Yesterday some moron decided it would be really cool to stand up at a housing conference pretend he represented HUD and announce that HANO would not be knocking down ruined housing projects. Instead they would clean out and open these shattered buildings. He even said people would be able to move in very soon...
First up, wow, you are an idiot sir! Why get people's hopes up about something that will not happen in their wildest dreams? Why mess with those who have already lost everything and can't even afford to come back if they wanted to? Why?
Second, who believed this guy? Come on, think for a second, the expense alone would make this a huge mistake, plus the idea of housing projects only segregates your population and forces certain neighborhoods to become the 'bad ones.' In a new New Orleans we are hoping to rebuild in a way that encourage further development and lift up our population. Yes all of the population should have a chance to come back, but why settle for the old when we can start anew?
And lastly, I enjoy a good joke as much as the next guy, but this is about as appropriate as someone dressing up as a Muslim and dancing on the still smoldering ashes of the World Trade Center on September 12, 2001... ugh, get a life buddy!
via CNET
What's going on here? Why am I posting so much? Today, in honor of Katrina I am attempting a 24 hour 24 post blogathon.
1. I see why you feel the way you feel about this, but I respectfully disagree. This prank has brought some pretty ridiculous policies and practices into the spotlight.
Now people know that HUD IS planning to destroy perfectly good public housing -- I didn't know that before. And a Wal-Mart spokesperson has come right out and said that they do not want to help local businesses at all, as evidenced by their opening two stores in the area.
The best performance art pranks highlight real absurdity and call attention to injustice like this -- but they also infuriate a lot of people along the way.
http://journals.aol.com/editorjeff76/pixelpusher
Posted at 10:39AM on Aug 29th 2006 by Jeff Simmermon