Today in class I told my students that the battle for the soul of America was being waged in the streets of post-Katrina New Orleans. It seems meladramatic. But I honestly believe it. My students believe it. I spoke to some colleagues and friends in New Orleans, who all seem to believe it. So overextended or not, we need to keep pushing.
I recently attended a forum at Xavier entitled "New Media and Community Activism in Post-Katrina New Orleans." The panel consisted of some pretty famous local activists who blog: Brian Denzer, Karen Gadbois (who couldn't make it), Clifton Harris, Mark Moseley, and Maitri Venkat-Ramani. It was moderated by Bart Everson. During the discussion Maitri commented on the fact that it's great that the bloggers and activists are so organized, but where do we go from here? We continue to be kept out of the political and financial battles that shape the city, and the country.
I heard Bobby Jindal talking o the Tee Vee the other night. He said he told the White House now is a good time to {paraphrase here} push the agenda of the party here in New Orleans.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find most offensive about this is that Education and Healthcare are the issues that will be pushed and if they get it "wrong" then who suffers most?
I am certain that you and your students are right: the battle for the soul of American *is* being waged in the streets of post-Katrina New Orleans.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the answer to Maitri's question, but continuing to ask it is the first step, even if we have to take it over and over again.