Katrina Anniversary in New Orleans Brings Pride, Anguish and Anxiety About Future

Year after year we get hurricane warnings and evacuation orders and those who fear the storms leave town. Others like myself and my brother stay behind to protect our property from looters and limit as much as possible the damage done by the storm. We did that for Katrina and we rebuilt our homes and were back in them in just over a year after Katrina. We did not beg anyone for assistance and used the insurance coverage we had to pay for our rebuilding. We love our homes and I can tell you that we will do it again if need be. Just please leave us out of your blanket description of the people of New Orleans We are not all helpless fools.

Everyone in the United States that listens to the weather knew that Katrina was coming. We saw the damage in the Caribbean. We saw the damage in Florida. The only people that didn't seem to know it was coming were some of the people who didn't leave the Gulf coast. New Orleans was a man made disaster. The roofs were still on it was the levies that couldn't hold and did the flooding. New Orleans and Mississippi, Alabama have always had hurricanes and many heeded the warning. People were unprepared because they really didn't give the levies a thought. Well crap happens and then everyone looks for a scapegoat. I'm sure next time the people of the Gulf Coast are warned about a category five coming their way they will get the heck out of the way. Time to rebuild but not in the 9th ward find someplace else, if levies can fail once they can do it again.

Five years and much of the damaged homes are not fixed and many who left will never come back. And what accounting of the hundreds of millions of dollars people donated has been done. And what of government money where did that go. This is typical of Washington and its lack of focus on the real things that matter. Just like Congress won't take any action To fix ERISA, a law that allows big insurance companies to rip off the disabled. Go to youtube and see the video's by disabledvictom and learn how you or a loved one can become this laws next vicitm.

In central Florida we survived Charley, Frances and Jeanne in the space of six weeks. We didn't have a weeks notice for Charley either. Try two hours. You have to take responsibility for yourselves and stop relying on the government. Jiminy Cristmas!

Remember when the Canadian Mounties got to New Orleans two days before our own National Guard? When the Indian Ocean Tsunami happened, we had boots on the ground within 24 hours. Here, an American city that anyone in the lower 48 can reach by car in three days, was allowed to die for 5 days until public outraged moved them . Maybe if Terry Schaivo lived in New Orleans, the Repubs might have moved faster.

I'm sick and tired of being beaten over the head with Katrina. The people of New Orleans were left to fend for themselves by their so-called "leaders" like Nagin and Landreu. For five long years it's been Bush, Bush, Bush. Get over it and move on. Criminy!

If you live below sea level and drown in your attic blame yourself. The earth is 2/3 water. No more please Rita and Ike hurt Texas but we moved on. STOP it Lousiana it is making me sad. I love NOLA and Crowley. How much free stuff do you really need.

WHY DO WE NEED TO REMEMBER THIS EVENT? WHAT I SEE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COULD BE LIVE TODAY IF THEY JUST LISTEN TO THE WEATHER PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. AND ANOTHE THING WHY DOESN'T THE NEWS MEDIA REMEMBER THOSE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE FACED HURRICANS AND LOST THEIR HOMES IN ALL GULF STATES. WHY NOT REMEMBER THOSE WHO LOST THEIR HOMES IN TORNADOS OR ONE BETTER THOSE WHOM HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES IN EARTHQUAKES. I DO NOT FEEL ONE BIT OF BITTY FOR THOSE WHO FACE NATURE AND LOSES!!!THOSE WHO FACE TERRORIST HAVE MY REGRETS!!!!

I am originall from Birmingham Alabama and it is a beautiful city. But I remmeber all of the tornados that hit(s) there. I rememeber certain areas there seemed to always get hit when one would come through. It would clear a path and leave nothing. Every time it happened people would rebuild in the same spot. I always did and still do wwonder why. One house in particular I know was rebuilt 4 times in the same spot. Whose fault is it that it keeps getting destroyed? Also flooding was bad in areas but people would rebuild in those areas also. WHY?

New Orleans is a city of celebrations, disasters, and corruption. As former New Orleaneans, we can tell you that anguish and anxiety are nothing new to residents. This city has been flooded many times before and without a doubt it will be flooded again, regardless of how many walls are built to keep out the water. It lies eight feet below sea level, for Pete's sake. But celebration is also a big part of the city's mentality. It celebrates everything. Now, it celebrates something horrible. So, life goes on and everyone lives with the knowledge that the next flood will happen. The corruption of New Orleans politicians, beaurocrats, and city employees is legendary. That has not and will not change as long as people are kept ignorant by the deplorable education system also famous in the BIG EASY.