September 8, 2005

StreetTalk

by Carol Rosen

What is your opinion of the relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina? Should New Orleans be rebuilt on the same spot or moved above sea level? Do you plan to help the victims financially or otherwise?
(Asked at Almaden Center)

“I think they started out slowly, but they are doing a magnificent job now. I’m not a geologist, but I think they need to rebuild exactly where it is because of all the shipping and the infrastructure at the port of New Orleans. Our country depends on it. However, they certainly ought to keep ecological considerations in mind before they rebuild. If they hadn’t destroyed all the swamps the damage might not have been so severe. I have contributed to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.”

Ruth McMahon, 87
Almaden
Retired


“Honestly, I haven’t watched the news much since school started, but it sounds like there’s a lot of efforts going on to help these people now. I think there’s always more that could be done. Our school is collecting to help other Catholic schools in that area. I don’t know enough about it, but I think it should be up to the citizens of New Orleans to put the city where they want it. I’m contributing money through my school. If I have the opportunity, I would like to help out there physically.”

Caitlin Reardon, 16
Almaden
Junior at Archbishop Mitty High School


“There’s a tremendous need to do whatever we can because that could be us. It’s so easy to focus on the negative, but this is a tremendous crisis and it’s important to be proactive and to do what we can do rather than criticize what is not being done. I think there has to be a city of New Orleans. I think that it’s important because of the ports; it’s necessary to keep the city there. I guess it’s really more important how we rebuild than where we rebuild. We’d [my wife and I] like to give financially. We’re also encouraging others to do the same. It’s also very important to pray for the victims.”

Ted Hahs, 35
Almaden
Works for Harvest Evangelism


“The number-one disaster is that the city and state didn’t get people out before the hurricane hit. They had five days’ warning. The government and relief organizations are finally doing well. There was too much confusion and they were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the flood and how no one could get back in. You don’t build a city in the bottom of a bucket. There’s no need to go back in there [since the flood], it’s highly toxic and will be for years. Maybe they should expand Baton Rouge or St. Francisville or Alexandria, but they definitely should build above the water level. The environmental groups are getting upset because they are pumping toxic waste of gas, oil and sewage back into Lake Ponchetrain and the Mississippi. They are destroying the shrimp beds. Instead of pumping that water now, they should let the toxins settle to the bottom and then pump it out.”

Bob Nulk, 67
Almaden
Retired


“I feel disheartened by the way the government handled the relief efforts [last week]. They showed their true colors. If there were a major catastrophic event, we are definitely not prepared even though they tell us we are. They should rebuild where the city has been because the people that have lived there call the place home. They want to live there. However, the government needs to fix the problems with the levees and with funding. They should put priority on the levees. I’ve been there, they need to make it safe with lots of improvements to the land itself. I haven’t done anything yet, but would like to donate money and I’d love to go there and help. They need ongoing volunteers and help. If I can find the time, I want to physically go there and help.”

Bryan Telford, 31
Salinas
Software engineer in Almaden


“I think the government very recently started to be somewhat adequate in their relief efforts. It’s a national scandal the way the federal government handled it in the first place. If I understand it correctly, there had been $44 million earmarked to go toward fixing the levees, but it was transferred to Homeland Security. There are a lot of things that need doing. It’s deplorable that the government takes money that’s needed in one place and puts it somewhere else. A lot needs to be done and changed. I think they should rebuild it where it was. My husband and I visited it for a week and it was a wonderful trip, we wanted to go back, but didn’t make our plans in time. Because of the city’s history, I’d like to see it rebuilt in the same place. We’ve donated to the Salvation Army and also to Doctors without Borders, because I think they are helping too. ”

Arvilla Gaines, 77
Almaden
Retired teacher