Ah, Louisiana where you can carry your alcohol openly and your guns concealed.
New Orleans has a third world water system. Forty to sixty percent of the fresh water is lost before it is delivered to consumers. With the equally leaky sewer system the city pipes sit in a pool of microbes waiting to be sucked into the drinking water when the water pressure drops.
The governor of the state, during his infrequent visits, works hard to preserve the nation's most explicit monument to white supremacy
While the city struggles to recover from Katrina just over the state line in Biloxi, Mississippi gleams a shrine to the confederacy and stars and bars emporium run a group which ousted the great grandson of Jefferson Davis for excessive moderation. It was funded with more money than they could use by Federal Emergency Management Agency.
These things I learned on a visit to my son who has just enrolled in Tulane University. Along with the fact New Orleans has great food and friendly people. However all over it was overwhelmed by police action witnessed on a lonely stretch of Interstate 81 in Western Virginia somewhere between the Virginia Tech massacre and the location where the TV reporters where shot. Both Diane and I could hardly believe what we had witnessed. It was a clear sunny afternoon and the state patrolman was clearly visible along side the disabled car on the side of the road. We thoroughly discussed the incident to verify what in fact was happening.
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The car was pulled over out of the traveling lanes facing uphill. The driver's side front tire had been removed and it appeared that the car was too low to the ground to put on the emergency spare. The trunk was open and the driver was off to the side. The officer was on his hands and knees and appeared to be adjusting one of those awful jacks which have to be cranked up with a difficult to manipulate crank. THE OFFICER WAS HELPING A STRANDED MOTORIST FIX A FLAT TIRE!!
I haven't seen anything like that in forty years. When my son was a toddler, threw up in the back seat, I pulled over to get rags out of the trunk to clean up and locked my keys in the trunk. A Pennsylvania policeman stopped assessed the situation jumped back in his car left without a word.
BOIL WATER ADVISORY
After we checked into a hotel on St Charles Avenue a Boil Water Advisory was issued for the City. This is not an uncommon occurrence. Local TV stations interviewed a young healthy woman who said she took it in stride and hadn't had any problems with earlier warnings. No interview from person who had died from water borne illness was provided for balance however.
The pipes are old and were stressed by Katrina's flooding. When a metallic balloon reportedly shorted out power to a pumping station it took over a half hour to get the back up generators on line. My son told me the pumping station keeps a stock of straw brooms on hand which are set on fire to light ancient boilers at the pumping station. The Water and Sewer Department is planning on building some water towers.
Water towers
Since the 18th century water towers have been a basic component of municipal water systems. They are filled with water when the demand is low and when there is high demand or a problem with the pumps they keep the pressure up so brain eating amoebas aren't sucked into drinking water.
It's okay to drink the amoeba (Naegleria Fowleri), stomach acid destroys it however:
While officials say the water is safe for drinking, residents are urged to use caution with the water, not letting it get into their nose. Humans are infected when water containing the amoeba travels through the nose and migrates to the brain, destroying the tissue.
The hotel kindly provided bottled water during the day and a half the boil water advisory was in effect.
In the battle between microbes and humans, Governor Jindal has come down on the side of the microbes. Coming out against taking action on global warming. Warmer temperatures help the pathogens thrive. Also, working to limit access to health care. Perhaps he is running for president just so he can stay out of the state.
New Orleans Historic Commission votes to remove four confederate monuments - Jindal Rushes to Defend
The Saint Charles Avenue street car has just reopened and is a marvelous way to get around New Orleans. It goes from Tulane University down to the French Quarter circling around the statue of Robert E. Lee.
Although Robert E. Lee spent little or no time ever in Louisiana his statue towers over a major traffic circle in New Orleans. In fact the traffic circle was constructed so his statue could be put there. Facing north, he is locally said to be keeping watch on the enemy. Actions are being taken to have the statues removed. Springing into action the Governor's Office issued this statement:
"Gov. Jindal opposes the tearing down of these historical statues, and he has instructed his staff to look into the Heritage Act to determine the legal authority he has as governor to stop it."
Bold action indeed, since the
Heritage Act is a South Carolina law.
There are three statues to persons and one to "The Battle of Liberty Place". The inscription on the last monument reads:
"[Democrats] McEnery and Penny having been elected governor and lieutenant-governor by the white people, were duly installed by this overthrow of carpetbag government, ousting the usurpers, Governor Kellogg (white) and Lieutenant-Governor Antoine (colored).
United States troops took over the state government and reinstated the usurpers but the national election of November 1876 recognized white supremacy in the South and gave us our state."
The
Battle of Liberty Place is not a Civil War battle, it was a white insurrection in 1874 which crippled the reconstruction government in Louisiana and led to disenfranchising of blacks in the state. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Caesar Antoine were deposed until President Grant sent federal troops. James Longstreet one of the south's most prominent generals in the war to protect slavery led the black and white troops and police defending the lawful government of Louisiana. If you want to see a statue of him you must go to Gettysburg. His reputation and even his war record was belittled for years.
Governor Jindal is fighting to preserve a statue to white supremacist who attacked a man who didn't have as dark skin as he has.
I do not understand how he maintains the loyalty of his dozens of supporters in his campaign for president.
JEFFERSON DAVIS HOME AND PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI
On our way down we had stopped in the Mississippi welcome center and rest stop, and picked up a brochure for the Beauvoir. They noted that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had provided funds to restore the site after Katrina. It was on the way back home. What would a site dedicated to a person who tried to rip apart the United States built with Federal funds be like? I promised Diane that I would not on purpose say stupid things to embarrass her while there and she allowed the stop.
Although the funds provided to rebuild the site came from the federal government it is run by the Mississippi Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. They have recently had a leadership fight The current leadership cares more about the confederate flag than an protecting and promoting a significant historical site or an honest recounting of events.
The gift shop sells all versions of the Battle Flag and has a large banner stating Save Our Flag Replace the Speaker. The speaker has called for changes to the Mississippi state flag.
It seems wrong to me that a non-profit organization with the generous use of federal funds has campaign to unseat a member of the Mississippi legislature.
In 1855 Jefferson Davis was Secretary of War and introduced camels to Arizona.
Thus there is a camel at his home site.
I thoroughly enjoyed New Orleans. The food was varied and great. My brain, as far as I can tell, has not infested with amoebas.
Bernie Sanders in his rally there said:
"I think my colleagues in the Democratic Party have made a very, very serious mistake and that is they've kind of written off half of America, including Louisiana," Sanders said. "I'm here to tell you that the time is now for us to fight in 50 states."
He is correct. The Democratic Party should not win unless they can formulate programs which addresses the problems in all of the country.