Did America America Disappoint New Orleans or Did New Orleans Disappoint America?

While watching the Katrina memorials yesterday I took a moment to reflect on the victims, recall the enormity of the tragedy and pause to say thanks for a job well done by the army of volunteers and the church groups.

While the national media was replaying clips of reporters in hip boots and the Coast Guard pulling people off roofs, I began to ask myself a question:

Did America disappoint New Orleans or did New Orleans disappoint America?

Not to take away from the tragedy of the convention center, the perception was that it was Sodom and Gomorah. We were lead to believe from media reports that scores of lives were lost, people were being murdered and anarchy was the rule of the day. A year later, I asked a friend of mine how many people she thought were killed at the convention center; her answer, not suprisingly, was several dozen. In fact, according to the published report, no one was murdered at the convention center. There were six deaths: four from Katrina-related stressers, one drug overdose and one suicide. There were no murders at the convention center.

While the mayor was busy chastising the Federal government, who admittedly was a bit tardy and ill prepared, the buses he had ordered were abandoned in parking lots, water logged and waiting for passengers. While the streets became a wild west scene from an Old Western movie,hundreds of police officers left their jobs, some even turning to rogue bands of criminals themselves. While people were suffering at the convention center, gangs of others decided to loot the local businesses and homes. And, while aid groups were standing in deep water feeding and clothing the needy, the governor was at odds with FEMA and the National Guard.

Today, we hear about neighborhoods still not rebuilt, while faith-based groups continue to hammer nails each and every day in their volunteer efforts to rebuild the city. Critics continue their dogged rantings about what was not done and what did not happen, but the city leaders have yet to execute a master redevelopment plan.

My question remains: Did America let New Orleans down or did New Orleans let down America.