NOLA on My Mind


Well, I know what I'm doing next weekend, and I'm sure looking forward to it--finally getting to meet or even just listen to a large number of people whose work I really enjoy will be something...

Meanwhile, to stay on the subject of NOLA and the Gulf Coast: if you haven't checked out the online Pic's coverage of When the Levees Broke, I'd encourage you to do so (I sent the link to a friend, who tells me it doesn't work, but you can also hit the main Nola.com page and link from there). My own .00000002 cents' worth, reduced in value even further because, well, I haven't seen the movie yet:

I don't expect Spike Lee to make an "unbiased" movie because one, I don't think such a thing's possible, and two, if it was it'd probably turn out to be pretty damn boring. That said, it seems as if a LOT of the more critical comments take issue with Lee's focus on the Lower 9th Ward at the expense of Lakeview, Gentilly, and NOLA East, and so on. Hmmm...ok. Like I said, I haven't seen the movie--yet. But that still sounds an awful lot like taking umbrage at being asked to step to the back of the proverbial bus. Lower 9th residents probably have plenty of experience with the general concept, and perhaps they can offer advice on how to deal.

(That said, it seems New Orleans is often unfairly stereotyped as being solely black/African American, which isn't true. People who live there, or folks like myself who visit know it's multi-ethnic and multi-cultural...um, sort of like ALL major cities these days. It's the give and take between and among ALL city residents that make it, well, World Class).

Anyway, maybe Spike Lee will spread the focus if he continues with the project (he's indicated a desire to do so). Or maybe someone else will do so. Or...maybe a visit to the Rising Tide conference could offer a perspective that isn't totally focused on the Lower 9th, given that I don't think too many bloggers either on the panels or attending live in that part of the city (if I'm wrong, feel free to correct me).

OK, I feel like I might be spinning myself into a hole here, so to try to get out before digging too deeper, I'll just note that there are probably as many perspectives on the flood as there are citizens (or former citizens) of the city--and the more we can listen to and learn from, the better. Our strength is in diversity and in numbers (in contrast, the government's monolithic position of "blame everyone else" is their weakness--THEY FAILED, THEY KNOW IT, and so they try to pass the buck).

Oh--by the way--while this government twiddles its thumbs and otherwise ignores the Gulf (of Mexico) Coast (NOT JUST New Orleans--some people have the highly mistaken impression that affected areas in Mississippi and Alabama are roaring back to life, which isn't true by a long shot)--anyway, while our government twiddles and fiddles HERE AT HOME, they're looking to get in on the rebuilding action...in Lebanon. YRHT and World Class New Orleans have more on that, but good heavens...I half expect Team Shrub to next announce they've decided to purchase, at great discount, a bridge connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan.

Or maybe they'll just try to shoplift it.