can you spell gentrification?

Oh my, the people are not shy about their plight. It seems to take about one half of a question about the "K" word to get most people in the City fired up. Our waitress last evening gave us about a 2 hour dissertation on the "whitening" of her fine city. She first layed down her theory (which seemed completely viable) about how Katrina will effectively move the predominantly white suburb, St. Bernard's Parish, into the predominantely black suburb, the 9th ward. She then layed down the disgust that residents living around musician's village feel every time they look at the "$100,000 crayon boxes". She was angry, and it sure seemed rightfully so.

This 18 month later New Orleans that I will take as my image of the City is probably not going to last. Something seems to be in the works here, something scheming perhaps. There is so much distrust throughout the City, even if the intentions are somehow good, they will not be looked at as such. The folks here have been wrecked, and no amount of government money or presidential promises is going to put them back together. They seem to have replaced fear with hate, and those who have hated long enough seem to just be dispondent. To say that it is disheartening would be an offensive understatement. This city is f*cked, and I can't imagine any assitance that would restore her sweet virginity.