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Hurricane Katrina was bad for Southeast LA and Mississippi, and Alabama. We've been made very aware of the tragedy inflicted on the people living in those areas. Movies, documentaries, high level authorities made to resign due to mishandling situations, these things have been firmly embedded into our minds by the news media. Especially the people in New Orleans, chased to places like the Super Dome, by the tens of thousands and left standing there, screaming indignantly at news video cameras about how they were mistreated and there was no one there to help them.
Hurricane Rita came ashore less than a month later. I live in Hackberry, 12 miles from the beaches on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, my house is just yards from the ship channel leading to the Gulf. Hurricane Rita came through here like a mad woman going to.., well, you've heard that phrase. A storm surge wall of water, tall enough to immerse houses, pushed by 125 mph winds, strong enough to tear houses to pieces like a wrecking ball had had several swings at the buildings, battered the communities of this area. Complete houses washed away, found miles away, in the marshes. Holly Beach is 12 miles due South of me, was wiped completely off of the beach. There were 2 tall palm trees left standing at Holly Beach, I saw them myself, tough trees. Holly Beach settlement residents have seen hurricanes before. They knew what to do. I don't remember seeing anything about Holly Beach residents on the news, making disparaging remarks about the government not helping them. Cameron parish residents may be few, compared to the jammed in populations of New Orleans, but what Cameron parish residents have is common sense, the will to survive, and strong roots in an area deep in tradition.
As I watch Cameron parish drag itself out of the mud and hurricane debris, I feel a sense of pride knowing these folks are my neighbors. No whining and complaining heard here, just awe at the forces of Mother Nature and then "back at it", cleaning up and rebuilding, blaming no one, demanding nothing more than offered. It's this vision of the people of South Louisiana I'd rather have plastered all over television screens, than the ignorant people that preferred to ignore blatant warnings and orders to evacuate before Katrina.
Cameron parish resident,
Charley Drumm
