I have ties to both the North and the South. Maryland has been my home for 21 years, and Louisiana has been my home away from home for the past three years.

Ever since I started college, it became immediately apparent to me that seafood is the lifeblood of the city of New Orleans. They are as defensive about their shrimp and crawfish as we are about our blue crabs. And they even have their own version of Old Bay seasoning.

Festivals are not festivals without seafood. Jobs rely on this industry. And local food centers around it. It is the essence of everything that is southern Louisiana. This oil drilling disaster is wrecking our lifestyle. With more and more fishing-area closures, we can't afford to have oil continuing to gush into the Gulf.

But it's not just the residents of the coast who need to be concerned about this issue. Heard of the "ripple effect"? It's already starting. Oil kills the seafood. Fisherman bring in no catch. Jobs are lost and people spend less, affecting restaurants and shops, in turn lowering revenue.

We need action from everyone. Hold BP accountable. Hold the government and our politicians accountable. And do not cease until we have not only the oil cleaned up, but the wetlands restored once again. Because it is only with full restoration that we can see progress here in the South, which leads to a restored and functioning economy.

Lindsey Kiefer, Hampstead