Farmland Or French Quarter?

I know that this isn't my usual genre but I feel the need to speak up on this one. I will probably do this from time to time just to vent, so please bear with me.

I am a native of New Orleans so maybe that is why this is bothering me so much. It's not that I care more or less about one group over the other, in fact I think they are all suffering. In case you are not following where I'm going yet, I'm talking about the Mississippi flood gates being opened.

For those of you not following the news, The Army Corps of Engineers this weekend opened the floodgates in northern Louisiana flooding the Morganza Spillway to try and save Baton Rouge and New Orleans. They later opened two other flood gates which, when combined with the Morganza Spillway, will flood roughly 3000 square miles to a depth of 6 – 25 feet under water.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the whole greater good, and sacrifice the few to save the many. I understand it, that doesn't mean I like it. I am bothered by articles that say things like, "The Army Corps of Engineers plans to open up one or two more flood gates on Sunday, allowing for a slow release so that residents and animals have a chance to leave." Shouldn't it read, "We made sure everyone was evacuated before we turned their towns into a modern day Atlantis?"

From what I'm reading it appears that residents knew this day would come, as a matter of fact it happened some 40 years ago. I also understand that Mother Nature has her own schedule and waits for no one. I don't envy the poor folks being driven from their homes, nor do I envy the poor guy that has to make the decision to flood them out.

Like I said, I'm just venting. Frustration at the fact that these poor folks have to uproot and move their families and possessions knowing that they will be returning to waterlogged homes, and knowing that it is a better choice than what happened in New Orleans during hurricane Katrina.

God Bless all of them, I wish them well.