Time to Concede the Fight

Maybe this makes me a jerk but New Orleans is a lost cause. According to Wikipedia, New Orleans population in May of 2007 was just under 260k. That is barely over 50% of what it was prior to Hurricane Katrina, and if those numbers are accurate, that makes New Orleans smaller than Des Moines, IA.

So as Hurricane Gustov makes landfall (right now), it is only logical to wonder what this will do to the numbers in New Orleans. Will the less fortunate be able to make the evac and return twice? Will those with means want to rebuild again? Will businesses or prospective residents want to move to an area that has not only proven to be disaster prone in the last few years, but is also uninsurable?

In a modern world, maybe the smart thing to do is just give up on the idea of New Orleans... while the city and area may hold a rich history, it is apparent that building below sea level is not only dangerous, but indefensible. It may be true that New Orleans contains a culture that is not found anywhere else in the U.S. but for the safety of its residents and the finances of the state consideration should be given to relocating New Orleans to a location that is sustainable and habitable. If the thought is too harsh a reality, consider the alternative... New Orleans being a reduced to under 100k people or less. Now that would be a ghost town. New Orleans may be turning into the natural disaster version of Chernobyl.