Welcome to the eighth in the Lagniappe series! This weekly series is dedicated to keeping the spotlight on Gulf Coast recovery after Hurricane Katrina, with special emphasis on New Orleans. To see past diaries, here's a link to Part 7, which includes links to the previous 6 episodes.
Before I get to the really imporant part of this series, a roundup of links to all the diaries written on the subject here at Daily Kos in the past week, I'd like to talk a little bit about memory.
I am a New Yorker. I remember after the attack on the Twin Towers, the New York Times did an amazing project, giving short biographical sketches of each and every one of those who died in that attack. I must have read over a thousand of them, and these sketches brought home to me in such a human way the devastation that was wrought on that day.
Memory. One of the biggest problems in our present-day society is the difficulty of remembering in the midst of so many events, large and small, so many devastations, the War in Iraq, in Afghanistan, our crumbling health care system, all the various high crimes and misdemeanors of this Administration and its Republicronies. So difficult to hold in our minds what is important in the rush of constant information, and so much of it bad news.
And this is doubly difficult when one looks at the Gulf Coast after Katrina, for so much misinformation has been disseminated, through a combination of incompetence, misunderstanding and outright prejudice, hatred, and malice. How can we remember what we don't even understand? How can we keep in our hearts the memory of our brothers and sisters who perished during that time when we are so flooded with lies and mischaracterizations over what happened then and what is happening now?
I found a website, Katrina Memorial, that listed, to the best of its ability, all the folks in the region who died in the aftermath of the hurricane. And this online memorial allowed folks to add their own comments and condolences under each person's name.
I'll just excerpt a couple of these:
Paul McCaddy, 69 (New Orleans)
May you rest in peace. Love your daughter, Shawn McCaddy. Pascagoula, Ms - submitted: 8/27/2006 10:46:48 AM
. . . . . . .
Frank D'Arcangelo, 66, New Orleans
Frank was a very special person.He was always willing to go the extra mile to help in any way.I spoke to him often when the computer generated bills (that I almost always had questions about)would arrive from accounts receivable at Tulane.My children attended college and grad school for a combined 9 yrs. I tried to email him to find out how he and his family were doing after the Katrina.It was so sad to find out he died in the disaster. My sympathy goes out to his family.I am sure he touched many lives.Although I never met Frank,I will always remember him.
Bette Morchower and familyDallas,Texas - submitted: 11/16/2006 6:22:47 AM
. . . . . . .
Donna K. DeSilvy, 35, Ocean Spring, MS
Donna was a very sweet and quirky person. I remember her well from school days. Her birthday is 8 days after mine. My wishes of comfort to her father and to all who knew her.
Sincerely and with Love,Andrew "Andy" W. Fobes - submitted: 11/19/2005 5:55:10 PM
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I went to Southern Miss with Donna. I will miss her tremendously. God Speed, Donna.
Dave R., Atlanta, GA - submitted: 3/23/2006 7:25:44 PM
. . . . . . .
I attended junior college at MGCCC in Gulfport. I had the priveledge to get to know Donna very well in those two years. She was a very goal oriented and driven young woman. There was nothing that she could not achieve, especially academics. She helped me devolop my study habits to succeed in my own academic endeavors. I took her out and taught her how to country dance and we really had some great times. So it was a kind of trade. We shared a bond in that she was a cancer survivor and I had lost my older brother to cancer. I could relate to what she and her family went through. I would not be where I am today if our paths have never crossed. We lost in touch after transferring to universities. I regret not getting together with Donna. She was one of a kind and the world is a better place because of her. She will be missed. Her father Doug will be in my thought and prayers.\
Ryan Firth Mobile, Al - submitted: 3/24/2006 6:55:42 AM
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A tribute from a distant relative in Maine. Dennis DeSilvey. I am part of the Ohio branch of the family
submitted: 1/29/2007 5:11:05 PM
. . . . . . .
Linda Allen deSilvey, 57, Ocean Springs, MS
I got to know Linda through her daughter Donna. She was a very kind and giving person who thought the world of Donna. They will be sadly missed.
Ryan Firth Mobile, Al - submitted: 3/24/2006 12:52:45 PM
. . . . . . .
I didn't realize while reading Donna's memorial comments that right below her name was that of her mother's.
Memory. It hurts to remember things like this. It's easy to get distracted by other things, maybe to believe news stories that imply it's okay to forget about the region, that all that could be done has been done. That it's really over, no longer a national problem but now only a local one.
But it's not over. And memory is a powerful weapon against lies and distortions. The main reason I do this series every week is a selfish one -- so that I will learn and I will remember. There are so many forces out there that wish us not to learn the truth of what happened, that wish us not to remember. As long as I keep learning, especially from the valiant local NOLA blogs (as well as others in the region), those forces cannot defeat me and steal my own sensibility from me.
And the pain of knowing about the over 1,900 who died in this disaster is a small price to pay, for these are our brothers and sisters, our fellow citizens, our fellow Americans. They are worth remembering. And the truth is worth knowing.
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And now to the Roundup! We have 13 diaries this week written by Kossaks on this subject, as follows:
Dispatches from the Disaster Zone: Money and Politics by commonscribe – A whole mess of action is finally going on and the diarist gives us the scoop – from Rep. Charlie Melancon’s blasting Speaker Pelosi and the Dems for not doing enough in the region (yay!) to Barney Frank introducing a bill to help fund low and middle income in both Louisiana and Mississippi.
La-Gov: Breaux to the rescue? by MrLiberal – Can Dem John Breaux beat Repub Bobby Jindal to become Governor of Louisiana if Kathleen Blanco decides to bow out of the race?
LA-GOV: Breaux to run? by brownsox – Another diary on the speculation that John Breaux may run for Governor – some interesting comments in this diary. Breaux is not a progressive voter’s dream, but, well, he’s not Jindal and he’s not a Republican. Sigh.
State Farm and the State of Mississippi: Lightning Round by commonscribe – State Farm is doing its best to bow out of ever insuring homeowners in Mississippi, but State Attorney General Jim Hood is going them one better by proposing legislation saying if they don’t want to insure homeowners, they shouldn’t be offering auto insurance either. Good action item included on how to support The Insurance Industry Competition Act of 2007, as well as informing us of the February 28 House subcommittee oversight hearing on Katrina claims (including handy link to the webcast).
Paul Hodes on New Orleans by Transplanted Texan – New Hampshire constituent and Katrina recovery blogger asks Rep. Paul Hodes what he’s going to do in Congress about the national problem of Gulf Coast recovery and is impressed with Hodes’ response.
Katrina: No Mardi Gras for you by Chimes of Freedom – Diarist posts a great photo essay of what hasn’t been done in the Ninth Ward since Hurricane Katrina. Some great comments clarify what has and has not been done in the area.
Gallup lists 9 red states as competitive for Dems by quaoar – Louisiana and Mississippi are listed in this diary showing the chances of southern dstates both keeping blue and turning blue in the 2008 elections.
In Praise of St. Augustine’s "Marching 100" by naltikriti – Very moving story of St. Augustine’s fight to retain their legendary student marching band in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Imagine a city where a high schooler gets more cred for being in a band than playing sports. A must read.
My campaign poster by Annie Spell – Diarist, running for Covington City Council, shares her groovy campaign poster with us.
Dartmouth Involvement With The Ongoing Katrina Struggle by Transplanted Texan – Some great anecdotes from Dartmouth student volunteers doing Katrina recovery work in Biloxi, Mississippi. Dartmouth should be congratulated for their ongoing long term commitment to the region – more students than ever are volunteering to help.
Oscar preview, Al Gore rescued Katrina victims Sep 2005 - AP by joan reports -- Diarist recaps the amazing story of how Al Gore defied FEMA to rescue hundreds of patients from Charity Hospital in the aftermath of Hurrican Katrina. This story is hearbreaking, making one contemplate how different the aftermath on the Gulf Coast would have been had we had real leadership on the federal level.
From Big Easy to Big Empty by Tigana -- A great compendium filled with linky goodness as to what's happening in the region post-Katrina. And this diary has the best suggestion ever: when we impeach Bush and Cheney, we ought to hold the hearings in New Orleans! Yup.
Losing Louisiana to the GOP by blksista -- Recommended diary detailing GOP plans to sweep the state and showing the Democrats running who are determined to prevent this. Lots of discussion in the comments!
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Have a great weekend everyone, and thank you for reading!