Broken Levees

Schroeder has started the inevitable discussion. I'm reposting my comments below:

From what I've seen and heard of Spike on the subject, it seems that his intention was to let his subjects speak for themselves. Not having seen the film, I deduce from that the interviews are going to be all over the map with some (perhaps many) people saying nutty stuff absent of any editorial correction. I'm okay with that. I want to see this movie.

Secondly, I'm certain I don't need to tell any of you that the existence of the "myth of the dynamite" true or not speaks volumes about the history of the well earned suspsicion of the powerful by the powerless.

We've all read Rising Tide so I don't have to repeat to any of you that there was at one time an actual conspiracy by the powerful to sacrifice the powerless by dynamiting levees.

I don't believe the industrial canal levee was dynamited. But I also don't believe that it would not have been if those with the means to so believed they would benefit from it.

The fact that the myth exists says something relevant about the context of New Orleans and its history. I don't have a problem with its inclusion in a film.. particularly given the film's format.

I may change my mind when I see it. I don't think I will.