Friday, November 14, 2014

LIVING WITH HURRICANES: KATRINA AND BEYOND -3

A POIGNANT EXHIBIT AT THE PRESBYTERE ON JACKSON SQUARE IN NEW ORLEANS





The exhibit is raw, emotional, ugly, beautiful.

It is almost impossible to look at some of the displays and not be reduced to tears.

There are stories on unimaginable suffering.

There are times when one thinks if they were placed in the aftermath of Katrina, unreached for 7 days and counting, would one pray for the roar of helicopter blades and boat engines – or would one pray for going to sleep one time and escaping the misery in the quietude of death?

Throughout the displays, the visitor has to remind himself that Katrina took place in the 2ast century.

With the loss of safe water, food, communications, hospitals, first responders, all basic needs – the aftermath looks like it took place a century ago.

It is almost impossible to conceive that 21st century America was so slow to help the people of New Orleans.

The sluggishness of supplies, manpower, communication lines was so woeful that you’d think the rest of the nation surely was at war and unable to rush help to historic New Orleans.

Looking at the multimedia displays, you feel the pain, the anguish, the feeling of abandonment.

TOMORROW -- PART3

Hours: The Presbytere is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed Mondays and major holidays.



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