New Orleans needs your help!

The White House and Congress seem intent on dooming New Orleans to becoming an adult disneyworld, without the real economic backbone to fuel our culture. Despite President Bush's pledge to the contrary, nearly three months since Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, the commitment and resources to protect New Orleans from a category 5 hurricance have dissolved. Check out today's front page editorial by the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Without effective levees, flood control and a comprehensive coastal restoration effort the companies now waiting in Atlanta, Houston, and Baton Rouge will not come back! Every day we delay putting a version of the Louisiana Coastal Area plan into effect, every day we delay putting the Corps to work planning the cat 5 levee system, is a day 5 more executives buy a house in another city. Now is the historic opportunity for a New Orleans Renaissance - but we need Washington's commitment to make it happen.

My plan is to get a massive on-line petition to Washington - one signature for every displaced New Orleanian waiting to come back - 330,000 folks at last count. That's a HUGE effort, but given the unique place New Orleans holds in America's heart, I think we can do. It's going to take everyone who loves New Orleans taking a moment to tap into their personal e-mail lists and urge friends, family and colleagues to weigh in.

Can you help? We should have the petition ready to go by Tuesday - but we need it to spread, and spread fast. Let me know if can marshall your lists, and make calls to MAKE LEVEES, NOT WAR!

Aaron Viles is the GRN's Campaign Director