Dear friends,

As we pause to reflect and honor the memory of those who perished on September 11, 2001, we can't help but wonder: Just how safe are we?

To be selfish just for a moment, when we think of our own man made natural disaster on August 29, 2005, how safe is Southeast Louisiana from another Katrina-like event? Is rebuilding in those areas inside the flood plain really a good idea?

I was struck by an interview with noted LSU professor Ivor Von Heerden recently. He was asked if he would feel comfortable rebuilding in those places (in the flood plain). He answered without hesitation that he would not rebuild in those areas.

I'm wondering if we are in fact acting like the proverbial lemmings to the sea? Are we rebuilding smartly, or are we following a path that puts us in as much harm as in pre-Katrina?

What do you think? How and where should we rebuild, and where do we look for leadership on this issue?

Sincerely yours,

Norman Robinson