Why March?

Jan 6, 2007 by

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.

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