I have had two instances in the last few months where random people both out of the blue mentioned that New Orleans should not be rebuilt basically because it will happen again at some point.  Both arguments were the same that their tax dollars should not go to a region that will be ripped apart at some future point.  In one example I was chatting with this guys wife while he was away (we were at a poker table) and I found out they were from the Quad Cities.  So when he came back he had no idea I had this knowledge.  So when he randomly brought up the topic of New Orleans my retort went something like this:

“New Orleans is arguably our most historic city, a lot of who we are as Americans is because of that city.  It is not like some no name place no one cares about like Davenport or Rock Island.”

He then says, “Hey, be careful, that is where I am from” to which I said “well I am from New Orleans”. 

Given both of their arguments many of our best cities should be torn down, Los Angeles and San Francisco certainly should not exist.    

I think it bothers me most not because it is where I am from but because we are so willing to disregard our history so easily.  New Orleans seems to have become a symbol of poverty that is viewed the same way the middle class viewed welfare during the Reagan years.  Recently I was in London and I was talking to a cab driver and I mentioned that I was originally from New Orleans (ironically no one knows where Minnesota is but everyone knows where New Orleans is) and he said something funny “I would have never known what a levee was if it were not for Katrina”.  

Growing up in New Orleans used to be a cool thing, now when you say it all people can think about is Katrina.  Which I suppose is fair.  Whether people want to or not people will rebuild New Orleans, with or without government help.  But if you had a list of 5 cities that are unique in the United States and you should save at almost any cost New Orleans would certainly be on that list.