my only defense is this. otherwise i am defenseless
the site here has only one purpose beyond what I have here in photographs, and that is to provide this defense, the links I have here, to New Orleans, as it relates to the people, housing, history, architecture and expression, images and photography from all those who are there now, photographing since aug 2006 up to aug 2007. And words and pictures from those who have photographed their city, Part II, see Defense.
i got a note from friend/s today, actually two notes*, from a friend i have never met, and her friend, but for a flickr in a moment last summer.
These past couple years, I have been looking, scanning photographs of mine. I have had to re-live my past, in New Orleans. I start to get used to it, but not really. I keep looking, at all the photos that karen and laureen take, as well as so many others , it is as if i am riding down the street w/ them, every day. You can tell me, you can show me how bad things are in the city, and you can yell at me about it any day, I can listen and I will hear you. I say, just keep taking those images everyday until they get it, until we all understand that it is not just New Orleans that needs Defense, it is an American history, and a city not to be forgotten, or forsaken. I do this in Defense of New Orleans!
as i have so little that I can say, I will let Karen and Laureen say it all for me, as they have said it so well…
– “Summer is really here. The malaise you can cut with a
knife, but then there is the rage and anger and fear that
get in the way.
I miss New Orleans.
Yesterday a young man came by my house on a bike. No tire,
riding on the rim. He lived here before the storm and used
to hang out on my porch with the other little terrors that
lived here in my neighborhood.
He said he was looking for them, where are they? Who knows” Karen
-“I have to laugh at your Defend New Orleans tag, 
“Bad Dog Defends New Orleans shotgun” b/c I am really not in the mood to Defend this place anymore. It’s 300 years of fucked up. I figure all I can do now is document it. We need Katrina II. That would make our photos even more valuable! *
I just want to shop at a nice grocery store these days . . . ” Laureen
1st draft 7/ 18
Defense will be a follow up page to this, w/ Words And Pictures from those who are in New Orleans today.
*”real photography, by real people, real photographs, are captured, and go w/out reward…but are worth so much more, than nothing.” jl july o7
Originally uploaded by
jlp/ New Orleans 