Levees.org is waging a campaign urging the news editors of the New Orleans Times-Picayune to include the words “design flaw” whenever discussing the breaches of the 17th Street and London Avenue Canals in their stories.

As of 8:00 a.m. on Tue Oct 9, 2018, over 300 individuals have signed Levees.org’s petition. If you haven’t yet, please sign the petition: https://go.levees.org/TP

Many have included thoughtful – and often heart-wrenching – comments in addition to their signature. Here are just a few.

As a suggestion, as this issue repeatedly surfaces, and as someone whose family lost a loved one in the storm due to the ACOE levee failures, might The Times-Picayune consider a set blurb that briefly and succinctly states the true facts? ~Aimee Hayes, New Orleans, LA

The Times-Picayune continues to disappoint by not providing a complete recount of the levees and flood wall failures. Even preliminary research reveals the fault lies with the Army Corps of Engineers. ~Rosalind Blanco Cook, New Orleans, LA

The mistakes of the past must be remembered so we don’t repeat them. We are forgetting the lessons of Katrina more and more the further it fades into unpleasant memory. The Corps can take it, they are adults. Scott Eustis, New Orleans, LA

Strongly agree with Levee’s.Org that omitting that the failure was due to design flaw “… would cause any reasonable reader to think storm surge is to blame.” New Orleans, LA

No entity can undo the fact that led to my mother’s death and btw, should be on the conscience of the Army Corp of Engineers. Colorado Springs, CO

The Army Corp of Engineers allowed one of the most exciting cities in the US to be swallowed up by water and then attempted to blame anyone they thought it would stick to. Ottawa, ON

The fact that the T-P has reported about the ACE’s culpability in previous articles does not absolve it of the responsibility to report it in subsequent stories about the failure of levees and canals, when the failures are the result of shoddy ACE work. Los Angeles, CA

The Times Picayune is lying every time it publishes any story about Katrina levee failure without including the reason for the failure. This does not inspire confidence in their reporting abilities. New Orleans, LA

In cahoots with the COE…or being paid to omit the truth. Chalmette, LA

The failure of the levees cost me my home, my mother’s home, my job, and then my mother. I never returned. So please get the story right. Mandeville, LA

Holding the Army Corps of Engineers responsible will better ensure they are more accountable in the future. We all know how important the truth is. New Orleans, LA

Not just the 17th Street Canal. Everyone seems to forget the London Street canal failed too. I haven’t forgotten because that Army Corps failure flooded MY house. New Orleans, LA

The Corps flooded us with lies about their ‘lack of responsibility’, Don’t let them off the hook. New Orleans, LA

Your readers never tire of reading the truth, Times-Picayune. Charlotte, NC

Dear T-P: I would expect this from the Advocate, not from a New Orleans paper. Be a good corporate citizen and be more sensitive to this issue in the future. New Orleans, LA

Come on, Times Picayune! This is a trend. New Orleans, LA

It is NOT just the opinion of Ms. Rosenthal or Levees.org, but a fact as evidenced by the Corps’ admission of their mistakes. Please live up to your duty to report the news accurately without bias. James Island, SCThe TP must acknowledge the true cause of the flooding of the city of New Orleans. Belmont, CA

The Corps has acknowledged their mistakes in the design of the floodwall. The TP should not omit that information in their reporting. Van Nuys, CA

The collapse of the 17th Street and London Avenue Canal floodwalls were ENGINEERING failures that resulted in death, disability and destruction of people’s homes, businesses and communities. You owe it to your readers to qualify EVERY account of this disaster with this simple truth. To fail to do so is careless reporting at best, and willful dishonesty at worst. Ken McCarthy, New York, NY

The Corps is not infallible. Dam projects have issues too. Levee failure was in the design and execution. Chester, NJ

I lost my home and business after the Federal Flood and I will never forget. It’s sad how the local media has forgotten. Metairie, LA

I live on the 17th St. Canal. The sole responsibility was on the ACOE. Craig Berthold, New Orleans, LA

Tell the truth. The whole truth. People have short memories and the truth cannot be printed or told often enough. Cleveland, OH