To Build or Not to Build

In the summer of 2005, Hurricane Katrina unleashed what resulted in a widespread devastation wreaked on the city of New Orleans. New Orleans—the colorful, zealous Mississippi Delta city, home to world-renowned restaurants, jazz and blues’ clubs, and universities, saw many of its neighborhoods flooded, even washed away by Katrina’s strong waters that breached the barrier of its levees. The extent of this catastrophe has triggered fierce debate over how the city should be rebuilt; taking into consideration the city’s population shift, economic emergency, and continued below sea-level vulnerability. Actually, there are some who think that the potential for a similar disaster in the future begs the question whether the city should be rebuilt at all. I personally believe that New Orleans deserves to be rebuilt. As stated before, the continued below sea-level vulnerability is one of the major issues taken into consideration when debating whether or not to rebuild the city. Some may argue that the river that flooded New Orleans is a savage, untamable beast; aloof and unappeasable, with no heart except for its own task (Document A). However, the city has fought its mighty river for generations. The river is simply part of the New Orleans heritage, and is simply nothing new to its residents. This river is the same river that helped impregnate and vitalize the soil of early settlers. The austere beauty of the river itself is in fact too grand to be forgotten; and too awe striking to be completely omitted from New Orleans’ history and then categorized into a monster whose damage is underserving of man’s repair. Normally when tourists or first-time residents come to New Orleans, they have a difficult time understanding the city. Even a prolonged stay brings no easy recognition or familiarity. New Orleans history of different cultures, ethnicities and traditions that can help explain the city's atmosphere. You can say that diversity is