Responding to a TV reporter's question about whether New Orleans' murder rate hurts the city's tourism economy, Mayor Ray Nagin on Thursday called the phenomenon a "two-edged sword."
"Do I worry about it? Somewhat. It's not good for us, but it also keeps the New Orleans brand out there, and it keeps people thinking about our needs and what we need to bring this community back. So it is kind of a two-edged sword. Sure it hurts, but we have to keep working everyday to make the city better," Nagin said, according to a transcript of provided by FOX 8.
Splendid. If we had fewer bullet-riddled young men bloodying the streets, the "New Orleans brand" might suffer. People around the country might be less sympathetic to our needs if we had a mayor and police chief who knew how to curtail the highest murder rate in the country.
Prytaniawaterline links to a news story, and notes that "Two brothers who were murdered within twelve hours of each other were suspects in 14 other murders between the two of them." Then Prytaniawaterline asks (rhetorically) "While the community can rest a little easier with these two off the streets, should we?
C.B. Forgotston provides the obvious answer to that query as he discusses the NOPD's reaction to yet another homicide:
Recently, after a murder of a 52-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….”
As if random acts of violence are more acceptable than a pattern of violent acts. Nothing about acts of violence should make anyone comfortable.
In sum: we are told to be comforted by random murders, and we are told that the upside to our high murder rate is more exposure for "the New Orleans brand".
The mayor of Newark goes for days without sleep when violent murders occur in his city. He promises that the killers will be found and that the multiple murders will stop.
OUR MAYOR, on the other hand, is only "somewhat" bothered by the violence, and sees a marketing opportunity for our stricken city. As all the helpful Couhig Conservatives and other Nagin-enablers will tell you, OUR MAYOR "understands business". Unlike, say, Mitch Landrieu, Nagin understands that being the murder capital of the U.S. keeps "the New Orleans brand" out there. The mayor claims that murders are thought provoking. Indeed, "they keep people thinking" about New Orleans' many needs.
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Update: The Times Picayune article continues:
The mayor's spokeswoman Ceeon Quiett said Nagin believes "even one murder is too many" and does not revel in stories about violent crime drawing negative attention to New Orleans.
But Quiett said that because of Katrina, violent crimes in New Orleans are sure to make national headlines. And that offers an opportunity to "force the conversation" about the city's lack of law enforcement resources, she said.
"We have to remind people that our entire criminal justice system is broken down," she said.
Last year, no one in the Nagin administration was "reminding" us about the total breakdown in the criminal justice system. No, they said that despite some upticks, things were under control. Among many other soothing things, the N.O.P.D. told us that New Orleans was one of the "safest cities in the world" and that their crime fighting strategy was "second to none".
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Some well meaning organizations contend that "Silence is Violence". Well, not always. For example, I'd love for Mayor Nagin to be silent. Also, if the criminal justice system is truly "broken", then perhaps silence is not violence. Perhaps, if the criminal system is broken, sometimes silence is intelligence.
You know what's tantamount to violence in post Federal Flood New Orleans?
1) Hoping for a demonstrably undisciplined mayor to say and do the right thing.
2) Hoping for a demonstrably ineffective Police Chief to curtail violent crime.
3) Hoping for a demonstrably incompetent D.A. to suddenly become competent.
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Red Dog is not silent.
Labels: Couhig Conservatives, crime, Nagin
