If You Tell a Lie Big Enough and Keep Repeating It, People Will Eventually Come to Believe It PART 3: Former FEMA Director Michael "Brownie" Brown

High Res Version of Elevation Map of CBD/

Louisiana Superdome/New Orleans Arena Vicinity

High Res Version of full map illustrating ground elevations of the

perimeter of the Louisiana Superdome and the New Orleans Arena.

Source: State of Louisiana LIDAR Data/USACE Post-Katrina Aerial Imagery.

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."
--Joseph Goebbels

In early March 2006 tapes were obtained by the Associated Press of a 28 August 2005 pre-storm teleconferences between FEMA, the National Hurricane Center, Gulf Coast states emergency preparedness agencies, Department of Homeland Security head Michael Chertoff, and The President. This allegedly "leaked" footage to one side proved The President's "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees" statement a few days later displayed complete incompetence or worse was a downright lie and to the other side the footage amounted to "nothing new to see here--move along." This post isn't meant to re-examine that question, however the tape did feature a remark by then-FEMA Director Michael Brown worthy of review--and correction.

The point of my "If You Tell a Lie Big Enough and Keep Repeating It, People Will Eventually Come to Believe It" posts are to identify and scientifically disprove false, fabricated, and fictitious "high profile" statements that irrevocably fog perceptions concerning the realities of rebuilding and re-investing in New Orleans. Such incorrect "facts" by those with publicized voices whether intentionally spoken to mislead or honestly misinformed mistakes, perpetuate unfounded myths that do not help and garner outside support or favorable public opinion for New Orleans post-KTMB.

Here's the Michael Brown quote in question:

"As you may or may not know, the Superdome is about 12 feet below sea level ... "

(can be heard at the 1:20 mark in the AP video)

THE LIE: The ground elevation at the Louisiana Superdome is 12 feet below sea level.

THE TRUTH: See maps above. The first one categorizes the elevations of the immediate CBD vicinity of the Louisiana Superdome and New Orleans Area in 2.5 foot increments. The entire footprint of the Superdome/Arena falls within values of sea level (0.0 elevation) or above. The second map displays select spot elevations around the perimeter of the stadium/arena complex. (The High-res version of this map covering entire perimeter of the facility can be seen here). As proved in the previous "If you tell a lie enough . . ." post, the sites within New Orleans that are 10 feet (or more) below sea level are limited to specific drainage and underpass locations, so therefore Michael Brown's 12 foot below declaration of the elevation of the Louisiana Superdome is completely erroneous. If the base elevation of the Louisiana Superdome was 12 feet below sea level, the building would have filled up with Lake Pontchartrain floodwaters to the depth of 14.5 feet. At that depth the first 1/3 of the plaza level of seats (the lowest tier) inside the Louisiana Superdome would have been completely submerged. That's not quite what happened there . . .

For those that would argue I am getting caught up in semantics, my response is simple. Yes, yes I am--because when these semantic mistakes are made repeatedly by multiple "credible" sources that spawn the "Goebbels' Effect" (again whether intentionally or not--it does not matter). Then they get repeated and distorted even further by secondary message-carriers until the accepted, unquestioned truth is no where near the reality. How many radio call in shows or pundits on cable television have I heard since August 2005 repeat the exaggerated below sea level claims? I hear it nearly every day.

If something is repeated and claimed over and over it must be true, right? This is rule #1 of propaganda. Perhaps Brownie intended to say that the facility was near or below sea level and was in a precarious place to utilize as an evacuation shelter if the floodwaters swamped the City of New Orleans. Fine. Except that's not what he said . . . . and it's not what is repeated over and over again by people like Utah Senator Bob Bennett and Tim Kusky. . .

I'm sure PART 4 of this series will surface . . .

If you are interested in maps such as the ones above for specific areas of New Orleans, send me an email.