Just got back from an interesting "gala,'' a community event where Hancock County, Ms, celebrated its businesses, elected leaders, citizens, etc. Nice event, and well done.
I'll admit I wasn't paying much attention. There was something else going on that distracted me - until this long-time, apparently very successful county supervisor who was retiring stepped up.
"I'm going to thank some people, and some of them may not be very popular,'' he said, and among those he wanted to thank was "George W. Bush."
For all the talk about New Orleans, it is often forgotten that New Orleans was not devastated by Katrina; New Orleans was devastated by a levee that broke because of the water surge caused by Katrina.
Mississippi - specifically the bay on the border of Hancock and Harrison County - was devastated by Katrina, the full force of which hit right along the coastline of Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, Waveland, Long Beach, Gulfport, and Biloxi. These communities are just now beginning to show significant recovery.
Yet George W. Bush, the villain of New Orleans, is the hero of Mississippi.
"I pray,'' said this retiring politician, "when I see places being hit by hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes - I pray they get the quality of support we got from our elected leaders - including George W. Bush."
And the mention of Bush got a huge round of applause.
The difference?
What I've found along the Mississippi coast - and this is a generalization, I realize - is the people don't ask for help. If offered, they accept it. They don't ask for more. They don't scream that they didn't get enough. They take what they get and go back to work. They've taken great pride in rebuilding on their own. It's taken six years, and they're not done yet, but every new business, every new road that's repaved, every building that's rehabbed and occupied, is a cause of celebration and pride.
And I like that.
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