martes, febrero 28, 2006
New Orleans la fuerza, la constancia, el apego y la cultura
New Orleans la fuerza, la constancia, el apego y la cultura: Les transcribo, un artículo publicado esta semana en U.S.A. Today, acerca de la realidad actual en New Orleans y como un pueblo se niega a resignarse al abandono de su vivienda, hogar, trabajo y culturas; signos emblemáticos de la fortaleza con la cual el homo-habilis-sapiens, ha logrado sobrevivir por varias generaciones en esta Amada Nave Madre GAIA, durante este Infinito viaje inter-estelar.TRANSCRIPCION: In New Orleans, 4 of 5 want to stay.-By Susan Page and William Risser, USA TODAY.- Most New Orleans residents say they still face serious problems in finding housing, arranging home repairs, obtaining medical care and getting such basic city services as garbage pickup. But six months after Hurricane Katrina, three of four of those now in the city say they're optimistic about its future. Michelle Meaux celebrates Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans. Meaux lost her home in Hurricane Katrina and is now living in a trailer. By a 4-1 ratio, they want to stay.- On Fact Tuesday, as New Orleans celebrates the climax of Mardi Gras, a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll finds a community that has big problems but is on the mend, a process most residents predict will take years to complete. The signature spirit of the Big Easy —including a tradition of staying put that is rare in this mobile nation — has survived among those who have made it back. (Related: Poll results).-Its racial makeup apparently has changed, however. In the survey of randomly selected residents who have phones, 52% of respondents were white, 37% black. In the 2000 Census, the city was 67% black, 28% white. A racial shift could have political repercussions in the mayoral election April 22."Things are going to be different, I think," says Cathy DeYoung, 37, an artist who is white and was among those polled. "But as far as the basic spirit that people have, it's going to be the same, or pretty close to it." (Related: Residents remain committed) "It's like everything's bad," says Dent Hunter, 43, a home repairman who is black and "lost everything." Still, he's optimistic about the city's future. "It's going to take about 15 to 20 years before it can really get back to the way it was," he says, "but I'm still going to be here.".-The poll finds blacks are having a significantly harder time than whites: Half of blacks but just one of five whites say they "lost almost everything." Blacks are more than twice as likely as whites to report "very serious problems" in getting electricity to their homes and finding jobs. Even so, African-Americans are as determined as whites to stay. (Related: Rebuilding boom underway).-The city's population was 484,000 before the storm. City Hall now estimates it at less than half that number. The low-lying wards that suffered the worst damage were mostly black neighborhoods, and many of those residents haven't returned after being evacuated.-The poll of 804 residents of New Orleans was taken Feb. 18-26 by land line and cellphone. It's the first major survey taken in the city since Katrina struck.-
