This is a wonderful idea, to share memories of New Orleans as a tribute to a
fabulous city. When I think of all those wonderful historic buildings and
fences and storefronts and restaurants and neighborhoods filled now with
filth, water and debris; of all those life-loving people facing such
horrible conditions and help barely trickling toward them, I can do nothing
but listen in horror and weep.

When people say they won't go back, or that it can't be rebuilt, I can't
bear to hear it as that would be death to a fantastic, historically rich
city.  This country needs to turn itself inside out to send technology,
hands, medicine, equipment, food, everything to New Orleans. Already the
money pledged to the Red Cross is reaching the amount sent to New York after
9/11. But when the basin is pumped out and the levees rebuilt, that's when
our expertise will be needed. We need to help our museum colleagues
communicate about what is needed for their collections, site and staff.
Barbara and other who posted updates are performing a wonderful service, and
we need to support her and the museums of the Gulf, with our expertise and
equipment. I am overwhelmed by the medical and basic food and shelter needs,
but I can help in the area I know best, museums. I hope the regional museum
association will lead the column of help to recover New Orleans' cultural
and arts heritage.

16 years ago I lived and worked as a curator/archivist in a city badly
shattered by the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Rebuilding took several years, and
we started out with  most of our infrastructure intact. New Orleans has
nothing, no fuel, no power, no cell tower landlines, spoiling food, no
water, and disease beginning to spread. Yes they need the government and the
military, but they also need us and we can help.

I apologize if this repeats things already said, I have been away from email
and don't read the list carefully when I return to hundreds of messages. But
I know we are a responsible community of professionals, and when the call
for museum help comes we will act.

As for memories of New Orleans, while I loved the "place", it is the people
who stay in my memory-- welcoming and ready to share heartily everything
they love. It's payback time.

Micki



-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Indigo Nights
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 9:55 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Laissez Les Bons Temps Roulez! Celebrating New Orleans



... So now, it's up to those of you who visited the glory
that was New Orleans to help us know how wonderful it
was.  If you were lucky enough to experience Louisiana
in all its finest, why not tell us about the museums,
the state parks, the staff, and any other memories you
may have as a form of "oral history".  Let's celebrate
the good, while we struggle to restore what can be
salvaged.  ...

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