Tammy Bruce: Whither New Orleans?

Whither New Orleans?

A post by Maynard

You may have heard reports about how criminals are overrunning New Orleans. An editorial analysis in the New York Times observes the flight of educated, productive people from the city.

The struggle between good and evil continues. If good doesn't strive to drive out evil, evil will eventually drive out good.

In a complex world, I won't pretend to have all the answers. But these paragraphs, which close the Reuters report linked above, tell us what the answer is not:

A recent murder encapsulated the difficulties. After a 17-year-old was beaten up, his mother gave him a gun and told him to get revenge, and he killed the boy he fought with.

When police went to his home to investigate, they found the mother with cocaine and a family photo on display of the son with a gun in one hand and a fistful of cash in the other.

"For us to correct this, we have to look at the root of the problem. The root of the problem is our education system," Police Superintendent Warren Riley said in an interview.

So the New Orleans leadership wants to blame the education system. Of course, as the New York Times notes, anyone who actually has an education is leaving or contemplating leaving.

I'm flashing back to Bob Dole's failed 1996 presidential run. One of Dole's more salient quotes when he accepted the Republican nomination was this: "The root cause of crime is criminals!"

To solve the problems of New Orleans — or to prevent them from coming to our own front door — we've got to start by assessing the situation honestly.

Posted by Maynard · February 28, 2007 12:35 AM · Permalink
Crime | Maynard Post

Comments

New Orleans is becoming Africa N.W.,pick any country

This is what happens when a society is run by

corrupt Socialist Politicians and Dictators.

Only diff is that the people in Africa have little

chance of fleeing

Posted by: raygarb at February 28, 2007 04:27 AM

Whither New Orleans indeed. America has been pummeled by the storm named Liberalism for decades. Drenching torrents of guilt mongering soaking into our souls. Waves of cynicism destroying our religious foundation. The winds of multiculturalism ripping apart our communities. The blowing debris of left-wing dogma destroying our homes. The worst is yet to come. There are people who have plans for our re-building that will be even more devasting.

Posted by: pat_s at February 28, 2007 05:34 AM

Didn't New Orleans start out French? And didn't the mayor and governor want more money to "rebuild" than we spent liberating France in WWII? Shouldn't a sea wall be built north of New Orleans?

Posted by: St. Thor at February 28, 2007 05:53 AM

What is so hard to figure out, don't live below sealevel in hurricane country. I remember when I was a little kid, dad took the family to New Orleans to see the Mississippi River. Looking up at the huge ships floating above my head, I thought this was a really dumb idea. The ships were huge from my vantage point in the park, about 15 feet below water level. I climbed the bank of the levee to get a better view, didn't look any better standing on that ribbon of sand and grass.

I went back to New Orleans recently, before Katrina, and had the same thoughts, this doesn't look like it's safe.

Katrina, a lowly CAT 2 storm proved it wasn't. Even the most stubborn now get it. Yes, no matter what you have heard, by the time Katrina actually hit New Orleans winds were in the 90-100 mph range.

We recently were run over by Wilma, winds at our house clocked 125+ and little damage. But we don't live under water, and we have a house built of concrete, not sticks and straw. Didn't New Orleans residents ever read the three little pigs as a child?

Posted by: bill at February 28, 2007 07:22 AM

Don't worry! I'm not leaving... yet. One thing I have going for me is that I'm not in a gang and neither are my friends, so that greatly reduces my risk of being shot(except for the stray bullets, of course).

One thing that does concern me about New Orleans is the surging illegal alien population. There is a cute family owned Latin Music store near where I live that has been robbed twice now in just a couple of months that involved violence. Unfortunately... it seems more reasons for crime will need to be addressed in this city.

And, no. I do not live underwater. I live approx. 15-12 feet above.

Posted by: monikagnesk at February 28, 2007 03:49 PM

I am amazed at people's odd preconceptions of New Orleans and New Orleanians. All people with education leaving the city? Get real! And what does it matter if the city is largely white or largely black? Crime is a terrible problem in the city. OK. That is a fact. People are doing the best they can to pressure the politicians to correct the endemic problems in the police force, judiciary and the district attorney's office. You are going to listen to the NY Times this time?

The balance in the national news is gone. Real life in the city is as it always has been only written in larger script. The bad is really bad and the good is awe inspiring. It is complex, so don't try to paint the story in primary colors. It is a story of wild and crazy mixtures, as is the culture of the city. We are not an American culture, but the last time I looked that wasn't a prerequisite of being an American. The worst is actually behind us, mostly due the brave New Orleanians that have fought against impossible odds in horrible conditions to bring back a city and culture we adore with our whole heart.

I am sorry you don't seem to want to hear that story. You would rather dwell in the negative and write off a civilization that has existed for centuries. This is a reflection of the current American culture that the world and in truth many Americans find so distasteful. Look to your soul America. You are at a cross point in history. Which path are you going to take?

Posted by: doctorj at February 28, 2007 05:41 PM

"People are doing the best they can to pressure the politicians to correct the endemic problems in the police force, judiciary and the district attorney's office."

The conundrum is, as it has ALWAYS been, that the people who try to exert such pressure for the good are woefully outnumbered by the people who thrive off those problems. And I say that not as someone who comes by this perception from secondhand media sources, but as a Tulane Law grad who deeply loves New Orleans yet always knew I could NEVER practice in the city in good conscience.

Posted by: Dave J at March 1, 2007 05:58 PM

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