The possible loss of such history makes me ill.

[nonconformist]

Everytime I think of all those 1700's buildings in the French Quarter that will likely be destroyed, I feel like crying. I'm really into old houses and historic structures, so this is really a punch in the gut. The US has such a short history as it is... such a shame to lose some of it.

[RandomKoolzip]

I know.

I lived on the corner of Conti and Burgundy in the French Quarter for a few years....to think that it may go the way of Atlantis is terribly fucking sad. Such a beautiful place.

But even if the place is lost, I hope some people can walk away from this.

[Triana]

1. It is SO sad - that place is amazingly rich in history and culture..

...I was PISSED when the Sheraton et al came in during and after the World's Fair and DEMOLISHED entire blocks of the French Quarter to put up damned highrise hotels. But they put a stop to the development down there so there would be a French Quarter left. Had the developers and money-mongers had their way, there wouldn't have been.

Now this threatens to destroy what's left.

Ugh.....

[Endangered Specie]

5. Ironic that the shetaton et al will suffer the same fate

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. I'll bet that those old one hold up a lot better than any of the new ones

They always have a hell of a time tearing down old buildings around here - built to LAST.

[Prism]

3. It doesn't seem real

That all of that history could be gone come sunrise.

The only way I don't get teary-eyed thinking about it is by not thinking about it at all. I'm just going to assume the buildings will remain, until someone tells me otherwise.

[Nevilledog]

4. I feel the same way.

Hubby and I have vacationed in NO and Biloxi 3 times in the last 6 years. We always stay at this beautiful little bed and breakfast in the Garden District. It's sublime to spend an afternoon on a bike, riding down tree lined streets and admiring all the beautiful architecture. After a week in NO we always head down to Biloxi for a few days to "recover" from the Big Easy. We stay at a gorgeous bed and breakfast right across the street from the gulf, the Father Ryan's house. Our favorite room is the one in the attic that you reach by a spiral staircase and the bed is located in an alcove surrounded by windows on 3 sides, looking out at the water. Just thinking about these beautiful places being destroyed breaks my heart.

We stay in the Bouligny Room:

http://www.southerncomfort-bnb.com/

We stay in the Sea Rest

http://www.fatherryanhouse.com/

[NVMojo]

6. lost like the history that is now lost in Afghanistan and Iraq ...thanks

to the USA. Karma can be so ugly.

[nonconformist]

7. That broke my heart too. nt

[CountAllVotes]

13. my thoughts exactly

As the old saying goes, "What goes around comes around". And wow, is it ever coming around. Karma really can be a bitch.

[Kenroy]

8. I know what you mean

this is a slow-motion heartbreak. I adore New Orleans and it's just incredibly painful to see this coming.

Let's hope against hope that something changes soon to diminish the power of this storm.

[noahmijo]

9. I never been to New Orleans I said the same thing today

How New Orleans was always a place I wanted to visit just for the history I don't even care about Mardi Gras I wanted to see the historical buildings, the jazz scene, things you'd never find anywhere else.

[Bluebear]

11. One glimpse...

[nonconformist]

12. *sigh*

Please let this beauty be spared!

[Jacobin]

10. It's one of the few non-homogenized cities in the U.S.

both culturally and architecturally.

If its lost, aside from the human suffering, it will be a tragic cultural loss

[Hardrada]

21. One of the few functioning heterogeneous cities too.

Well, of course, that's how we got jazz!

[Pooka Fey]

14. My heart is breaking for the possible loss of this cultural landmark.

The birthplace of Jazz and of Louis Armstrong. I'm a wreck. :cry:

[BlueIris]

15. Yeah. And I'd always wanted to see them, too.

Sad isn't the word.

[kodi]

16. i am more concerned about lives, buildings you can always rebuild

lives? no way. once they are gone, they're gone.

[Bluebear]

17. Of course everyone is concerned about lives.

The poster is just adding that New Orleans is a beautiful treasure. How can you rebuild those buildings?

[kodi]

18. don't you understand? they are just things

the only reason they have any significance at all is because humans bring the meaning to them.

[Bluebear]

22. Of course I understand kodi

But if a human gives significance to something, and there is meaning attached to it, it can be mourned. I think the poster was just pointing that out, not to the exclusion of life.

[Hardrada]

20. The Germans rebuilt Cologne and Munich

and are working on Dresden. If the people survive, the city survives.

[nonconformist]

19. Caring about history and structures doesn't mean you don't care about life

That's a given.

[Lorien]

23. Amen nonconformist

I always hate the absurd assumption that every human being is greatly limited in their capacity to care about more than one issue at a time. Compassion and concern have no limits. A single soul can easily care about lives, old buildings, lost history, Iraq, Afghanistan, animal welfare, the poor, National health care and much more simultaneously. We are complex, multi-tasking beings.

[Bluebear]

24. The Buddhas that the Taliban blew up. for example

Ancient stone masterpieces, gone. I care 3000% more about the women in burqas being abused in that regime, but I still mourn the loss of that piece of history.

[nonconformist]

25. Thank you

You expressed that far more eloquently than I could... middle of the night and on cold medicine and all.