Ernesto might visit Chocolate City

Well, I've been watching the hurricane center's forecasts and
tracking
of hurricane Ernesto, and it looks like that particular Hispanic just
might
make a visit to New Orleans again.... It looks like this time
everybody
there is taking it seriously and making preparations. it will be
interesting
to see how things turn out if it hits.
Ernesto will almost certainly hit somewhere. Personally, I wouldn't
mind it hitting Texas and bringing a bunch of rain with it, since my
area
is in the worst drought in history.....
If this happens, you can bet that hundreds of lives will be saved
as
a result of the Katrina catastrophe. Mandatory evacuations will be
taken seriously this time, and buses and drivers are already being
contracted.
But, regardless of where it hits, a lot of people are going to be
greatly inconvenienced. There is a very real chance that the poor
record of the Chocolate City refugees will discourage many
communities from opening their doors again. Many places are
trying to find "socially acceptable" methods of encouraging the
refugees, many still on local public assistance, to go elsewhere.....

As an aside, I saw an interview with Spike Lee who is making a
movie about Katrina. In his opinion, Ray Nagin really messed up...
My opinion of Spike Lee just went up a couple notches....

I curious to see how this plays out. We'll all know in about a
week. It brings a welcome change from constant news reports
about John Karr......

California Poppy...

I believe that Governor Blanco was the biggest part of the problem in
New Orleans rather than Nagin. She didn't want to call for federal
help. Since she is still the governor, what is changed?

I agree with you that the behavior of the refugees has discouraged many
would be benefactors. Read the analysis in the NYT of the different
experience of Atlanta and Houston. Of course there are many factors
involved including the fact that Houston got twice as many refugees as
Atlanta. But the big difference was whether the people left
voluntarily when Nagin order them or whether they left involuntarily.
Most of the former went to Atlanta and the later to Houston.

Andy in Eureka, Texas

( If all of your neighbors are like the characters on
The Red Green Show, you might live in Eureka, Texas )