This past Sunday an editorial appeared in the Washington Post. Its theme was simple.
It was a plea from the editor-in-chief of the Times-Picayune, Jim Amoss, for the federal government not to forget its pledge to rebuild New Orleans.
It is a notion we unequivocally support.
In the initial aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the nation stood with the devastated city as well as all those otherwise affected by the disaster.
President George W. Bush himself said, “There is no way to imagine America without New Orleans, and this great city will rise again.” In recent months much of the city still lies in ruins, and its post-hurricane population is a fraction of what was once the largest city in Louisiana.
We do not seek to criticize the current administration, nor the state and local authorities. We understand they are doing their best in a bad situation and progress can come slower than we would like.
Still, we cannot help but add our voice to that of Amoss and all others who wish to see the Crescent City reborn.
This is not a selfish desire on our part. Indeed, Amoss reminds us of the very fact that New Orleans, far from what most of America sees, is not just about tourism or a celebration of the Old South.
Instead it is as vital a part of our nation as Chicago, Seattle or Boston, serving as one of the largest ports in the nation and an entry point for a third of the country’s oil and 40 percent of its seafood.
America needs New Orleans as much as we do. So let it be said that we do not call for special privileges, as we acknowledge the lives lost by others on the Gulf coast, specifically those in the still devastated area of southern Mississippi. But we hope the nation does not forget New Orleans and remembers its commitment to rebuild this great city.