Two groups of people use mass transit in New Orleans for the most part. The "Haves" who live near a direct route to work Downtown and the "Have Nots" who must walk, transfer, transfer again to get anywhere including their jobs.

Since Hurricane Katrina wrecked the city we find our communities injected with a large Hispanic population of hard working laborers. They don't ride the bus for the most part. They find bikes in the trash and make them function, ride them to their job directly or to some general meeting place like Home Depot parking lots. Sometimes they just buy a bike from The Mart and ride it to death. These folks (the ones I am actually seeing) are in some kind of physical shape and are smart enough to live close to work - perhaps with lots of housemates - maybe share a car or share a pool of bikes. I really admire that lifestyle as it shows great problem solving skills and common sense. If I had to immigrate to some country with wealth beyond my means, I would do the same (actually, I have done exactly that in the past).

Then we have another group of citizens who are too out of shape to hardly walk to the bus stop from their home. They are "stuck" with mass transit and taxi cabs. THIS is the true downward spiral! Getting somewhere to make money costs either too much money (taxi) or too much time (mass transit). So some number of these folks who certainly want to pull themselves up, get to school or a job, make some decent money, find themselves excluded by transportation hurdles.

I don't want to start a raging political discussion here. This is just wishing. I would like to see mass transit and basic health care provided free to people who can't do better on their own. I am happy to pay more taxes to accomplish this. I feel (I have no facts) that the entire community is held down by the fact that certain human beings are shackled to the ground by basic human needs that are (sometimes purposefully) denied to them. Not everyone is blessed with the mental and physical capability to bike to work. Sometimes this is because our car culture cripples them, sometimes it's their own fault, and sometimes it is nobodies fault. I see those migrant workers doing what I wish were possible for more people.

"Wish into one hand, spit into the other, and see which one fills up first" - Unknown Author