Posted on 09/30/2005 8:35:12 PM PDT by John Semmens
Ray Nagin, mayor of New Orleans, lashed back at critics after the FBI discovered that up to 700 so-called members of the city police force simply did not exist. Funding for many of these officers was provided by the federal government.
"During the storm and aftermath we'd heard reports that hundreds of New Orleans police officers had deserted their post," said an FBI spokesman. "Further investigation indicates that these posts had never been manned and the funds supposedly paid in wages has disappeared."
"Sure we overstated the number of officers on the force," said Nagin. "We did this to deter crime."
As Nagin explained it, the phantom officers were used as a decoy to frighten would-be offenders. "Just as George Washington lit fake campfires to lull the British troops before his surprise attack at Princeton, we in New Orleans have employed a similar strategy."
The effectiveness of Nagin's alleged strategy is in doubt, though. New Orleans has one of the highest crime rates per capita in the nation.
As for what happened to the funds that were supposed to have paid police salaries, Nagin asserted that they were used to hire consultants and purchase computer software needed to sustain New Orleans' "virtual police force."
"The software had to be custom made," said Nagin. "It's not something you can buy at CompUSA. Software designers don't come cheap. Neither do the public relations experts who developed our media campaign."
The media campaign featured TV spots of various street people implying that they could be undercover cops. In one ad, an apparently toothless derelict looks into the camera and says "I be watchin' you. So, don't you go misbehavin'."
Unimpressed by Nagin's explanation, the FBI asserted it will continue its investigation.
(Excerpt) Read more at azconservative.org ...
Rove made him do it? LOL
Read the whole column linked to.
I feel like one of Bell Engval's Dork Fish now.
Wow, Nagin must have stayed up 'til 3 am to think up that one! Pretty clever!!
I fell for it, and it's really NOT that amazing. It's probably not all that far from the truth!
There is a danger in posting this type of humor without first making sure everyone understands up front it is humor.
I almost fell for it myself (as good satire should there is some element of truth with just a hint of exaggeration).
The problem is many do not read to the end of the article and many will go away thinking this is the “truth” and they will go about sharing this “truth” until it is easily shot down.
The situation in New Orleans was (is) serious enough without making up (even humorous) stories that will come back to haunt us later.
Post these type of stories all you want, but clearly label them as satire or humor.
I remember back when the Clintons were in office and so many fake (or humorous) stories were posted I was beginning to think the White House had a staff doing the posting.
Each of these stories dilute the real horror that New Orleans had become. If we float too many “humor” stories many will begin to think there is nothing to the stories (or blame a vast right wing conspiracy) for the them.
Again, post as you will, just marked them up front - humor
New Somalia........ :-)
They are marked as humor & the "Semi-News" ought to be a dead givaway.
You can't make this stuff up.
And yet that's precisely what John Semmens did: he made this stuff up.
While I enjoy the article as persuasive and biting satire, and note that it is indeed marked as "humor" (also, check out the keywords), I can't help but get the distinct feeling that our dear Mr. Semmens is making more than one point here. ;^)
This is (unfunny) satire folks. That's all.
See, that is my point, I (and others missed that).
The parts about phantom cops and New Orleans' high crime are real.
Nagin has made excuses. I just added a more creative excuse that seems to fit the facts.
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