NOLA Truth
My
family and I evacuated Florida during Katrina. When we arrived, it was
cold, dark and raining outside, and I had no friends. Sitting in my
hotel room, I turned on the TV, hoping Spongebob would be there to make
me laugh. Instead, a came across something disturbing and alarming. A
news reporter informed me that “God is punishing New Orleans for their
corruptions such as partying, and supporting of criminals.” I was a
fourth grader who had just learned that I was a member of a corrupt
community. All of New Orleans, including me, a naïve eleven-year-old,
was at fault. We deserved God’s punishment; I felt guilty. When Katrina
was over, I returned to my religion class at Sacred Heart and questioned
the news reporter’s statement. My teacher told me “down in New Orleans,
we ignore stupid stereotypes.” WHO DAT
Brittany, age 16