My Faux Paux
What I wanted to generate was a dialogue in my last blog post. Apparently, I ruffled some feathers by my tone. I got hate email saying I was a "redneck" and much worse. Talking about race in general terms is not easy and leads to charges of "racism". I was trying to initiate a dialogue because there are strong views about the root cause of New Orleans problems. Who is right? Who is wrong?
Why was I truly ranting? Do I really feel this way? Does any of this have to do with personal experiences in New Orleans? Probably. I was robbed at gunpoint by two black males years ago. I personally know many gay friends who were each robbed by black men in the French Quarter. Before Katrina, New Orleans had 202 people murdered last year. Computer models predicted that about 107 more people were going to be murdered before the year was out. I got this from a new Time magazine article right now on New Orleans crime before Katrina. It was always a black-on-black shooting. Then almost daily we would see on the news that some black male was wanted for holding up a convenience store or a bank. That is all we see on the news everyday! How can I not help but feel the way that I do when that is all that I see??? Is this just a media conspiracy to make us all think that only black men commit crimes?
Well...if nothing else... this generated a big discussion of views. I do appreciate those nasty little emails. Even the hate emails taught me a few things that I never thought of. So, that is good in my book. Special thanks to my local friend Joe for educating me so forcefully today! Yes, my ass is still smoldering from the fire he lit under me for what I posted. This has been one eye opening GOOD experience to say the least!
Why was I truly ranting? Do I really feel this way? Does any of this have to do with personal experiences in New Orleans? Probably. I was robbed at gunpoint by two black males years ago. I personally know many gay friends who were each robbed by black men in the French Quarter. Before Katrina, New Orleans had 202 people murdered last year. Computer models predicted that about 107 more people were going to be murdered before the year was out. I got this from a new Time magazine article right now on New Orleans crime before Katrina. It was always a black-on-black shooting. Then almost daily we would see on the news that some black male was wanted for holding up a convenience store or a bank. That is all we see on the news everyday! How can I not help but feel the way that I do when that is all that I see??? Is this just a media conspiracy to make us all think that only black men commit crimes?
Well...if nothing else... this generated a big discussion of views. I do appreciate those nasty little emails. Even the hate emails taught me a few things that I never thought of. So, that is good in my book. Special thanks to my local friend Joe for educating me so forcefully today! Yes, my ass is still smoldering from the fire he lit under me for what I posted. This has been one eye opening GOOD experience to say the least!
posted by Brettcajun at Monday, May 22, 2006
4 Comments:
The main thing Brett is that you recognize it as being an 'eye-opening" experience!! Thought and preparedness!
Let's see if this one stays posted and whether you're truly open to a discussion of the issues.
Considering that roughly 25% of the electorate in each racial category "crossed lines" to vote for the opposing candidate this time, and that Nagin was elected 4 years ago primarily on the basis of his support in the white community, it would appear that everything isn't exactly "black and white".
It's true that New Orleans' crappy educational system is at the core of the problem. Poorly educated citizens have few job opportunities and are easily tempted into lives of crime. Three or four generations of that and you end up with people who have none of the concepts you and I (and many of our friends) take for granted, like a work ethic. The idea that if you work hard, you can become someone, is foreign to them, because they don't know anyone like that. There's a huge illegitimacy problem that compounds things (boys without fathers tend to seek out father figures, and the only available ones are the gang leaders).
But a lot of this is, ultimately, the fault of white people. When the schools of New Orleans were integrated in 1960 by federal court order (six years, mind you, after the Supreme Court had already held that segregated schools were illegal), white parents immediately deserted the school system almost completely. There were entire schools in the early 1960's with only ten or twenty black children in them, because white parents refused to send their kids to school with "them". (Go back and read some of the quotes... local "civic" leaders shouting that they would NEVER let their kids go to school with those "burheads" and "Congolese" to be raped and killed. As if. In 1960 schools? Right.)
Once that happened, the white middle class also began refusing to support taxes to improve the schools, because their kids were in private schools, and they didn't give a fuck about the quality of schools with black kids. They hadn't before segregation, and they didn't afterwards. 45 years of neglect takes its toll; girls dropped out to have babies who dropped out to have babies.
And the absolutely WORST thing ever done to the black family was "Welfare as we know it", as it was called when the Republicans finally pushed Clinton into imposing work rules. The old system punished girls who got pregnant and married the baby's father by cutting benefits, thus encouraging three or four generations of future criminals. They didn't bring that entirely on themselves.
Regardless, there are a few factual mistakes in your post. Pre-Katrina, the murder rate was nowhere near what you cited; it was more like two per week-- still high, but far below the peak of one per day we hit back in the Barthelemy and early Morial years. The overwhelming majority of those, moreover, were black-on-black crime, usually drug deals gone bad, although a good number were bystanders caught in the crossfire. Relatively few victims were middle-class or above, or white. So a lot of the problem is perception (ie "New Orleans is unsafe") whereas the reality is, a moderate amount of care protects you against most (though certainly not all) street crime.
You said "In white hands, the people felt the city would flourish again." You mean "the white people felt" that", or that "the white people I talked with felt that". Considering how little public corruption has been found in Nagin's administration thus far, especially compared with the previous 24 years, I think that comment has a lot more to do with frustration and people needing a target.
Remember that on August 28, Nagin was considered a shoo-in for re-election, among blacks AND whites. His policies haven't changed overnight; he may have made some stupid comments, for which he rightly apologized, but who hasn't? Bill "I did not have sex with that woman, Monica Lewinsky" Clinton? Hillary "I have no idea how my fingerprints got on those Whitewater billing files that only turned up in my private residence part of the White House once the statute of limitations was expired" Clinton?
No doubt Mitch would have made a good mayor. He's a creative man with a lot of good ideas. He's also got a reputation for honesty and integrity, and he truly loves the city of New Orleans. But you can say every one of those things about Nagin, too.
So THAT'S why your post came across as offensive and bigoted, even if that was not your intention. Nagin didn't trash the Orleans school system (the mayor has ZERO control over it). White people did it and then blacks did their part afterwards looting the carcass. Nagin, to his credit, pushed for the state takeover of the schools to FIX the problem New Orleans created for itself. But you laid all the problems of New Orleans at the feet of its black residents, and then further suggested that Nagin condoned and supported that, and suggested only a white candidate could fix it.
If you can't see how that's racist, maybe those Ascension schools aren't as good as they're cracked up to be.
I knew this was going to be controversial, but I wanted to talk about it because it has been on everyone's mind in New Orleans. My goal is for a better New Orleans. It makes me sad that people in Houston are unhappy with the Katrina refugees. It makes me sad that New Orleans people are unhappy with large portions of their own population. I just wanted to call a forum because it is something definitely on everyone's minds. And the local politicians are NOT addressing it. They ignore it like they always do. And the city dies some more. It's time to shake some folks up and address the real issues. That was my goal. I hope in the end it accomplished it.
I think you got the discussion you wanted...i wish more folks would take on the issues like this in politics...but everyone is scared...though it may not be a total black problem, it has apparently opened a can of worms for you...as for the one person who says the will not read your blog anymore...I will now now check it twice a day to make up for him...hehee...I have not been political on my blog lately...I will havet to think of something to rant about here in Richmond...hmmmm
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