Sorry for what?
New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin has apologized for calling the WTC site a "hole in the ground." The question is, why? I see it every day, and that's exactly what it is. To have it be thus five years out is a sin and a shame and should be a searing indictment against the key players and stakeholders. I don't like it any better than anyone else, but I see no reason to pussyfoot around the sad reality.
Comments
actually, Barry can you tell me what Ground Zero looks like now? Is it all still roped off? is it all dirt? Is there still a memorial?
Posted by: ortho | August 28, 2006 07:17 PM
actually, Barry can you tell me what Ground Zero looks like now? Is it all still roped off? is it all dirt? Is there still a memorial?
Posted by: ortho | August 28, 2006 07:17 PM
Because you don't refer to a place where so many innocent people lost their lives as a 'hole in the ground'.
You know me, Barry, I hate PC but with the massive loss of life there, a certain amount of respect was called for.
BTW, I remember Nagin trying to explain his "chocolate city" gaffe by saying that you add milk to chocolate and you get a delicious drink.
Why didn't anyone point out that that is not called chocolate but rather cocoa?
Posted by: mal | August 28, 2006 09:27 PM
It's not roped off at all. In fact, the PATH train currently rolls right down into the pit itself, and snakes around the perimeter before coming to a stop in the WTC station. It's a bit bizarre.
Posted by: BNJ | August 29, 2006 07:37 AM
Yeah, what mal said. Think he was apologizing for referring to that great tragedy in a way that was dismissive and made it seem as though he thought it was insignificant and that he was dismissive of the pain and suffering of the event.
Welcome back, by the way.
Posted by: DBK | August 29, 2006 08:04 PM
i admit i haven't kept up with the "freedom memorial" or whatever it's called. hmm. I can't figure out if i don't care or or instead would rather not think about it at all. I think it'd be weird to see the site everyday on my train ride. how would i think about the memorial then?
Posted by: ortho | August 29, 2006 08:38 PM
The real, or at least primary problem with Nagin's remarks wasn't their insensitivity, but their gross and self-serving innacuracy.
The original WTC took over ten years to erect (from the clearing of "electronics row" around that area to the opening).
New Orleans isn't only not rebuilt, but huge tracts remain uninhabitable. Basic things like clearing debris from streets asn't even been done.
That's a LOCAL problem!
But instead of addresing the many and varied local shortcomings (aside from rampant corruption), this idiot makes a flippant, off the cuff non sequitor, saying in effect, New Orleans can't be expected to do anything until the WTC is rebuilt.
As they say in the old nabe - "The guy's half a retard,"....and I'm none to sure about that other half.
Posted by: JMK | September 3, 2006 11:02 AM
Halliburton is busy deliving cooking oil at $2,000 a quart with the military escort that we pay for ... when they are done in Iraq, they will rebuild the WTC and New Orleans for us too! Naturally, since we know the debris at these sites is toxic, they will need more "hazard pay" and we will have to shell out $500 a brick, but that's OK, it's only tax money, and we have Big Spender Bush and his No Limit USA DEBT credit card, so go wild!
Posted by: Bailey Hankins | September 11, 2006 10:08 AM