Masques of Death (A sewer of applied liberalism, New Orleans was lawless long before this week.)

The American Prowler ^ | 9/2/2005 | George Neumayr

[nickcarraway]

New Orleans has one of the highest murder rates in the country. By mid-August of this year, 192 murders had been committed in New Orleans, "nearly 10 times the national average," reported the Associated Press. Gunfire is so common in New Orleans -- and criminals so fierce -- that when university researchers conducted an experiment last year in which they had cops fire 700 blank rounds in a neighborhood on a random afternoon "no one called to report the gunfire," reported AP.

New Orleans was ripe for collapse. Its dangerous geography, combined with a dangerous culture, made it susceptible to an unfolding catastrophe. Currents of chaos and lawlessness were running through the city long before this week, and they were bound to come to the surface under the pressure of natural disaster and explode in a scene of looting and mayhem.

Like riotous Los Angeles since the 1960s, New Orleans has been a wasteland of politically correct dysfunction for decades -- public schools so obviously decimated vouchers were proposed this year (and torpedoed by the left), barbaric gangster rap culture no one will confront lest they offend liberal pieties, multiculturalist frauds who empower no one but themselves, and cops neutered by the NAACP and ACLU.

Criminals have ruled New Orleans for some time, convincing many members of the middle class, long before the hurricane, that the city was unlivable. In 1994, New Orleans was the murder capital of America. It had 421 murders that year. Criminologists predicted 300 murders this year, a projection that now looks quite conservative.

Criminals dominate their neighborhoods to the point that people don't even call in crimes. The district attorney's office, tacitly admitting that the city's law-abiding citizens live in fear, has taken the "unusual" step of establishing a local witness protection program to encourage the reporting of crime, reports AP.

According to the New Orleans Police Foundation, most murderers get off -- only 1 in 4 are convicted -- and 42 percent of cases involving serious crimes since 2002 have been dropped by prosecutors.

Meanwhile, cops, when they can get away with it, have been living out of town. It is far too scary for them and their families. New Orleans Police officers are required to live in the city but many ignore this residency requirement, according to the Times-Picayune. The paper discovered that many top-ranking New Orleands cops lived in the suburbs and that most cops, both black and white, wanted the residency requirement rescinded.

For reasons of political correctness -- critics of law enforcement say lifting the residency requirement will mean more white cops eager to brutalize residents of the inner city and fewer black cops understanding of them -- the residency requirement remains, though cops breaking the rule told the Times-Picayune that it seriously hurts recruitment. It also -- this is particularly evident in Los Angeles where cops involved in the Ramparts scandal turned out to be ex-criminals -- distorts recruitment.

If the New Orleans Police Department has appeared feeble during the chaos -- and in some cases complicit in it -- policies like the residency requirement explain the breakdown. (Perhaps another factor that has rendered the NOPD feckless in the face of a rising murder rate is the criticism of its handling of a minority Mardi Gras.) Americans who have seen cops join in the looting ask: Why are police officers behaving like criminals? Well, because PC police departments like the NOPD hire them. Aggressive, let's-just-meet-the-quota-style affirmative action has become the door through which criminals enter the police academy.

More than the physical foundations of New Orleans will need to be rebuilt over the next few years. Its politically correct culture in which pathologies are allowed to fester in the name of "progress" forms much of the debris that must be cleared away if civilization is to return to New Orleans. A city which boasts as one of its businesses memorial "death t-shirts" -- clothing made popular by the frequency of gangland slayings in New Orleans that say things like, "Born a Pimp, Died a Playa" -- was headed for collapse even without a hurricane, and had become, as the exodus of cops illustrates, unlivable.

Conservative black leaders have been mau-maued into silence whenever they tell the truth about this barbarism and call for dramatic reform. But they are the ones who must lead the city now, and the phonies at organizations like the NAACP who despite all their rhetoric haven't done a thing to help the black underclass should step aside. Hurricane Katrina has made vivid the civilizational collapse they have long tried to conceal.

George Neumayr is executive editor of The American Spectator.

[A2J]

But if you cannot tell the difference between people who own their own homes in Prince Georges County and urban looters, you need new glasses.

Apparently you've never been to New Orleans or fail to see how unfortunate it is that those blacks who are in power have done little to nothing to help those they claim to represent.

The black leaders in Louisiana have so smothered those who really need the help that they have become indistinguishable from each other. This is unfortunate because there are many black groups who are doing a wonderful job representing their constituents, although they're never given the opportunity to shine publicly. Why? Because they are an embarassment to the so-called "black leaders."

[A2J]

Left there by white boys and girls from the night before.

No doubt they helped but if one had pride in their home, don't you think it would be kept clean?

It just goes to show you the depth of the welfare mentality that exists there.

[Little Ray]

Yup. Don't forget the pallet load of liquor, some jewelry and a flatscreen TV.

Truthfully, I suspect that, if you couldn't evacuate, as soon as it was over, you would round up the family, put what food and cash you had together, and march out of town. At least that's what I'd try to do.

Here in Atlanta, we have a co-worker taking care of fifty (50!) relatives from LA. Our business group is pitchin' in for the food and other stuff; wouldn't be surprised if the company itself pitched in. We're also running supplies to hospitals in Jacksonville and Pascagoula (they're customers of ours and can still help patients, but they're short on supplies and food).

[TradicalRC]

Most of those descendants of the original immigrants see themselves as just plain white people, or just plain Americans.

It would be sad if folks consider themselves "just plain white people" as that is liberal nomenclature and says zilch about culture or ethnicity. People ought to be aware of their origins and proud of American culture or at least what American culture once stood for: a Christian federation that took Greek philosophy, English law and Roman government and forged a new nation well worth assimilating into.

Without a common culture, there is nothing (in)it for you or I to protect this country, or to maintain its values or system of government.

I completely agree. That said, I do not believe that forced integration is any better than forced segregation. It goes against the American tradition of liberty.

[The Worthless Miracle]

That is nonsense. The mayor and the entire city itself has propped them up with a welfare lifestyle, in which work seems optional. I know it's easier for some people than others, but how can you claim they have no political power?? How many republicans are in charge down there??

[LWalk18]

It would be sad if folks consider themselves "just plain white people" as that is liberal nomenclature and says zilch about culture or ethnicity. People ought to be aware of their origins and proud of American culture or at least what American culture once stood for: a Christian federation that took Greek philosophy, English law and Roman government and forged a new nation well worth assimilating into.

I didn't mean "plain white person" to be deragatory, I consider myself to be a "plain black person". I meant that you don't see white people calling themselves Irish-American, Italian-American, etc. In addition, many if not most whites in American today are of several European ancestries- saying you are Italian-German-Polish-Irish American is a mouthful. Their culture is American, not the culture of their ancestors who came here over a hundred years ago or more.

[moondoggie]

Obviously hardly anyone posting has been to the deep south and seen the type of poverty that these people live in.

So poverty is an excuse for looting, raping and shooting at rescue workers?

Interesting. (/sarcasm)

[XpandTheEkonomy]

"...who have never assimilated after hundreds of years in North America."

I don't think they have had hundreds of years to assimilate.

The clock doesn't start, IMO until 1955 or later.

You are correct. I would've been more correct to say "never been assimilated".

[Jim Noble]

That is nonsense. The mayor and the entire city itself has propped them up with a welfare lifestyle, in which work seems optional. I know it's easier for some people than others, but how can you claim they have no political power??

You are correcting something I didn't say.

I said that, except for the areas where they are concentrated these people (the ones who are sacking the remains of N.O.) are invisible.

And it's a good thing, too, because IF their fellow Americans, black and white, had a good look at them on a daily basis, they would be in trouble.

[Jim Noble]

Apparently you've never been to New Orleans

Actually, it was one of my favorite places.

I was born in, and lived for a long time in Brooklyn, NY and I know enough to know where to go.

I'm going to miss Cafe du Monde, Galatoire's, and Commander's Palace - and I really liked the Royal Sonesta.

But the projects - you can see them anywhere.

From a tank.

[TheCrusader]

"It should take about one-half of one second to see the difference."

Never said you can't tell the difference, I said you can't yet discern what the percentage of thugs is as opposed to good folks trying to stay alive. This means we can't blanketly label everyone as filthy "looters" and ask they be shot on site. Some of them are stealing other 'things' to barter with for food and water. The Cheif of Police, Eddie Compass, said even his own officers were breaking into stores to get food, water and supplies. The people are up to their necks in water and chaos, they see their own police 'looting' and they're supposed sit around and have a love-in?

This isn't a typical flooded city like we've seen so many times on the news, it's a disaster of unequalled proportions in American history. And who's to say that some of the people stealing guns aren't doing it defend their own lives or the lives of their families? Nobody else was there to defend them.

[patriciamary]

Most do not.

[veronica]

Sometimes the truth is not pretty. Note (see thread) the liberals at CP can't handle the truth. They never could...

[Hillarys nightmare]

"Sad to know that im the only person that knows people that live like that."

Well fellow, I'm considered from the deep south, and have family in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana. I also have family in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, California, Texas, and New York. I have( unlike you)visited and spent time in all of these states. But believe me when I tell you that you are not alone in knowing people how live like that, and you can find them in other communities across the globe. They are not concentrated in the "DEEP SOUTH" as you may think. In fact there is a label for these type of folks in civil society: They are called Criminals.

SO trust me when I tell you that the Deep South is not like a "Third World Country", in relation to any other state in the Union, or anywhere in the world for that matter!

In fact, many of the movers and shakers in all of the Southern communities I have traveled, are every bit as sophisticated as any Northeastern Community or individual, I have ever had the the good fortune to meet.It is also equally true that the depraved Armonk Southerners(NOT POOR), are as equally depraved as those found anywhere in the Northern States.

The only difference between any class of Southerners, when compared to any other class of people in this nation are, that we in the South don't view others with the same "Ignorant, Elitist prejudice" in which they view us.

So I suspect that you have not been too well associated with the Southern culture. In fact it is clear that you most likely have never even been here.

I frankly believe that you have formed your opinion of the Southern culture from using the same old prejudicial assumptions that the North had of the South, of which, predates the Civil War.We in the South have always been aware of this condescending view of our culture,and your comments add evidence that this ancient attitude about Southerner still exists.

But no need to apologize. We poor ole back water hill billy's just shake our heads and accept the ignorance of those who are so puffed up with their pathetic little world view, and find their delusions of us rather comical.

[Hillarys nightmare]

"You are where you are in life because of choices you make. You can't change all that in 4 days before a hurricane..."

I don't believe you realize just how profound the statement you made here really is. It is absolutely irrefutable.

IT is written that Jesus said, "The Poor you shall have with you always." In the years after I was first saved, and still learning his teachings; I often wondered how a Loving God could allow people to live in poverty. I have since learned that it is in fact not his will for anyone to live being dependent on others, but to be dependent on him.

I am 47 years old now, and the fullness of what Jesus was actually saying in that statement, is suddenly becoming clear.

Thanks

[CFC__VRWC]

Ill admit that some of those looters are animals, but others are just trying to survive. No one can seem to admit that.

Oh, put a sock in it.

I lived through three hurricanes last year. The first one, Charley, knocked power out to my entire home town for four days, and it was six before my lights came back on. And my community was lucky - Charley was only a Cat 2 when it came through here. In Hardee and DeSoto Counties (which are very poor, rural, with lots of Latinos and blacks), as many as 75 percent of the homes were severely damaged, many to the point of being uninhabitable. The city of Punta Gorda, wher Charley made landfall, was all but leveled. A year after the storm, lots of folks in Punta Gorda are still living in FEMA trailers.

And not in a single one of these places was there anything even approaching the anarchy in New Orleans. No one bulldozed the doors to the local Wal Mart and ran off with as many DVDs and mp3 players as they could carry, no one dragged 14-year-old girls into restrooms and raped them to death in the shit and the empty crack vials. No one shot at cops or relief workers or power crews or any of the volunteers who came down here from all over the country and helped us clean up and put our lives back together.

And you know what else? we were grateful for the help we received - we sure as hell didn't throw food back at the people offering it to us and saying ,"I ain't eating that. "

This August 13, the residents of Punta Gorda marked the one-year anniversary of Charley's landfall. They gathered together for a celebration - they celebrated the fact that they were alive, that their community, while still bearing many scars, was coming back better than ever, and that they had a bright future to look forward to, than ks to their faith and their hard work. One year from now, hell, even ten years from now, the people of New Orleans will probably still be sitting in the mud and the sewage, when they're not preying on one another, having refused to even think of lifting a finger to help put their community back together again, and blaming George Bush and the Republicans for their plight.

[NavySEAL F-16]

btt