Part of an email I sent a friend

[Blaise (imported)]

A friend endured her first hurricane. She wrote about the excitement

of being in one. This is my response.

____,

I have been through enough storms that they have lost their inherent

charm. In my youth, I did find them exciting. In their unique way,

hurricanes are beautiful. Of course, I drove around during the storm

Monday morning. That was a dumb and perhaps illegal activity.

However, I had regretted not getting out during Andrew. I did not

find much that translated into photographs.

I suspect that I could have made it to New Orleans or at least

Ochsner Hospital in Metairie. I did not do that. I wanted to make the

trip. Just after Andrew, I traveled to the landfall south of Houma

but never took photographs that I could not have made somewhere else.

The most memorable image was of a billboard.

I lost electric power for a tad over a three and a half days. For

three days, I could not get in my office. Today, we had to leave

after an incident at the River Center. I was with the Constable

Reginald Brown at the time a television reporter interviewed him.

Major Brown did not know what happened. I have a lot of work to do.

Having to do home annoyed me. The image of the constables with body

armor and shotguns would have been interesting to photograph. Three

bicycle officers were next to an MP in full armor and with an M16.

The court does not allow cameras. I feared leaving mine in the

truck.

I do not like blaming poor people for illegalities. Most poor people

are law abiding. Many of those who came from the city have lived in

the stench of the Superdome without benefit of proper sanitation or

air conditioning. They must be immensely disoriented.

Ted

[Christina (imported)]

I, like you, have experienced several storms first hand. In our last hurricane, Isabel, I was fortunate (or unfortunate as the case may be) to witness first hand the destruction that the general public didn't have access to. I was able to take a tour of the area before any cleanup efforts were done. I didn't need a camera, the memories are still vivid. Seeing personal belongings scattered everywhere, houses totally gone, everything turned upside down was too much to bear. Needless to say I came away with tears in my eyes for those victims and their families.

[Blaise (imported)]

I, like you, have experienced several storms first hand. In our last hurricane, Isabel, I was fortunate (or unfortunate as the case may be) to witness first hand the destruction that the general public didn't have access to. I was able to take a tour of the area before any cleanup efforts were done. I didn't need a camera, the memories are still vivid. Seeing personal belongings scattered everywhere, houses totally gone, everything turned upside down was too much to bear. Needless to say I came away with tears in my eyes for those victims and their families.

Local leadership here was good. A lot that we did worked. We now need help from the federal government. We need medical staff to help our exhausted people. Our leaders need rest.

We must restore order in New Orleans. Credible witnesses report awful conduct in the city Cynthia Williard Lewis of the City Council reports unlawful conduct. We will not toleate thugs.