LESSON NOT LEARNED The unusual situations which came to be such an impressive part of the recent flood conditions in southern Louisiana - and to a most impressive extent along the Gulf coast port areas form a daunting challenge for all of us. We can accept or refuse to make use of information provided when then hurricane's Katrina and Rita,and their accompanying rains, and tornado winds dealt the area a severe package of destructive forces men have known in this particular areas in the past.
This time the evil, invading waters flowed across worn and ill-attended levees, walls and canal structures on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, canal channels and other inadequately prepared sections of the usual water system of the Crescent City. Many were in a neglected condition, many unidentified or confused with others in like condition. It quickly came to mind that the billions of dollar's requested by and sent to New Orleans for repair and maintenance of he water control systems, were misused to serve other purposes. This is one point which often gets lost during the days of registration in the rigorous days of restoration civic and private property.
It is obvious that such funds were mis-spent and some efforts are often made to try to determine whom might have done such a thing. It seldom, if ever, gets very far. Years later it often shows that the very same “foxes” had been put back in charge in care of the “chickens.” Records kept on the Washington, DC. end of this attractive arrangement plainly show the money did not go where it was deemed to be needed - often “urgently”. None of these federal funds were spent on any of the three most obvious levee and seawalls the most notorious offenders of all causing overflows which flooded New Orleans because no such fund were ever requested during that eight year period.
The ever-questing eye of television searched out and showed millions of citizens shocking realities concerning inequities which exist in our society which have not been acknowledged much less confronted and solved. And, there are other wrongs we saw; some we have never really discussed in fair-minded manner. All that awaits our ability to do so.
A.L.M. October 28, 2005 [c385wds]
