Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion of Walker Percy

[<Robert_Pauley AT oxy.com>]

Title: Message

I'm not sure what the point is, though. That New Orleans is not corrupt or that I am smug. Or both. At the risk of sounding smug, I re-submit that New Orleans is the most catastrophically corrupt and incompetently managed city in America. Lehman is dead-on. And these charges are helpful, for sunlight is the truest enemy of corruption and incompetence. As Walker Percy said, it is better to identify the lesion. Inasmuch as it painful to hear and to read about New Orleans' "unimaginable" dysfunction, the more attention brought to the matter the less chance it will repeat itself in a rebuilt New Orleans. I don't think we would wish the same on any place or anybody. No, the truth is good.

-----Original Message-----
From: percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Nikkibar AT aol.com
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2005 1:54 PM
To: percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [percy-l] Pauley and Mitchell's smug, self righteousness

In a message dated 9/26/2005 6:07:43 PM Central Standard Time, Robert_Pauley AT oxy.com writes:

http://www.city-journal.org/html/eon_08_31_05ng.html

Open response to Mr Pauley:

 

You have just proven my point. The article which you cite from a magazine unknown to me and written by one even more unknown, vaguely mentions the former Marc Morial administration as being corrupt; probably true (even though the jury has yet to be empaneled on that one) but then the writer sneaky-cleverly tries to tar Ray Nagin with the same brush. Not fair to Ray by a long shot. And true, he is overwhelmed but who wouldn't be. From where I stand Ray seems to be trying his level utmost to bring the best and brightest minds together from the greater New Orleans area to brainstorm the problem. And condemnations like that in the article are the direct opposite of helpful.

 

Nikki Barranger