Following up the breeze

This takes you to excerpts from a series that ran in the New Orleans Times-Picayune (what the hell is a "picayune" anyway?) in June of 2004 explaining how the federal government cut the budget for projects to raise levees around New Orleans.

It's important to note that even if the work was fully funded and completed, there's simply no way of knowing if it would have been enough to save the city from flooding.  However, I think it needs to be acknowledged that certain "priorities" caused other ones to be overlooked.  Indulge at your will.

See this too.

As for wondering if anyone has stated that New Orleans "deserved" all this since it is a decadent city, well, it didn't take long to find something.  I particularly enjoyed the following:

"Although the loss of lives is deeply saddening, this act of God destroyed a wicked city," stated Repent America director Michael Marcavage. "From 'Girls Gone Wild' to 'Southern Decadence,' New Orleans was a city that had its doors wide open to the public celebration of sin. From the devastation may a city full of righteousness emerge... we must help and pray for those ravaged by this disaster, but let us not forget that the citizens of New Orleans tolerated and welcomed the wickedness in their city for so long," Marcavage said. "May this act of God cause us all to think about what we tolerate in our city limits, and bring us trembling before the throne of Almighty God," Marcavage concluded.

If you read the entire thing (and if you do, I hope you did not just eat), you'll see that "Southern Decadence" is an annual New Orleans gay festival.  The city, rightly so, welcomes everyone who chooses to celebrate life in New Orleans.  I have no doubt that Michael Marcavage pins most of the blame for Katrina on "Southern Decadence."

And I was all set to join up, grab my supplies and help "REPAINT America"!  Then I re-read it, and put my rollers away.  Silly moi.

(Note: the links are a blatant rip-off of Andrew Sullivan.  He has millions of readers.  I do not.  I thank him for helping me provide facts.)