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New Orleans has now recorded at least its 219th murder of 2007.

The latest murder occurred Friday morning in the French Quarter.

Additionally, two more victims of the daily, multiple shootings in the city have died.

Random or targeted?

The NOPD has not yet announced whether the latest murder was “random” or “targeted.” either way, one is supposed to take some comfort from the designation.

Anomalies

1. According to Mayor Ray Nagin and NOPD Superintendent Warren Riley, one does not have to be in fear of being murdered in New Orleans unless one is a young, black, male involved in the drug trade.

The latest victim is a young, white, female. Whether she was a drug dealer has not been made known.

2. According to the above referenced sources tourists shouldn’t be concerned about being murdered unless they go into a bad section of town. (Unfortunately, many of the residents of New Orleans actually live in a bad section of town.)

The French Quarter where the victim was found is not normally considered a bad section of town.

An effort is under way to encourage residents of New Orleans to be a “tourist in your own home town.” That’s excellent advice. It’s much safer, particularly in one currently lives in a bad section of town.

3. Ibid sources above indicate that tourists have little reason to fear being murdered. The NOPD’s investigation indicates that the latest victim may have been a “street person”

Being a “street person,” whatever that means in police lingo doesn’t necessarily preclude the victim being a tourist.

Back in the day, I’ve been known to spend quite a bit of time on the streets of the French Quarter as a tourist and I didn’t have a hotel room the entire time.

4. In what could be considered a victory for gun control advocates, the latest victim was NOT shot. She was “bludgeoned” to death.

That begs the question of whether “bludgeons” should be outlawed. For those that don’t know, a “bludgeon” is a short stick with one end is larger than the other and is used as a weapon.

Perhaps trees should be outlawed because without trees there would be no sticks, short or otherwise.

Count discrepancy

Finally, for those who continue to question why the Daily Monoply reports a murder total that is lower than mine, I have this to say: I stand by the DM’s First Amendment Right to be wrong.

More as it happens. And it will.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:00 am

The New Orleans Police Department, while being unable to address the ever-rising murder rate (at least 216 in 2007) in New Orleans, eriodically offers public statements to assure the citizens that they are not really in any danger.

That was then

This summer, after a murder of a 54-year old engineer who was returning from work to his home New Orleans, NOPD spokesman Sgt. Joe Narcisse said: “I think people can take some comfort in knowing that it was a random act of violence….”

This now

On Christmas night at one location in the city, 6 individuals were shot and two died at the scene. The NOPD made the following statement, apparently in an effort to offer comfort to the public:

[T]he shooting “is not believed to be a random act of violence,” meaning at least one of the victims was targeted. Times Picayune, December 27, 2007.

What does it mean?

I’m confused, but then I’m no expert on policespeak.

The fact that a murder was a random of act of violence is supposed to be comforting.

The fact that a murder was not a random act of violence apparently is supposed to be comforting.

So, random and non-random murders are comforting. What type of murders should make the citizens uncomfortable?

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:00 am

LA’s image

The Baton Rouge newspaper appears to have been following LA politics too long. Instead of suggesting doing things right, it offers political solutions. That is, or those who believe that merely passing more laws will actually change our image.

Here is an excerpt from Sunday’s editorial about the need for stronger ethics laws for state leges while giving a pass of sorts to local officials in LA:

Perhaps there is a way to mandate that local governments develop disclosure [of sources of income] standards at least as thorough as those in state law by a certain date.

Mandating that the locals develop standards as thorough as those in state law is redundant. There is nothing currently to preclude local governments from adopting tougher standards of ethics than is required by the existing state law. Such a move would serve only to provide a hodgepodge of laws for which enforcement would be even more difficult.

If the matter of income disclosure for leges is so important to improving our image, then it stands to reason that adding the local lawmakers would make our image even better. To offer such a political cop-out proves nothing other than the LA leges are exactly what our current image suggests.

Enforce the law

It’s just one man’s opinion, but passing more ethics laws isn’t going to change the image of LA. Actually enforcing the existing laws (which apply at the state and local level) we have on the books is the way to make LA look better in the eyes of the nation.

Aristotle said it best: “Good laws, if they are not obeyed, do not constitute good government.”

Easy vs. right

Doing things the political (and easy) way is seldom the right way.

Doing things the political way is why LA has the image that it does. If we are going to change our image, let’s start doing things the RIGHT way.

Darconville said: “Politics without ethics is anarchy masquerading as liberty.”

To The Advocate: Leave the politics to the politicians.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:00 am