Months after the devastation that Hurricane Katrina caused, New Orleans is being slowly rebuilt. That is the assessment of Doug Minich, leader of the New Orleans-based LGBT motorcycle club Cavaliers MC.
In an e-mail to Windy City Times, Minich conveyed how surreal things are: 'It is amazing to me what we can adapt to and call 'normal' when, really, it is anything but normal.' As one sign of a sense of normalcy returning, he pointed out that most of the businesses in the French Quarter ( which was relatively undamaged ) are open, albeit on a limited basis. He also indicated that the population was, at last count, about 60,000 people—approximately 15 percent of the pre-hurricane population.
Some aspects of living in the area have taken some getting used to, Minich admitted. One such facet involves the presence of the National Guard patrols, although he said residents are 'thankful' they are still around. However, Minich said that it is still odd to have a curfew.
As for the LGBT community, it 'seems to be healing very well,' he stated—although Minich thinks that the gay contingent may actually comprise the majority of the city's residents. Also, Minich said that the annual Mardi Gras celebration will still take place: 'I think it is something we need to do for ourselves here and not the tourists, as usual.'
Minich concluded by asking two things. 'Ask the readers to contact [ their ] congressmen/women to insist they support funding the rebuilding New Orleans' levees,' he wrote. 'And please keep us in your thoughts this holiday season.'
[ Note: Regarding the levees, Reuters reported that the White House announced on Thursday it had agreed to a $3.1-billion plan to strengthen the structures. ]