A New York Times article yesterday compared the recent disaster in New Orleans to its century old precedent in San Francisco. According to historians, the comparison yields both good and bad news for the city. Mary C. Comario, a professor of architecture at UC Berkeley said it took 20 years for San Francisco to get back on its feet. Since San Francisco remains a vital city, this seems like good news. But the article also highlights the fact that the cities were at two different points in there respective growths when the catastrophes happened. San Francisco was a “new metropolis” at the time the earthquake hit, while New Orleans has been in a state of economic decline for centuries. Historians fear this may prevent investors from contributing to the rebuilding.

Ms. Comario ultimately predicts that New Orleans will wind up half of its original size. Though the article doesn’t mention it, the demography will certainly change. My previous blog about the slowness of the Housing Authority of New Orleans to allow the return of residents is only one of many examples of African Americans being unwelcome to return. The Nola.com forum is a disgusting example of an ongoing racist dialogue between local residents.

I have recently been involved in several debates about whether people even want or should return to New Orleans. To the first question, I say emphatically, YES. People want to return to New Orleans. A HANO survey reported that 60 percent of displaced residents from the housing developments want to return. I am sure the number is the same or higher from people that did not live in public housing.

To the second question, whether people should move back, my instinctive response is WHO ARE YOU TO DECIDE? Rationally, I understand that the question is motivated by safety concerns. But if that is the case, why isn’t the whole world asking Amsterdam to move? I definitely agree with that consensus that we need to make vast improvements to the levees and structures in the city. I think that people who squeak by housing inspections are insane and irresponsible to rebuild without lifting. At the same time, WHO AM I TO DECIDE? Maybe the people rebuilding don’t have enough money to start over?

In conclusion, nobody who has never lost everything materially and spiritually valuable to them shouldn’t decide the future of those who have. In other words, butt out. If people want to go back and live in a potentially dangerous place, it’s no longer out of ignorance, it’s out of pure stupid love. As the bumper sticker says, “New Orleans, Proud to Swim Home.”