And I, in my naivete, thought Vermont was "liberal"...

So my dad and I had a wonderful trip down to the deep south to look at Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi. However, it was a very quick and tiring trip. We got up early to leave on Tue. morning only to have our flight canceled at the last minute, already well past the time it was supposed to leave. But, God was most certainly watching over us, as He provided us with another flight. One of our friends from church was working at the airport and was very kind to us in trying to work out another route. We arrived in New Orleans and then drove up to Jackson, which took about three hours. We didn't get to the college until about 7:30 their time, 8:30 ours. (We left our house at 5:30 that morning). At the college I got to go to an RUF meeting and then some intramural volley ball games, then bed. In the morning, I had a wonderful campus tour, I got to see Lizby, and I had lunch with an excellent journalism professor. It was really an amazing time. Then, we went back to New Orleans, stayed overnight and got up at 4:00 in the morning to fly home. Now, here I am, very tired and not feeling good, but well pleased in the trip and so happy and fulfilled with God's goodness to me. It could have gone much worse, but He was pleased to grant us a smooth trip with virtually no issues.

Anyway, about the naivete piece...um... well, since my dad and I stayed in New Orleans for a night, not only did we see a lot of what Hurrican Katrina had done, but we also got to walk around the city for a bit, even though my legs were probably going to fall off. (just kidding.) We were eight blocks from Bourbon Street, so we decided to check it out, looking for a place to eat.

Well, we certainly were not prepared for what met us there. There was so much profanity! It was very blatant and out there, not at all concealed. We would pass shops where t-shirts with many swear words were openly displayed and a lot with not a hint of modesty. Almost every other doorway opened into a bar, and most of them were not fit for any one to even see advertised. And the worst thing was the pride that the people seem to take in Katrina. They have taken America's worst natural disaster and made into something that they can hold above others in a condescding manner, like somehow they survived and are better off. My heart goes out to those who were so hurt mentally, physically, and emotionally by the hurricane. I don't think that it was the people who really suffered who came up with the idea that Katrina could be a national identity or something to be proud of. It just seems that people are taking delight in something that should not be taken in that manner. So many people are still suffering in various ways. A hurricane is a terrible and mighty thing. I don't understand how it can be turned around in the way that they have turned it. However, I was not affected in the same way that they were by any stretch of the imagination, so I honestly do not want to be too judgemental. Maybe someone can help me understand if I am missing something.

Regardless of what happened with Katrina, Bourbon street was a real eye-opener to me. I saw things that I would never, ever, ever see here. That kind of stuff is probably all over, but I got a really strong dose all at once. I was kind of shocked. By the way, we never found an adequate place to eat, so we just found a SubWay somewhere else. :)

So, if you're looking for a nice, family-friendly vacation area, I wouldn't recommend down-town New Orleans. The area is really pretty, though, and the trees and canals are picturesque. It still needs a lot of work, but a lot has been done towards restoring the area.