How to “Fix” New Orleans

Posted on September 8, 2005 by waynem

In the New York Times, David Brooks has an eye opening commentary on how to fix New Orleans. Link: Katrina’s Silver Lining – New York Times.  In his words, "Katrina was a natural disaster that interrupted a social disaster."  The basic outline is

1.  "Nothing should be like it was before"

In those cultural zones, many people dropped out of high school, so it seemed normal to drop out of high school. Many teenage girls had babies, so it seemed normal to become a teenage mother. It was hard for men to get stable jobs, so it was not abnormal for them to commit crimes and hop from one relationship to another. Many people lacked marketable social skills, so it was hard for young people to learn these skills from parents, neighbors and peers.

2.  There is a need to "Culturally Integrate"

The only chance we have to break the cycle of poverty is to integrate people who lack middle-class skills into neighborhoods with people who possess these skills and who insist on certain standards of behavior.

So, my hope is that we have moved past the blame game and have rapidly moved towards real constructive discussions as to how to fix the problem.

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About waynem

As a Minnesota based photographer and artist I have been greatly influenced by the Upper Midwest. I focus my skills and energies on portraits, landscapes, cityscapes, architectural and fine art work. My best work comes from images first painted in my mind. I mull over a prospective image for weeks or months, seeing it from different angles and perspectives, then finally deciding what to capture. The result is images that deeply touch people's emotions and powerfully evoke memories and dreams. My images are used commercially by companies and organizations ranging from Financial Services firms, mom and pop Ice Cream shops and The Basilica of St Mary to communicate their shared vision and values. Book and magazine publishers have featured my images on their covers. My photographs also grace and enhance the decor of many fine homes.
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1 Response to How to “Fix” New Orleans

  1. Steve Harper says:
    September 13, 2005 at 2:58 pm

    Interesting perspective. Social disaster complicated by a natural disaster. No doubt that this was a tragedy before but imagine the economic and social impact it will have on these “housing” cities. Places like San Antonio and Austin thought they had homeless issues before. We ain’t seen nothing yet.

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