The Thin Veneer of Civilization......
Well, after the beating of the 64 yo man on Bourbon Street was captured on camera, I guess many people around the country feel about the New Orleans police force the same as many in Louisiana have felt about them for a long time -- God help me if a NO police officer pulls me over....
I know there are good upstanding officers down there who are working under unbelievable circumstances and it is a shame that their sacrifices are so overshadowed by the corrupt actions of their *brothers.* I don't know how widespread the corruption is or how deep it runs. I don't know where it began. I do know that at the time we were living there a strict residency requirement was instituted. You want to be a New Orleans police officer -- You live in Orleans Parish. Sounds good. But....good luck on finding a safe place to live in Orleans Parish on a policeman's salary. And Orleans Parish schools?!?! A majority of NO officers send their children, at additional expense, to schools other than the public schools.
There may, finally, be some long overdue, ugly, stunning (for some) indictments coming out of the Big Easy. Maybe. New Orleans is very image conscious -- gotta have those tourist $$$$. But I don't know if those who have been fighting positive change in NO can continue with their old hat tricks after all that's been seen. So, maybe, as much as I hate to say it, the best thing would be for all those cameras to stay in New Orleans and....keep rolling.
posted by ellesu at 6:58 PM
2 Comments:
You might be right about the cameras continuing to roll. Amazing the kinds of things that go on. How are you and your family doing with all that is going on?
~Deb
5:33 AM
Hi Deb! Thank you for dropping by. :)
You know, when I heard the NOLA police officer screaming at the news director to 'get out of my city and go home' -- I was surprised to hear myself yelling along with him. ....Yelling along with him as a man was bleeding on the sidewalk and yet another officer moved his horse between the man and the camera. ...That was what my post's title was really about, but I chickened out before writing the truth. I came to my senses quickly, but for a moment there.... And I don't even live in New Orleans! Sheesh!
Thanks for asking about the family. All are well. Beaumont, TX, where my husband works, was pretty devastated by Rita, so he's been sleeping on a cot in his office and was fed by the Red Cross for a couple of weeks. My youngest son is playing catch-up with his semester because classes weren't held for three weeks. The MS city my daughter lives in is getting back to normal as far as power and water. So we're getting there/somewhere. C'est la vie -- I guess.
11:18 AM
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