What will it take the leaders of New Orleans Louisiana to Realize?

[MeCajunboy]

Cajunboy::::Ironical that you should say "Revival" Walla, as a Preacher by the name of Sharon Irbee (spelling?) has a huge one scheduled in mid-September. It shows promising crowds thus far.....But her goal is to remove the prostitutes off the streets and homosexuality and voodoo and so on. And I dare say that It might be better for God to merely destroy the city and begin all over possibly in another area nearby. As these sins seem to have taken a stronghold in the city/state, along with poverty. Yes, you heard right, as I believe even much of the "poverty" here could be avoided and you can blame the Federal Govt. as much as the people who prey on it! There is a lucrative business going on under the foundation of Government in Louisiana, and the powers that be, depend greatly on the ignorance and less educated for votes and support. Who else would sit back and depend on government support and be making $60,000 under the table in a "govt. subsidized housing facility? Or raising children, for a mere social security number to claim support and the added $3000.00 for income tax purposes? Talk about "organized crime! I personally knew of a "man" who held a long list of such social security numbers, and received a substantial "cut" of the monies mothers collected from the Government, years ago. Needless to say, that "man" is no longer in business!

The revival meets are a great start, Cajunboy. I pray that there will be enough people who are ready to hear the gospel and really repent and turn to God. Maybe it might be the start of a national revival -- we could sure use one.

I spent 7 years in Alexandria / Pineville while stationed at England AFB, and I got very familiar with the "art form" that is political corruption in Louisiana. Several business people I respected suggested how I could "get by" while getting my business license, etc. Basically, going around the system was the system.

I wonder, though, if Katrina would have gone ashore an trashed another city, would the results be the same? I mean the current chaos in N.O.

Cajunboy:::: On your last question, there are several factors that affect that. For instance: If we don't get busy now "regrowing" the wetlands that have been lost to oil dredging and natural causes, there wll not be much reason to be concerned for New Orleans future because we have to accept the fact that if it happened once it can happen again. And there's no evidence that points at the premise that we won't have another major and possibly more serious hurricane in the next few years. And our infrastructure just can't handle many more. For instance, I look for the old historical buildings that make up the French Quarter to begin crumbling before long.

Another reason government needs to question the funding of rebuilding the city is, "Are all the monies being apportioned properly and who's monitoring it?" Surely not FEMA? Some of them can't be trusted, and in many cases we're talking about local employees that work for FEMA here in Louisiana receiving "kick-backs" for directing business or relatives of local FEMA employees getting the jobs. One might say , "how much could a simple truck driver make merely hauling debris and trash from the hardest hit area of the city? How about $200,000.00 per year ? Now multiply that times the hundreds of debris haulers that FEMA is having to pay and you can begin to see why you and everyone else need to be wary and why Govt. Officials are concerned about Federal Spending and Federal Support.

At the same time, it fathoms me to think that for the past 40+plus years and since the last big Hurricane , Hurricane Betsy that flooded the city and mostly the

"Westbank" which lies "South" of the city and a major suburb of New Orleans, it amazes me that Insurance Companies were allowed to tell and Ill-advise our citizens of the city and the surrounding areas that they wouldn't need "FLOOD INSURANCE" because they might be several feet above sea level in comparison the the few area of New Orleans that are below sea level. And because these several hundred thousand people listened to their insurance companies and did not purchase the much needed flood insurance.....They were violated ! That is the main reason you and I are having to pay through our taxes, so much monies as added support to these hundreds of thousands of flood victims. Because now the government had to come back and compensate those uninsured for the CONTENTS of their losses.....Which an average range was about $50,000.00.

We can only hope our country and the Goverynment will learn a big lesson from this and a simple thing like, insurance companies and the residents being forced to carry home owners and contents insurance, would lesson some of the burden. We were just beginning to lesson the number of Federal subsidized project homes in the city, and now the government is contemplating bringing them back in massive amounts just to bring the "poverty" level dwellers back to live. Something the city cannont bear because many depend on the local assistance of the city for support; something the city cannot financially afford yet! And not for 20 years.

[Guest]

I was watching the 2nd Katrina anniversary stories on the web over the last couple of days.

They only showed the people who HAD money, insurance, etc. that were rebuilding their homes. The local station here ran a story of one of the folks that relocated here and went on with life. He got a job, etc. Now he only goes back to visit because their family home was in the 9th Ward, and is a total loss.

The ones they weren't running stories on were all the poverty level folks who were just scraping by before the storm hit. I always wonder what about them? What about those who had no insurance or any of that and now they have nothing. Of course, the crooked folks are always going to make money off things like this, and the little guy gets...........raked over the coals. (for want of a better term.)

Its sad that there hasn't been a more organized effort for the rebuilding. If we can fight a war, we could rebuild N.O. and the floodwalls -- and rebuild the wetlands too, but that would take some time. There just doesn't seem to be the political and individual will to do it.

[Guest yod]

the government in Louisianna (especially New Orleans) is worse than organized crime. Nothing happens without everyone jumping in line to "skim some off the top" whether you are talking about building permits, or roads/highways, or welfare, or insurance, or whatever....

People have their hands out on every corner (politically speaking) and the cops are even worse. They will flat out steal from you in broad daylight.

The hurricane has done much to expose the corruption which was already there and actually diminish it! But as they are rebuilding, it will be verrrrrry slow because there are a lot of hands sticking out for a payoff, a bribe.

It really would be better for everyone involved if they just shut it down but that won't happen. Too much money to be extorted.

Oh...and people didn't have insurance because they look to government to supply all their needs from food to housing.

[damo1]

from damo1

a holy spirit bomb and a true revival as hear in australia we are praying for this wear i live in armidale sevral of us have been doing this we go to the look out in our town it is an awsem view and you see the hole town and we just pray and we are asking the lord to move on our behalf so far there have been changes and things have happend we have had sevral big time drug dealers arrested big crops found over 2million dollars and it has had a big effect we are also praying for our leaders and those in parliment and for the christians in parliment to have more of a say as we have christians in parliment house and i have met sevral of them

yet this wil hapen when we put man made laws away and come back to gods word and act on gods word as man made laws get us know wear we need strong christian principals and we need to be praying for our leaders

the day i see wear a christian president or prime minister is elected wil be a happy time wear a christian is serving and not some one from the secular world

from damo1

[MeCajunboy]

I was watching the 2nd Katrina anniversary stories on the web over the last couple of days.

They only showed the people who HAD money, insurance, etc. that were rebuilding their homes. The local station here ran a story of one of the folks that relocated here and went on with life. He got a job, etc. Now he only goes back to visit because their family home was in the 9th Ward, and is a total loss.

The ones they weren't running stories on were all the poverty level folks who were just scraping by before the storm hit. I always wonder what about them? What about those who had no insurance or any of that and now they have nothing. Of course, the crooked folks are always going to make money off things like this, and the little guy gets...........raked over the coals. (for want of a better term.)

Its sad that there hasn't been a more organized effort for the rebuilding. If we can fight a war, we could rebuild N.O. and the floodwalls -- and rebuild the wetlands too, but that would take some time. There just doesn't seem to be the political and individual will to do it.

Cajun::::Thanks walla for your concern. Also, you will have to consider that many of these "poverty" folks would be better off in states that can accomodate their funding and subsidized insurance and everything else they necessitate....There were just entirely too many here for one state to financially support. And it just make many of those that don't desire to work or make much effort, flock down here by the groves. Over one half of the homes in East New Oreans were owned by landlords...Yes, they are apartmemts that are rented out to the workers of New Orleans, and far too many of them had little or no insurance either....Now , you have to ask yourself walla, What is a small business man/woman doing not supplying insurance for their tennants and dwellings? If they collect money for a profit, why then didn't they save monies for insurance and renovations anyway???? Now you may have a little better understanding of what's going on down here in certain areas of the city.

As for the city. I was told about 45 years ago, by a group of scientists who were observing the hurricanes like Betsy and the like and they predicted that within 50 years there would be a major hurricane that would devestate the city.....Seems they were right...and no one can make promises that if another major hurricane hit the city that nothing would help...some of this is inevitable....only God can intercede....Even the wetlands can't stop a Cat 4 from going up the Bay St Louis and shoving the Lake Pontchartrain into the city and northshore above the lake.....Much of the early oil dredging was responsible for the poor soil that remained as barrier reefs to hold the soil down for root formation....and much of that was raped by rich oil companies who have long sense pulled up "roots" and moved out farther where oil is more plentiful....and more expensive to drill.

[MeCajunboy]

I was watching the 2nd Katrina anniversary stories on the web over the last couple of days.

They only showed the people who HAD money, insurance, etc. that were rebuilding their homes. The local station here ran a story of one of the folks that relocated here and went on with life. He got a job, etc. Now he only goes back to visit because their family home was in the 9th Ward, and is a total loss.

The ones they weren't running stories on were all the poverty level folks who were just scraping by before the storm hit. I always wonder what about them? What about those who had no insurance or any of that and now they have nothing. Of course, the crooked folks are always going to make money off things like this, and the little guy gets...........raked over the coals. (for want of a better term.)

Its sad that there hasn't been a more organized effort for the rebuilding. If we can fight a war, we could rebuild N.O. and the floodwalls -- and rebuild the wetlands too, but that would take some time. There just doesn't seem to be the political and individual will to do it.

All is not what it appears walla! While there were many who deserve better treatment, East New Orleans is made up of govenment subsidized homes , apartments, and some low income home owners. Believe it or not, most of the Landlords that had property and apartments and homes for rent cannot rebuild either, mainly because they did not take insurance out on their investments. I don't think it's fair to you and I to have to carry people like this who only want to make a profit and spend their monies and not make sound investiments, then the govt. (we) have to bail them out with our hard earned taxes ......Where'e the fairness and justice in that?