but home to many very good people.
Local artist Justin Lundgren has proposed a nationwide Katrina dinner. Much more in the spirit of who we are and what we cherish.
The only thing I could agree to is a Kartina Ball
held every August 29th and only August 29th that
will celebrate Life without any political bald faced bullshit
it would be held on one of the hottest days of the year
so people can wear bathing suits you can geaux cheque it out
just to get something to eat and geaux work on your shanty
every thing would be donated the food in throw away
Glad containers how many more words can
I fit in this run on sentence?
Laurie