forgotston.com

Today’s New Orleans media was most interesting in its contradictory views of the current crime wave or not in the city.

First, the Daily Monopoly has a story about the number two man in the NOPD telling some visitors how safe it is in New Orleans. The theme of Deputy Chief John Bryson’s presentation was “New Orleans: It’s not as bad as I thought.”

This, of course, begs the question of: How bad did you think it was?

Bryson assures the visitors that one will not be murdered in the city unless one is using drugs or is a drug dealer. It must be comforting to the visitors from around the country that the drug problem is being handled in New Orleans, not by law enforcement, but by rival druggies
acting as vigilantes.

Then on the same day WWL-TV airs a story headlined: “Statistics show city [New Orleans] more violent than once thought.”

A citizen’s viewpoint:

“People don’t feel as comfortable sitting out on their porches as they used to,” said Baty Landis, spokeswoman for Silence Is Violence. “There’s much more tension in the streets and, yes, I do think there’s a lot more violence than there is murder, per se.”

From the NOPD:

“Let’s face it: the majority of people that are shooting are young, impoverished African-American kids,” [Police Superintendent Warren] Riley said.

So, Chief, is that supposed to comfort the citizens of New Orleans by the fact that you know who are the perpetrators?

“Clearly, a shooting is a murder that didn’t happen. We recognize that,” Riley said. “So we go after these shooters as vigorously as we do the murderers. So it’s very important in crime fighting.”

NYC vs. New Orleans

In 2006, New York Police worked 1,500 shootings; but with a population 28 times the size of New Orleans, [with 560 shootings per year] that’s only a little less than three times the number of shootings.

Suggestion to the NOPD

I strongly suggest that the Chief and Deputy Chief get their stories coordinated. Otherwise, they may scare the visitors. We certainly don’t want them as frightened as the citizens of New Orleans.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 11:56 am

The term “reform” has been often used in connection with the in-coming administration of Governor-elect Bobby Jindal.

One of the definitions of “reform” is: To put an end to (an evil) by enforcing or introducing a better method or course of action. Merriam-Webster Dictionary

According to a story by the Associated Press:

Gov.-elect Bobby Jindal says Democratic state Sen. Joel Chaisson [Destrehan] has enough votes to be the Senate’s next president, and Jindal says he supports Chaisson for the job.

But Jindal says he didn’t push for Chaisson to get the job.

I’m one of those diehards who actually believe that we should have “three separate branches” of state government as is required in LA Constitution, Article II, Section 1. Call me old-fashioned, but I like the idea contained in Article II, Section 2 which states: “…no…person holding office in one of them, shall exercise power belonging to either of the others.”

Therefore, I was a bit surprised, some will say naive, to see that the governor-elect made the announcement about who will head the state senate. I’m not sure how that differs from the way things have been done for decades.

If there is going to be “reform” in the Jindal Administration, then there has to be a change in the way things are done.

Thus far, “reform” appears to be doing the same old thing, but calling it something different.

Perhaps “reform” in government is as a long-time member of The Crack Mullet Research team describes it as: “Turning the fat hogs out and letting lean hogs in.”

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:00 am

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin was in Pensacola, Florida this weekend. In a story in the Pensacola New Journal, Nagin tells Pensacola how to make itself more attractive and how to improve its economy.

Nagin knows what to tell others to do in their cities — apparently, all those things he is NOT doing in New Orleans.

On Pensacola Nagin says:

Pensacola’s beaches and area attractions make it a wonderful place to visit.

…[H}owever, …Pensacola would profit by making it a better place to work.

“I don’t get the sense … Pensacola is inviting for young people to stay, particularly young college graduates,” Nagin said.

Other than talk, what exactly is Nagin doing to make New Orleans a better place to work and more inviting to young college graduates? Where are the jobs in New Orleans for college graduates? Gutting houses? Waiting tables? Being a cop? Running for public office?

On New Orleans, Nagin says:

Visitors might be surprised to find the French Quarter, zoo “and all the good stuff up and operational.”

Apparently, Nagin doesn’t consider a functioning criminal justice system, street lights, traffic signals, streets, drainage, police and fire stations and hospitals “good stuff.”

Nagin does have a rather large homeless encampment “up and operational” right out the front door of City Hall.

Perhaps he is merely talking about things of interest to tourists as opposed to citizens.

“I’m worried about our artists and musicians,….”

Me too. What’s he doing to help them?

My advice to Pensacola about Nagin’s advice is to ask Nagin: “How’s it working for you?”

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:00 am