[rattlsnak]

I grew up in N.O. also, and had family (9) people living in my house in ATL for over 16 weeks while going back and forth on the weekends and such to fix their houses just enough so they could move back into them. (ever watched your mother cry herself to sleep everynight for weeks?) I was just there last week again and there are several places where it looks like the storm happened a day ago. I'm talking about overturned cars, buildings with only shells remaining, roads that you need a 4WD to navigate, etc. Let alone all the businesses that are empty and schools that arent reopened yet. (My nephews are having to platoon to school. One set of kids goes from 6-1, another set goes from 2-9.) There is plenty more I could go on about.

Its easy to say, I wouldnt take a handout, or I would do it myself, or etc. Really? when my family was here we damn sure took the FEMA payments they got. We were fortunate enough to buy supplies up here and bring them down there because there was not a place to buy ANY supplies down there for months. You simply couldnt go live with a friend or neighbor because nobody is there. Everybody was affected. Many of those people there had/have NO WAY of rebuilding themselves even if they could afford it.

Just how do you rebuild if you're living in HOU (or wherever)? OK, you're 80 years old, do you call up Jim's repair service and tell him to rebuild your house for you? Hmmm, wait, I have no insurance and no money.. Now what?

I am not applauding the people who are simply 'waiting on the goverment', but alot of these people (black or white) are simply not in a position to rebuild without help.

I have several friends who are still waiting on insurance checks. Oh, and the new building code for houses on the lake??? it has to be 16 feet above sea level. BUT, insurance companies cap the rise at 4 feet. So many people there now have two options, rebuild with no chance of getting insurance, which means they have to pay cash, or not rebuild there. SO 90% of those people will simply lose the value of their land because nobody will ever buy it.

oh, I could go on and on,.......

But for any of you that have not been in this kind of situation firsthand, you all need to S.T.F.U.!