Resurrection of a Dome

Tonight the New Orleans Saints will have their first home game since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city and the Superdome became a place of literal death and disease. On one hand it might seem trivial to think of a football stadium and team being an instrument of hope, yet all of the Saints' home games this year are sold out and it is a sign that difficult circumstances do not have to be the final say in life. As Ray Nagin, mayor of New Orleans said in an interview with ESPN:

"Psychologically, the Saints mean everything to this community right now. We need them now more than ever -- at least until we get back on our feet.''

There is so much work to be done in New Orleans and I do not want to downplay that or to say that the stadium is the most important issue, because it is not, but it is interesting that part of redemption and breathing vibrancy and life back into New Orleans might involve things like sports teams and architectural features such as The Superdome or other structures and streets that served as hallmarks or foundations for the community itself. These things represent something of the DNA of the city (or rather the phenotype), that is, what it means to live in New Orleans.

It seems like it is very important for people to be able to take pride in their community and neighborhood. And maybe, when there is little reason to take pride (or reasons are not seen), the grass will grow longer, houses will become dilipidated, crime will increase, neighbors will become islands to each other, drug use and violence will become rampant, schools will suffer, and overall people just won't care.

In thinking of your local context, do you think that people take pride in where they live? Why? Why not? And what expressions of pride would you like to see occur in the neighborhood you live in?