Nine Months after Katrina
At the beginning of this year’s hurricane season, I decided to go to New Orleans, Louisiana to the Eco Justice for All conference to understand the environmental impacts of Hurricane Katrina and to learn more about faith based initiatives on climate change. I arrived to the “Good ole’ South” with all the images of last year’s media of people of color and poor people being left out to dry for days without food, levees bodies floating, horrible stories inside the Superdome, and hearing about FEMA lackluster performance in dealing with the communities. Check out the photos.
Grappling with all these images and devastating stories, the keynote speakers, Beverly Wright Director, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Bill McKibben environmentalist and author, and Jerome C. Ringo, President of the Apollo Alliance captured the hope and fear of the future of cities in the Gulf Coast. In the process of Rebuilding New Orleans, there are large challenges from toxic debris to the politics in building in poor communities. Katrina hit one of the largest oil producing and chemical plants regions in the world. Cancer Alley, which is a 100 mile corridor, with 136 petrochemical plants, that has devastated the wetlands with over 500 miles of dead zone off the gulf coast due to toxic sludge leaked into the cost Katrina caused six major oil spills releasing 7.4 million gallons of oil. The Hurricane also hit 60 underground storage tanks, five superfund sites, and numerous hazardous waste facilities. Katrina is seen as one of the worse disasters in U.S. history. It was these statistics that resonated with this faith-based community that fighting global warming and the health of the planet is a “moral” right. Check out the photos.
While I was there, I also met up with the Common Ground Collective and the People’s Hurricane Relief Fund who are organizing in the area to build long term support in rebuilding the communities affected by Katrina and Rita. They showed me around the recent development of a health clinic, discussed the politics of New Orleans, and spoke with several youth and other member’s about the limitations of FEMA to address all the communities in the area needs. I also spoke visited a few gutted homes and spoke with some community members about the feeling of coming home.
Overall, many people that I spoke to felt that the impacts of Katrina is nothing new. This hurricane exposed some of the most grotesque social, economic, and environmental injustices in America. It exposed human right impacts within our borders and unwillingness in supporting all community members.
There is no doubt that there will be more super storms this year. But how will we respond? To many people who were displaced and returning back to New Orleans, remember the saying “they don’t care about us” that circulated the airwaves. This year, let’s hope that communities will be better organized, and that the city and federal government positively support building these communities who are so valuable to the tradition of New Orleans.
11 Responses to “Nine Months after Katrina”
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July 5th, 2006 at 8:01 am
There is no excuse for this. I keep hearing how in the United States are number one and how we are the richest country. Then, where is our money going? What exactly are we number one in? A president with his own agenda? Nothing to do with what “the people” need or want. Put our taxes to work and clean up New Orleans. Let’s take care of our residents first and foremost. They should be the priority, not making loads of money with the big oil companies.
July 5th, 2006 at 8:45 am
You are absolutely correct about this president having his own agenda. This will not change until Congress and/or the Supreme Court puts a stop to GWB’s “signing statements” which supposedly allow him implement only laws he agrees with, to change or ignore laws making Congress absolutely impotent with no power to pass meaningful laws even if they wanted to. It may never change until we impeach both GWB and Cheney for their lies, irresponsible withdrawal from international agreements, war and deaths they have caused without taking responsibility for any foul decisions they have made. How many strikes and fouls does it take before THEY ARE OUT!?!
July 5th, 2006 at 8:50 am
It’s difficult to imagine that after nearly a year the city of New Orleans would not have been cleaned up and rebuilt. New York didn’t get this treatment when 9/11 happened. Is there a difference? When will “Liberty and Justice for All” become the driving force of this country?
July 5th, 2006 at 8:51 am
There are so many things the Fed Gov could do. For one thing, bring our money home. Stop sending money to this country or that country. America needs it just as bad. There is no excuse for helping other countries with billions of dollars, when even one American is starving with no place safe to live. Our Country should be the main priority. Bring our military home. Our military would make a big impact on cleaning up this country, building homes, fixing roads etc. instead of trying to keep order in other countries. Let them take care of themselves, while our taxes take care of our own country.
July 5th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
The Red Cross could have done better too. I have talked to alot of folks who got nothing more than a hot meal from them. Of course it must have been discouraging to be turned away with thier food and water before the floods came–and then see how much it might have helped. Also the Waveland Cafe set up by the rainbow family has been alot of help. They have been feeding folks (up to 2000 daily) in Mississipi and Louisianna since shortly after the storm. I saw wierd troops in Nola last time I was there…a little trigger happy with large guns (ak-47S?). Makes me wonder the reason why the city has been left in this shape.
July 5th, 2006 at 6:05 pm
And lets not forget the poor pets that lost their families too!!! Many people stayed behind because they didn’t want to leave their pets behind. Why is it so hard for people to except the fact that our pets are members of our families. I wouldn’t leave my pets behind. Why aren’t their pet friendly shelters? Most of your Elderly only have pets left in their family. They are like their children. Safety for all should be an issue.
July 6th, 2006 at 6:10 am
We all know Bush’s ways are Not the right ones.He’s a man that wants the world and doesnt care if he steps on his own people to get it!!America DOESNT NEED a president who does not care about his people 1st and war 2nd.WE need to let Bush know that his lies “will not” work anymore.A or B ,A stop the lies and help your people or B get the h*** out!Our troops should not be over there getting killed just so people can VOTE!! Its not right!
July 6th, 2006 at 2:04 pm
The media is gone and the Bush Administration is busy providing the freebies he promised to the oil companies and the right to vote in Iraq. (Does anyone remember the reason we went to Iraq was to destroy the WMDs? How did that become Operation Iraqi Freedom? If we’re trying to free oppressed nations then why didn’t we start with the Sudan?) Meanwhile, our Federal Government, nor our media, seems to care about the citizens of Louisiana who are trying to save the animals still homeless and now breeding, while they try desperately to rebuild their own lives. I am still in contact with Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO). These brave souls are still trying to help the forgotten animals. They barely can make ends meet themselves. The way our government has dismissed the needs of U.S. citizens is disgraceful.
July 6th, 2006 at 6:26 pm
Our Draft-Dodger in Chief should send his daughters to fight in Iraq.
I’ll bet he’d pull the troops out quickly! He has no consideration for the little guy, only his rich oil buddies.
July 7th, 2006 at 1:45 am
I am appalled and feel helpless that our government is acting like it hopes New Orleans and it’s problems just go away. We should all make sure anyone running for office this fall is has this issue as a priority! I love that City and it’s unique history. Again, we as a nation, just want to pretend that we took care of issues like poverty, racism and pollution and if anyone has problems it is their own fault. This Adminsitration is really good at shifting our focus away from the real issues, we must work to keep the poor and the environment in the forefront, and not let Bush’s wars get in the way of helping our fellow Americans!!
March 15th, 2010 at 9:24 am
I did disaster inspection, mostly in Waveland/Bay St Louis. I was in the area 2 weeks after the storm, and really loved the people and the area!
The Rainbow people were the BEST!! I ate there a lot – where else can you get green food on the road, and after a storm! They offered everything, and didn’t ask for your soul.
Oddly, when I worked in Galveston last year, our guys working east of Houston couldn’t get rooms – the motels were still filled with people from N.O. – 5 years later, perpetual guests, at our expense!