Video: Who's Rebuilding New Orleans?
We’ll give you a hint: It’s not the government.By Zach Pentel and Brendan Polmer
April 10, 2008
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Correction: This video refers to Angela Jolie as the wife of Brad Pitt. In fact, Jolie and Pitt are a couple, but they are not married. We regret the error.
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Comments
What is the LOCAL and STATE gov doing? NOTHING! What are the folks who actually own the homes doing? NOTHING!
— stacy m mack - Apr 11, 01:06 AM - #Seems they left and have NOT returned. What does that tell you? Wise up college folks…when you are GROWN you may then have a mind of your own and not the socialist crap from your profs.
Stacy, are you kidding me!? The “folks” who own the homes are leaving because the local and state governments are not doing anything to help. If they were, then they would not be leaving so rapidly. New Orleans had so much before this natural disaster happened and there was no immediate action to help.
How is it that college folks need to wise up? Are you honestly saying that because we are young, we follow principles of socialism. I guess I cannot wait wait to get older, so I can truly understand what it is like to be complacent. Complacency is apparently alive in well, especially from “old folks” who should be telling us to progress and helping out in anyway possible. Thanks for the lack of encouragement once again. We can never be disappointed.
Great job Zach and Brendan! It is always good to see someone trying to evoke a positive change, rather than remain stagnant. This is what the progressive movement is truly about.
— Preston Mitchum - Apr 11, 09:53 AM - #LETS GO BCP!
— Nailah Ricco - Apr 11, 01:30 PM - #LETS GO BCP!
— Nailah Ricco - Apr 11, 01:31 PM - #Stacy, you are an IDIOT! YOU tell the USA how to do it, since you know so much! The home owners cannot do anything. The insurance companies paid little to nothing. Could YOU financially deal with having to come up with $100,000.00+ to fix a flood damaged, mold-filled home? And exactly where are the home owners supposed to live while the reconstruction goes on, IF you could come up with the money? Are you blind and deaf? Did you listen to any of stories on the news? Further, if you were given maybe 2 days to evacuate, would you have the thousands of dollars it takes to leave your home and stay in hotels, if you could even get a hotel? Your ignorance is almost as incredible as your gall. Little girls with big mouths should not try to express an opinion on something they OBVIOUSLY know nothing about! Do some reading on the subject. The local government is overwhelmed with the enormity of people needing help and have been begging for federal help since 2005. Again, you are an IDIOT!
— Jana Anderson - Apr 12, 06:49 PM - #Thank you, thank you so much, you wonderful college students who came and helped! I am still 1,000 miles away from my home, New Orleans. My brother-in-law had a major heart attack when the flooding started that required emergency surgery. If not for the wonderful college students who came and helped, my sister and her children would not have made it. They worked for days hauling everything out. What a wonderful, wonderful help they were. God bless you! Thanks again!
— Jana Anderson - Apr 12, 06:55 PM - #As progress continues perhaps we should consider incorporating alternative energy sources (solar panels, etc.) as a model for other communities in moving in a direction we can all agree that we need to move. And because after installation solar energy tends to pay for itself this could be a measure to help the families and others that have been so desperately trying to regain their status. Because it is important to think of the future as well, and if global temperature continues to rise all coastal communities could be in jeopardy.
— Lauryn Dewitsky - Apr 12, 10:48 PM - #So the private sector has made an effort to rebuild. The problem with the fed government not doing it is? what exactly? If you want to be pissed, be pissed at the elitist liberal assheads that prevented federal money from going to the correct outlets.
— Elas - Apr 15, 09:12 AM - #I recently talked with a musician this weekend who is from the bayou area of Louisanna, there used to be 20 miles of coastline between him and the Gulf, there is now 3 miles! Imagine that. Almost a whole town gone!!!
There is so much the government of the supposed best country in the world IS NOT DOING. Instead we’re off spending billions a month on other countries. I think the American citizens need to WAKE UP and demand our govt. help OUR PEOPLE for once! It is not going to happen unless we all get mad on Washington’s *ss! Spread the world, bring this information back to the forefront of the news, and lets help these people, places and things before they disappear thru lack of action!
— Amy - Apr 16, 08:43 AM - #It’s quite obvious that Bush’s statemen t/promise was misinterpreted by some. What Bush had in mind was just what is happening right now…PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE...because the president and many Americans know that we are a nation of decent,compassionate people. You certainly can’t expect compassion from an insurance company. If anyone honestly expects all homes and businesses to be completely rebuilt by now..(April 2008)... then they are obviously very naive and again obviously, have NEVER actually performed any kind of REAL WORK! Quit your damned whining and start getting your hands dirty!
— Russell - Apr 18, 11:28 AM - #Who was helping the people of New Orleans when the hurricane was on its way??? It certainly wasn’t the local government…which should have taken some precautions…and responsibility in the aftermath.
— Sarah... - Apr 22, 07:06 PM - #With all do respect. I’ve been to NO. And quite honesetly. The average citizen in NO is lazy, and won’t do anything for themselves. (YES I SAID THE AVERAGE CITIZEN, NO ALL PEOPLE IN NO ARE LAZY.)
— Justin Butcher - May 8, 12:34 AM - #I worked in NO for a year. And do you know who was doing most of the rebuilding? Not the government, not the local NO citz. It was People from out of town. Don’t listen to everything you hear. Those poor poor people in NO bring most of there misfortunes on thereselves. Bash on me all you want. But I know first hand what the great NO is all about.
Thanks for the nice video. I think it was a very nice portrait of the hard working students, and good-hearted Americans that are helping rebuild New Orleans.
After watching the whole video, though, I came to another conclusion than you – in fact; I came to the exact opposite conclusion.
Now, I’m from a country that relies on government every time anything happens; be it natural disasters, murders even regular burglaries; government covers it all, and is happy to spend money whenever they get the chance.
But in spite of all of this ‘goodness’ of the government, it has rendered the population of this country quite selfish. No one here ever engages in the community, nobody cares about the sick and poor, nobody wants to spend a minute of their time rebuilding even a single home.
But you, the Americans, will; Americans are some of the most emphatic people I’ve ever met, seen, spoke with and watched. Your actions inspire me and many others in Europe; and this because you don’t have to rely on government to do everything for you.
Please, Americans, do not become like Europe – don’t rely on government, but remember on what basis and ideologies your country was based; tolerant, hard work and individually responsible – none of these great concepts are rarely found in Europeans – hell, government takes care of it, anyway – “I’ve done mine by paying taxes. I don’t owe the community shit!”.
Individual funding and private activities are the way to go; forget government.
Sincerely,
A European who loves America.
— Stefan - May 9, 02:38 PM - #