While writing my post about getting to speak French while selling cellular telephones this afternoon I gave a link to Metroblogging’s New Orleans site. In the getting of the link I decided to stop and read a few of their recent posts, as the New Orleans site is actually one of the most well known site in the network because of its coverage of the Katrina aftermath. The Metroblogging coverage often surpassed the national and international coverage because the bloggers are local and know the city and its people.

It was then interesting to read author Chris Martel’s reason for not watching the recent State of the Union Address by the George W. Bush [mbno], especially since Katrina and New Orleans have totally dropped off everyone’s radar after the initial shock and awe of nature and the anger at the government’s sloppy response.

Some people I know watched the State of the Union address last night. I’ve been known to watch it in the past, but this year I didn’t have a single ounce of caring or even curiosity that would lead me to turn on the television. I asked myself why this was, and finally came to the simple conclusion that it didn’t apply to me. I don’t live in the U.S.A. anymore.

New Orleans has always felt a little different than the rest of the country, but now, after five months of the government consistently turning its back on us, it’s pretty evident that we are the bastard child of this nation. And I think it’s time we start embracing it.

It’s surprising to hear that sort of anger, or if not anger then at least resignation that nobody particularly cares about the city or the area now that the media have turned their attention to other things. I’d like to think, naively maybe, that our government’s response to a similiar disaster somewhere in Canada would be better but there’s no way of knowing until it happens. If it were to happen up north to the native peoples then I’m afraid it would probably be worse.