HumidCity

I would like to share a piece of mail I received today. It was forwarded to me by my editor Nathan Morrison and I think it is indicative of the questions being asked in other parts of the country. After all, there is not much beyond soundbites and highly condensed (and usually ill informed) mainstream media on the subject.

This is probably the way that most people outside of NOLA see the situation. I hope I have done some justice to these questions. The original author’s name has been removed along with the headers.

Alright, I will start by admitting that family matters are keeping me from posting for a day or two and I do not have much time to write now. I do, however, have two things to present that will help convey it.

First comes the amazing video offering from American Zombie. Watch, rinse, repeat! He presents a wonderfully balanced mini-documentary of the day including interviews with several local bloggers including myself, Maitri, Adrastos, Blake Haney, and more. Absolutely fantastic, a must see! (And yes, this will dispel all rumors, I really am that loud)

Second is a piece from the Institute for Southern Studies entitled Concerns Grow Over Expanded Police Power in New Orleans. It documents and addresses some of the concerns brought up over at Library Chronicles. As I have commented there, these are aspects of the situation that need to be watched for, especialy in the current national climate of civil liberties violations. While I do not agree with his presentation a lot of the time, there are those elements of truth to it.

I think those two should hold y’all until around Monday when I will have time to post more in depth thoughts. In the meantime I highly advise that you check out the NOLAbloggers in my links bar. They will give you a variety of opinions, facts, factoids, pictures, video and good wholesome (?) New Orleans attitude.

As the Zombie himself would say, Ashe!

There is little I can say as I sit and listen to the sirens (7 since returning home now) so I will be brief.

Bart and Karen are my new heroes, brilliant job giving them what for.

I will leave it to someone far more talented than I to state:

Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On

Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today

Father, father
We don’t need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today

Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what’s going on
What’s going on
Yeah, what’s going on
Ah, what’s going on

(lyric courtesy of bifemmefatale, former HumidCity writer)

This is why we march: Silence IS Violence, it is the tacit acceptance of the unacceptable. It is the aknowledgement that we, as a community are beaten. Silence and inaction are not an option, do you hear me Ray? While lackwit Reilly tells us that the crime has gotten better people are shot down in cold blood, and in their own homes no less.If I believed in silence I would not write, I would not blog, I would not run my mouth in the face of injustice. Silence IS Violence.

Tomorrow we will join as a community and march on City Hall. 11 am at the foot of Canal St. is where it all begins, although various neighborhood groups will be doing their own marches t this meeting point.
Be there for the sake of the recently dead. Be there for Dinerral Shavers of the Hot 8 Brass Band, Jealina Brown, Steve Blair, Corey Hayes, Eddy Saint Fleur, Don Morgan, Helen Hill, Larry Glover, and Monier Gindy. Be there before it is your name or your wife’s or maybe even your child’s on a list like this.

Two of our number, the NOLABloggers that is, will be speaking once we reach City Hall: the voices of B.Rox, and Squandered Heritage will be raised along with others. Join us, be part of the solution, take our city back!

There is no joy in Mudville, Warren Riley has struck out!

-Loki

Uptown New Orleans

Why march against crime? Isn’t that for the college kids to do while they are all stoned and feeling attention hungry? One of my new favorite NOLABloggers, NOLA-Dishu, gives us documented facts on how it actually has worked before here in New Orleans (HT to American Zombie for turning me on to him)

NOLA-dishu

Next up will be a march on City Hall next Thursday. Now, I’ve heard some people already dissing the idea and calling it a waste, but I strongly disagree and here’s why:

In the mid-90’s, New Orleans was experiencing a crime wave as bad as this city has ever seen. The coup de grace was a horrific murder at the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen. It was the last straw for the citizens of New Orleans. Citizens, both black and white, marched on City Hall. Morial, under severe pressure, gave Pennington Carte Blanche to clean up the NOPD. Officers were given substantial raises. He also instituted CompStat (which I’m trying to replicate in my own improvisational way). Morale amongst the street cops rose. Crime plummeted. Other factors were involved, but the results are undeniable. In 1999, there were only 158 murders. That’s fewer than last year with more than double the population.

That’s why it’s wrong to say it isn’t fixable. IT’S BEEN DONE ONCE BEFORE. WE CAN DO IT AGAIN. APATHY TOWARDS CRIME WILL KILL THIS CITY AS SURELY AS THE THUGS RUNNING AROUND WITH AK’S.

He is dead right. I was working in the service industry in the French Quarter at the time. The shockwaves of the La. Pizza Kitchen murders were immediate and severe. None of us felt safe at work, or leaving work. Many of us knew the victims directly or had friends in common. (when you work in the industry you tend to end up drinking with your fellow waiters and such at partcular bars after work. You tend to know the guys at the various other venues.) It was shocking, barbaric, and as he points out galvanizing.

We need that same level of outrage applied to Wonka The Invisible and dear, adorable Warren. These people purportedly work for us (not that I have seen any evidence of work this term) and need to be reminded of it!

This is not a black issue or a white issue, its a thug issue. We cannot allow predators to thin our numbers. I understand that there are very definite factors that may have led them to this lifestyle. Only the uninformed and unobservant can discount the influence of grotesque poverty, lack of education, racism, and diminished opportunities have played in breeding these criminals. BUT, we are all human and have choices to make. Good or Evil. Right or Wrong. What your childhood was like does not mean shit to me if you have deprived a child of their parent by depriving that parent of their life.

Just to address the comments that I know are coming: This city has been governed by african americans since the 70’s so trying to put everything down to racism is more than a bit disingenuous. I would also like to point out that the NOPD have failed to provide any sort of description in almost all of these cases. How do you know what race the perp was?

I am a native, I know this has always been a violent town. I also know that we have to take it back. The wave of violence that has flooded the city is as dangerous as the waters of the Federal Flood. It is a city killer. This IS the next storm!

Tootie Montana is rolling in his grave.

…because you know that our “leadership,” will do nothing wthout being forced!

Spread the word, crosspost, tell offline people, etc, etc, etc.

American Zombie has penned a beautiful satire of the current situation, unfrtunately it is desperately close to being an accurte representation of our lives. Do we want THIS to be our city?? Get involved and help stop the thugs!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

It is time for our elected officials to face up to the violence that is strangling our neighborhoods.

Come march with us to City Hall to demand action Thursday, January 11

Marigny-Bywater residents and ALL concerned New Orleanians, please come to a planning meeting this Sunday, January 7 at 1pm at Sound Cafe (2700 Chartres St.)

More info: 504-948-0917

Do NOT forget Helen Hill!