Fear Exceeded Crime's Reality in New Orleans

N Y Times ^ | 09/29/2005 | JIM DWYER and CHRISTOPHER DREW

[Phlap]

..A month later, a review of the available evidence now shows that some, though not all, of the most alarming stories that coursed through the city appear to be little more than figments of frightened imaginations, the product of chaotic circumstances that included no reliable communications, and perhaps the residue of the longstanding raw relations between some police officers and members of the public.

.

[Phlap]

It was as usual the zealousness of the reporters marching to the tune of the democratic talking points. The media anxiously reported unsubstaintated rumors because they were what they wanted to hear.

[Syberyenta]

Four words:
They made them up.

[cripplecreek]

Unfortunately a lot of people here wanted to hear the same thing. Myself included.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"no reliable communications"

New DNC talking point to deflect blame for Katrina.

[ClaireSolt]

Now here's the racism of the elite media that sees the world from the penthouses and TV studios of Manhattan and DC. They drive past the ghettos in cities that are largely non-white, everyday, to live in lily white suburbs. Somehow, we should force them to look at their own cities which have the same problems as New Orleans, only moreso. I once saw a photo that showed 25,000 men in one shelter for homeless in New York city every night. That's their Superdome.

[jeffers]

I think you all are missing a play here.

We know that at least some of the cops were dirty.

We know there was widespread looting.

We know that there were attacks against hospitals, against the rescue boats, against rescue helicopters, and against those trying to repair the levees.

Now for some reason, the most deceptive of the Liberal media wants us all to believe that none of this happened?

No.

I think they know what's coming, that the criminality and corruption of the local and state officials is going to be exposed in spite of the media's misdirective efforts and they are trying to limit the fallout.

As in, "Sure, the cops were corrupt, stealing generators from hospitals and Cadillacs and that a third or more didn't even exist, but what's the big deal, nobody got hurt?"

Not going to fly with me.

I've seen the pictures of the dead and have them on my drives, even if for some strange reason Cryptome now refuses to display them any longer.

Thirst, and exposure and drowning don't leave corpses on the street with their heads in pools of blood.

Don't get suckered.

There are several layers to the spin here.

First they wanted things to appear as bad as possible. That way they could launch a pre-emptive attack on Bush.

Next they were screaming not to point fingers, so that the corruption wouldn't come out.

Now they know it's coming out no matter what, and they are claiming it doesn't matter.

But that's not all.

Blanco is racing around Washington, trying to get her hands on as much money as fast as she can.

Nagin is trying to stuff as many people into New Orleans as fast as he can.

Why the rush?

You can abandon a city that no one lives in.

Once the people are back, you can't.

I think they know what we are just starting to find out, and need a both a guilt leash around our necks, and as much liquid cash as they can get their hands on.

Don't get suckered.

[edcoil]

"figments of frightened imaginations"

Sadly however reported as fact by the media that, had thousands of miles in distance from the event to act more maturally and report facts as facts.

[holden]

I believe I heard Nagin's spokeswoman say (on last night's Fox newprograms) one of the few voices they heard on the Dome and Convention Center situation was from the now-"retired" 4-star police chief. (The same may apply for the hysterical Jerry Rivers and Oprah.)

If the ghost-policemen story is true to any significant degree, I believe we may well have identified a motive. If he was the same person first talking about a need for 10,000 body bags, perhaps he was thinking of the multiple thousands of people on the city payroll who "just may have been carried out to sea and may never be found."

If shots (overheard by those in a helicopter) were fired near the Dome where city records were supposedly kept, we may have a motive there, too. I think I heard the only homocides at the Dome were actually four bodies killed outside the Dome. Hmmmm.

HF

[BushisTheMan]

And don't forget Nagin told FarraCON about the big hole under the levee (from the dynomite).

[WasDougsLamb]

If it ain't true, just make it up. Gets good ratings....that's all they care about.

[30 something american]

I'd say that's pretty much spot on....

[ariamne]

Good points. I am very suspicious of this sudden reversal--who does it benefit? Local and state officials--primarily demoncrats. Let's keep our eyes and ears open and reserve judgment on this one until we get all the facts--if we can get all the facts. Autopsy reports, reliable eyewitnesses, how many police officers listed on the NOPD really exist, etc.

[AIC]

What I would like to see is that NONE of the MONEY goes out until Mayor Nagin, Gov. Blanco, Rep. Jefferson and that woman senator ALL resign. If there is plenty of wrong doing, finger pointing and failures to go around and Michael Brown was let go from his job for what ever fault that is said to be his then it is only natural that the others should go as well.

[jordan8]

This was kind of interesting: The tourists "were walking with their suitcases, and they would have their clothes and things taken," he said last week. One assumes they didn't donate their goods. It seems robbery doesn't count as crime in such a situation.

[Ditto]

And sadly, some people here still want it to be true. Even the most bizarre baby killing - sharks in the street type stuff. For some reason, they seem invested in believing that everyone in New Orleans is either a heartless predator or a helpless victim.