August 29, 2005, is a day many Americans recall vividly. It marks the day that Hurricane Katrina forever changed the lives and fate of a city with a culture as rich as the land and waters it sits on. That day brought about sentiments of confusion, frustration, anger, strife, disgust, desperation and death.
Related Article: Hurricane Katrina: Five Years Later, Signs of Progress but Troubles Persist
Never in the history of the United States have we seen so many people with so many questions and so few answers:
"What's happening?"
"Where am I going to go?"
"How am I going to repair or replace everything?"
"When can I go home"
"What's left after the water recedes"
"WHO'S GOING TO HELP ME?"
Ironically, some of these questions are still unanswered after 5 years.
But being a New Orleans native, I've found a few misconceptions and myths that are associated with Hurricane Katrina and those who were so severely devastated by the storm. Here are some of the more common ones:
1) Those from New Orleans who left the city due to the storm are/were REFUGEES.
I'm afraid not, folks. In fact, the very word suggests that we were not citizens of the United States prior to Hurricane Katrina, have never paid taxes in this country (and worst of all) not wanted here.
To be clear, an "evacuee" is far different from a "refugee." We are not some illegal aliens looking to come to the "...land of the free and home of brave." We are AMERICANS, which is why the response effort, or lack thereof, pierced the hearts of so many who weren't New Orleanians but still realized they were witnessing the worst natural disaster coupled with the worst response effort in United States History.
2) The Lower 9th Ward is the only area that was damaged by the storm.
This couldn't be further from the truth. It's debatable that the 9th Ward didn't sustain the most damage due to Hurricane Katrina. The eastern half of the city took a significant amount of damage, as did other low-lying areas of the Big Easy, such as the 7th Ward and LakeView areas.
Unfortunately, though, the continuous coverage of the 9th Ward makes for BETTER press, because it consisted of some of the older houses in the city, which results in more distinct, visible examples of the devastation suffered due to the flood waters. Couple that with the fact that the area is also home to many who fall below the poverty line and have struggled to return to normalcy (let alone their everyday plight prior to the storm), and it's easy to see why the cameras don't venture too far from the area.
Yes, the 9th Ward was hit extremely hard, but it's not the only area that was hit - not by a long shot.
3) Everyone from New Orleans that still lives in the city or has returned is old, mentally ill, homeless, uneducated, poor or on some form of government assistance.
Again, that isn't true. The press loves to show you those types of images on television, but it just isn't the case. Yes, New Orleans is a city that has a significant amount of poverty and low-income housing as does every major urban city in America. But to be clear, the city consists of business owners, civic leaders and other working class professionals that include the Shrimpers who are currently being affected by the recent oil spill.
The citizens of New Orleans are doctors, lawyers, and most any other profession that exist in an urban community. Nonetheless, the business, professional, and career prospects of New Orleans, do leave a lot to be desired, particularly now in post-Katrina, as many businesses have left the Crescent City for higher ground, no pun intended.
Still, the city is filled with affluent, educated people who are chasing the American dream just as you are.
4) The levees were blown up by some government entity.
It's been said many times that the levees were blown up but that statement is false. The levees along the river were actually in good standing condition before a barge slammed against it, causing a breach and thus the flooding began. Conspirators after the "Wow" factor put this story out, but it isn't true.
The barges that travel along the river are large and powerful enough to cause destruction, especially with the strong winds that accompany a storm of a Category 5 hurricane. The "boom" the locals heard was actually the barge slamming against the levees, not an explosion as the conspiracy suggests.
Related Article: Hurricane Katrina Still Has Emotional Grip on Thousands of Children
These are just a few of the myths that exist concerning the citizens of New Orleans. As we embark upon the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, let's not give precedence to the devastation or destruction; rather, let's pay homage to the resilient spirit of the people of New Orleans. The city that never sleeps is also the city that never quits. New Orleans lives on....
Hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana, Christian Bolden's roots are as deep as any being a local star athlete, grandson of world-renowned jazz singer Tami Lynn, and nephew of famed drummer Herlin Riley. Now a resident of Washington, D.C., due to the catastrophic events of Hurricane Katrina, Christian has attempted to make a difference for his hometown with his upcoming intiative "ReNew Orleans Social Networking/Fundraiser Event.