Who really wants to be a Louisianian?

Want to know how we look as a state? It’s pretty easy to see. Just read some of the headlines at www.thedeadpelican.com.

Blanco, Vitter Become "Poison Pen Pals...”
Britney Spears Parties And Pukes Over The Weekend
Will John Breaux Run In Louisiana Governor Race ?
Blanco has faith the Saints will stay
Former legislator: "Nation’s tired of Louisiana whining"
Relatives, friends gather on the anniversary of a double-fatality car accident
Mother Arrested in Connection with Her 2-Month-Old's Death
Suspect wanted for exposing himself
Update: Police chief apologizes for decision to order flags taken down
La. Katrina insurance suit begins
$33M bike path to connect N.O. with BR
Civil War-era Bell Stolen From Church

There is a radio commercial called “Tales from the Parish Line.” In each “episode,” the announcer tells a story of how someone in our history overcame great odds. He usually caps his story with “Just another example of how Louisianians are a mighty tenacious bunch.”

As of late, we don’t look all that tenacious. We look like a bunch of spoiled children. From our leadership, right down to a pop icon who calls our state “home,” we have done little recently to garner the respect of anyone.

Quite frankly, I am tired of hurricanes and the federal government being used as an excuse as to why our state isn’t better. Where is the “tenacious bunch” of Louisianians that overcame great odds in our past? Have they all died off, only to make way for a “spoiled bunch?”

C’mon folks. There are enough intelligent people in Louisiana to figure out how we can fix these things ourselves – and in a timely manner. If FEMA trailers can house people hundreds of miles away from New Orleans due to the devastation, why can't we house those who are rebuilding our state as well.

If our institutions of higher learning can write grants for every project under the sun, why can’t our south Louisiana school boards write grants to help in the rebuilding and recovery of those school districts?

If we have so much “extra money” in our coffers that we have to raise our own spending cap to use it, then why is the infrastructure of the state still some of the worst in the nation?

Right now, we look like a bunch of idiots. In today’s world, perception is reality. That is the bad news.

The good news is that perception can be changed quickly these days. It’s time for all of us to roll up our sleeves and finally get things back on track.

Let’s become that “mighty tenacious bunch” we were once.

May the blog be with you.