Tours of the Area

Exploitation or Education? New Orleans Disaster Tours:.

For $35 per person - $28 for children - a New Orleans company is offering bus tours of some of the city's most misery-stricken spots, including the Superdome, the Convention Center and neighborhoods ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Residents disagree over whether the tours are crass and morbid exploitation, or a good way to help people grasp the enormity of the disaster and keep public attention focused on New Orleans' plight.

Public opinion is split over this. I for one am supportive. Some of the money goes to disaster relief (about 10% of it), and most people really cannot imagine the total devastation until they actually SEE IT. The photos just don't give the whole picture. I think a lot more money will come this way after more people see it with their own eyes and get the word out. Raising awareness is really important to keep the money coming. Without it, those levees will never be fixed the way they need to be.

On the other hand, the busses won't be driving by my neighborhood, so I don't have the privacy invasion that others will have. I can certainly understand that point of view too. Read more about here.