I intended, really meant, to post about Hurricane Katrina on its third anniversary. Unfortunately, I think I am spent when it comes to remembrance, and outrage, and on top of that there is another hurricane in the Gulf today that could be just as dangerous.
Gustav is projected to hit Morgan City, Louisiana, early Tuesday morning, probably as a category 3 or 4 hurricane. Whether it bothers New Orleans or not is still an open question. Gustav will be a very powerful storm, but it may not be as large as Katrina. Katrina dealt hurricane force winds over a 300-mile diameter; if Gustav is smaller than that New Orleans is unlikely to get anything more than 60 mph winds, which it should be able to handle. The people on the central Louisiana coast, on the other hand, are in for it. This area is Cajun country. Morgan City absorbed Hurricane Andrew in 1991, but I am certain they do not want to see anything like that again.
The purpose of a memorial is to deal with and put behind you the emotions of a trauma. This is what Katrina memorials are supposed to do, but that can't happen when current events are reopening the precise fears of the past.
Right now I am living in a town about 100 miles inland from New Orleans. Our town is filling up at this moment with campers, cars with Louisiana license plates pulling trailers, and RVs. The hotel parking lots are full, which never happens. It's just like Katrina days.
Where I am I don't expect to sustain any meaningful damage. We are just praying there is no replay of 2005.