B A Hockman
The Lower Ninth
We took a cycle tour of the lower ninth on Monday. I was worried it may be a journey of poverty porn; a few rich tourists fawning over the disadvantage of a poor black neighbourhood in New orleans. Maybe it is that, but I came away with a lot to think about and the experience left an indelible mark on my overall journey. This is just a sketch of some of those thoughts, but worth putting down while relatively fresh.
This evening, a few days later, back in the UK I was listening to a podcast of Marc Marron interviewing Marilyn Manson. They briefly talk of Nawleans and whether it is evil, in the context of the 'spirits' and vibe of the place. Not because of the voodoo or interesting myths of vampyres and colonial history or the debauchery of Bourbon Street and french Quarter do i think it is an evil city. But the experience of what happened to the lower 9th, and other poor neighbourhoods in the lead up and aftermath of Katrina is evil. Maybe not in a focussed intentional way, but in an endemic and ungraspable way.The lack of accountability for what happened and way that the lives of those few survivors is so profoundly affected is quite chilling.
From a planner point of view, and having spent a fair amount of time in another sub-sea level city over the last year or so, the lack of proper planning in how to address the threat of water, as well as the resettlement of the area with sparse housing and few amenities, all still totally dependant on cars just seems bonkers. Has anyone done a lessons learnt here to try and avoid poverty traps, food deserts or repeat flooding? I am sure they have but decision makers along the way seem to have one way or the other compromised.
There are heartening humanitarian efforts along the way. There are very positive projects and community action. but it is a very bleak experience riding around hearing what led up to the catastrophe of Katrina and the atrocity of the aftermath. It put the treatment of poor americans into context I was trying to understand from that first greyhound trip from Raleigh to Charleston. The inequality and suffering that is so stark in the city centres next to my touristic opulence. Maybe it seems harsher because of the disneyfying effect of everything in america seeming bolder and brasher to a brit tourist raised in the quiet countryside. Maybe it is amplified because I chose to watch I, Daniel Blake on the flight home and am still intently following the fall out form Grenfell in London.
As I say, a sketch to log some thoughts along the way, maybe to return to. But a valuable few hours cycling round another side of a fascinating city in hot heat.
The Lower Ninth
We took a cycle tour of the lower ninth on Monday. I was worried it may be a journey of poverty porn; a few rich tourists fawning over the disadvantage of a poor black neighbourhood in New orleans. Maybe it is that, but I came away with a lot to think about and the experience left an indelible mark on my overall journey. This is just a sketch of some of those thoughts, but worth putting down while relatively fresh.
This evening, a few days later, back in the UK I was listening to a podcast of Marc Marron interviewing Marilyn Manson. They briefly talk of Nawleans and whether it is evil, in the context of the 'spirits' and vibe of the place. Not because of the voodoo or interesting myths of vampyres and colonial history or the debauchery of Bourbon Street and french Quarter do i think it is an evil city. But the experience of what happened to the lower 9th, and other poor neighbourhoods in the lead up and aftermath of Katrina is evil. Maybe not in a focussed intentional way, but in an endemic and ungraspable way.The lack of accountability for what happened and way that the lives of those few survivors is so profoundly affected is quite chilling.
From a planner point of view, and having spent a fair amount of time in another sub-sea level city over the last year or so, the lack of proper planning in how to address the threat of water, as well as the resettlement of the area with sparse housing and few amenities, all still totally dependant on cars just seems bonkers. Has anyone done a lessons learnt here to try and avoid poverty traps, food deserts or repeat flooding? I am sure they have but decision makers along the way seem to have one way or the other compromised.
There are heartening humanitarian efforts along the way. There are very positive projects and community action. but it is a very bleak experience riding around hearing what led up to the catastrophe of Katrina and the atrocity of the aftermath. It put the treatment of poor americans into context I was trying to understand from that first greyhound trip from Raleigh to Charleston. The inequality and suffering that is so stark in the city centres next to my touristic opulence. Maybe it seems harsher because of the disneyfying effect of everything in america seeming bolder and brasher to a brit tourist raised in the quiet countryside. Maybe it is amplified because I chose to watch I, Daniel Blake on the flight home and am still intently following the fall out form Grenfell in London.
As I say, a sketch to log some thoughts along the way, maybe to return to. But a valuable few hours cycling round another side of a fascinating city in hot heat.