Body and Soul: Flood

Another must read from Body and Soul with a Katrina recovery update, and it is not good news: Flood

Meanwhile, the city will soon start razing homes. Local religious leaders came together yesterday to urge people to accept the fact that much of the city will never be what it was. Support for that position comes from scientists, who say that what was the Lower 9th Ward may need to be a buffer zone against future floods. It's hard to know what to make of that, particularly when Rep. Baker is talking about selling that land to developers. But no matter what, asking people to accept that what they had is gone, without offering them any way to remake their lives and their communities, is cruel.

Sadly, it doesn't look like there's a good solution to any of this. If it's true that much of the city, the poorest sections of the city, are not recoverable, the great injustice of people being swept out of their old lives seems almost inevitable. I'm going emotionally numb reading all this.

Once again, follow the link and read the whole article.

No sooner had I read her thoughtful review than I read the deadline in today's paper, Katrina Evacuees Face Hotel Deadlines Anew, "Thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees who have been staying in hotels at FEMA's expense will have to pay their own way beginning Tuesday..." with more of the same in this Salon article, Homeless again in New Orleans. Oh brother.

If you want to put your money where your heart is, donate to ACORN. They are mobilizing crews to start stabilizing and rebuilding homes in low income neighborhoods. This organization has a proud history of grass roots activism for poor communities. They deserve our support. And prayers.