Looka! 09.2005

Frommer's New Orleans · before Katrina hit land

Tuesday, September 6, 2005
Dear Friends 

TRUTH and BEAUTY and LOVE are UNIVERSAL. 

CHILDREN FIRST

Immediate and very direct help, go to
http://www.braf.org
http://www.habitat.org
http://www.girlscoutsaudubon.org
http://maps.google.com - Type in New Orleans address and click Katrina link

New Orleans is my home and birthplace.  I remained in downtown New Orleans 
during the difficult first five days. In the French Quarter, downtown, and 
along the Mississippi River, I witnessed the SURVIVORS of this powerful 
storm struggle to maintain dignity and life.

Along this narrow unique corridor of the original city boundaries, there 
was NO FLOODING.  All around us, the waters rose and the struggle roared 
louder than the hurricane winds of that historic storm.

During this time, communication was non-existent.  Rumors ruled the 
street. The outlaws were bad, but a tiny percentage.

The community worked together to have the stamina to remain calm and 
alive. NO water or food was delivered into these historic quarters until 
late Friday afternoon.

NO evidence was seen of Authority or control.  

We were not destroyed through looting or shooting.
In fact, I witnessed a far more remarkable scene than TV or radio was able 
to report.

The other less famous, but EQUALLY IMPORTANT neighborhoods of this 
remarkable City, were deluged with water, fear, anger, bullies, and HEROES.

Our policeman, fireman, and individual citizens used their wits and 
struggled to rescue many thousands of stranded friends and families while 
their own lives had been shattered.

The historic French Quarter and Riverfront community up St. Charles Avenue 
and along the Mississippi River survived intact and can be ready for your 
return soon after the electricity and running water is restored.

We are eager to see the misery calmed and life and vitality restored.  
Despite the visual images you are seeing, you will be surprised in the 
upcoming weeks. As we unite, together we can move forward to bring us 
together again.

The Daily Challenges are being addressed in a manner that requires 
everyone to remain flexible, cooperative, resourceful, inventive and 
respectful.  ALL displaced CITIZENS must have the Opportunity to return to 
their original neighborhoods.  These unique neighborhoods must be rebuilt.

The complex and multi-dimensional problems of this event are going to be 
solved, step-by-step, day by day, brick by brick.  THE PEOPLE who are the 
heart and soul of this great city will be back. It is essential to bring 
ALL home to let the magic that you love about New Orleans blossom in the 
SPRING.

The great gumbo of New Orleans requires that ALL our friends and families 
have a chance to return to their roots. The unique qualities that we love 
will shine if we continue to act with true dignity and bring back to EVERY 
NEIGHBORHOOD the artists, cooks, workers, musicians, professionals, 
carpenters, and more.  This is TRUTH for NEW ORLEANS and EVERY community 
that surrounds it for miles and miles and miles.  

Tonight, we are scattered and battered.

Each day, the outpouring of concern has kept us going forward.  We will 
clean it up and want everyone back to their neighborhoods and homes.
For some of us, this will be soon.

For the vast majority, it will be much longer.

WE NEED YOUR HELP and the fantastic response from around the world and 
especially across the USA must continue.

THE LOVE for New Orleans is evident.
WE sincerely THANK YOU.
We know the stress is spreading and touching all of you.

EVERYONE in the entire region has been affected.  I am presently in Baton 
Rouge organizing and helping people find a place to live, work, and send 
their children to schools.  Baton Rouge has taken in over 350,00 people 
and nearly doubled in size.

Some of us are in hotels, friends' homes, strangers' homes, shelters, 
churches, temples, arenas, gymnasiums, vehicles, tents, and every 
available resource you can imagine.

The generosity and kindness of the great people of Baton Rouge, Houston, 
and every town and state for hundreds of miles is remarkable to witness.  
They are nurturing my fellow CITIZENS of New Orleans, Mississippi, and 
Alabama.  It will continue.

Many of you have asked to HELP.
We need your resources and immediate attention to a multitude of tasks.

We must continue rescuing, protecting, housing, and restoring health all 
at once. This test and challenge will require stamina and willpower, 
infrastructure, money, and planning.  Timing is truly critical.
Everywhere I look, the efforts and overtime are phenomenal.  Imagine.

My fellow survivors continue to inspire others.  No doubt major mistakes 
have been made.  This can be debated at a later date. 

I ask all of you to continue focusing on NEW ORLEANS and the entire GULF 
COAST and pushing this effort forward.  Each of you have a role to play as 
this situation stabilizes.

Tonight, I feel that the children need our most immediate attention.  In 
Baton Rouge alone, there are over 35,000 new children of kindergarten to 
high school age who are in dire need of stability and EDUCATION.

This TRUTH is repeated in numerous communities all over Louisiana, 
Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, 
Arizona, New Mexico, and many more.

Tomorrow should be a school day for these beautiful children.   We must 
begin to provide and prepare them for the future. NOW!

Schools, teachers, personnel, and supplies need to come together quickly.
An Education Relief Task Force is organizing this effort. I strongly urge 
you to continue supporting ALL charitable efforts with your donations.

I believe that the Baton Rouge Area Foundation (www.braf.org) is the 
proper place to direct your financial contributions at this very moment. 
The EDUCATIONAL CRISIS is critical.  The New Orleans School System is 
wiped out and bankrupt. 

As you think about this, if we can get our children on a positive track, 
then parents will begin to rest easier and thus able to solve all the 
problems we need to address. From this will spring forth all the other 
great projects needed.

At times this emotional roller coaster we are all on, causes us to briefly 
stop.  It is paramount that we work together diligently for a very long 
time to achieve this GOAL for our CHILDREN.  

It can and must be done. With this will follow the jobs and the dignity we 
all need to rebuild.

CHILDREN FIRST.
Send your donations to BRAC.ORG
My dear friend Marc Sternberg, a Baton Rouge native, 
(marc@bronxlabschool.org) is a vital part of this effort.  
Bring your energy, ideas, and donations NOW.

Throughout all of this, I have heard my mother's words echo in my sky.
"Pick up the pieces and get on with it."

Thank you for your prayers, positive thoughts, and energy. You keep me and 
many others moving forward on this path to recovery.  Every moment of 
everyday we encounter a changing reality.

FOCUS on the FUTURE by immediately providing the resources needed to get 
these NEW SCHOOLS up and running.  The CHILDREN need you more than ever.
It will take more than 150 million dollars for this effort in Baton Rouge 
alone. All the communities of the great Gulf Coast and Deep South region 
have the same challenge. 

I will continue to be here to help.

WE ARE ONE.

CHILDREN FIRST

[You may have read my] eyewitness account sent earlier to many of you. 

I know it only applies to this tiny historic piece of land I was blessed 
to be in at the moment this storm arrived.   

I am keenly aware that other neighborhoods in New Orleans and all around 
the GULF COAST experienced a nightmare of biblical proportions that seems 
to grow daily.

THANK YOU
I am the luckiest man in New Orleans and this planet.

New Orleans News: NOLA.com / Times-Picayune, WWL New Orleans, WDSU New Orleans. New Orleans Music: WWOZ-in-Exile.

New Orleans News: NOLA.com / Times-Picayune,
WWL New Orleans, WDSU New Orleans.
New Orleans Music: WWOZ-in-Exile.