This newspaper headline is from March 2004. For the last 18 months or so Digital Media Tree blogger Jim Louis has been compiling a record of the inner-city shootings and mayhem in New Orleans, where he lived for many years. So it came as no surprise to us here at the Tree that this city, which was already a killing field, devolved even further into anarchy when everyone suddenly lost food, shelter, and property. The question is, why didn't the "authorities" know that and prepare for it? Troops and essential supplies should have been available immediately. Instead, all these wingnuts are scratching their heads and saying "I can't believe they're looting!"
Again, this is from before the hurricane:Thursday, August 11, 2005
• Child, 7, mother gunned down at home
A 7-year-old girl and her mother were killed Wednesday after police said at least one gunman entered their Hollygrove home and shot them both in the head.
Friday, August 12, 2005
• Violence shows no signs of letup
In one slaying, a 22-year-old New Orleans woman was shot in the back while clutching a 2-year-old boy in her arms in Hollygrove. A few hours later, a 30-year-old man was near death in the 9th Ward after being shot multiple times early Thursday. He died later at Charity Hospital.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
• N.O. teen dies in Algiers shooting
A teenager died Thursday after being shot in Algiers, the Orleans Parish coroner's office said.
• N.O. man shot dead on city street
A man was shot and killed Friday about 1 a.m. in Central City, police said.
• Killers are killed, Orleans police say
For the second time in a week, the New Orleans Police Department has closed a murder case by saying that the suspects became murder victims themselves.
There's no excuse for not staging the guard and FEMA on Sunday to defend the levee, rescue victims, and maintain order.
As a Californian, the horror of Bush's inaction in New Orleans scares the shit out of me. He's made NYC and the other cities of this country more dangerous as well by stirring up a hornets nest for no good reason. And lessing our ability to respond.
Bush is life threatening.
I saw that picture unfolding (on dialup again) and thought that wood sure looks familiar (the Rocheblave floor).
August was brutal. The rest of the month played out in almost mirror fashion to the first half. There is often a period of hesitation before I record the murder stories, what is my fuckin' point anyway, and once the hurricane stories came in I felt especially cowardly. And then they were gone, replaced by the specific horror of mass devastation, but truly, the horror story in NO is thirty years old. I know it seems a little extreme but I vote to keep the National Guard in New Orleans indefinitely, build us one of those Dutch levy systems, and bring in 100,000 homeschooling tutors to replace the virtually unfixable school system. But I'm afraid the national consciousness is more in tune with Hardball's Chris Matthews, who did not even attempt to hide his contempt for those scary, ridiculous, lowbrow, Canal St. looters with their grocery carts full of tennis shoes. Thanks for the mention, Tom.
|
This newspaper headline is from March 2004. For the last 18 months or so Digital Media Tree blogger Jim Louis has been compiling a record of the inner-city shootings and mayhem in New Orleans, where he lived for many years. So it came as no surprise to us here at the Tree that this city, which was already a killing field, devolved even further into anarchy when everyone suddenly lost food, shelter, and property. The question is, why didn't the "authorities" know that and prepare for it? Troops and essential supplies should have been available immediately. Instead, all these wingnuts are scratching their heads and saying "I can't believe they're looting!"
Again, this is from before the hurricane:
- tom moody 9-03-2005 3:47 am
There's no excuse for not staging the guard and FEMA on Sunday to defend the levee, rescue victims, and maintain order.
As a Californian, the horror of Bush's inaction in New Orleans scares the shit out of me. He's made NYC and the other cities of this country more dangerous as well by stirring up a hornets nest for no good reason. And lessing our ability to respond.
Bush is life threatening.
- mark 9-03-2005 8:49 am
I saw that picture unfolding (on dialup again) and thought that wood sure looks familiar (the Rocheblave floor).
August was brutal. The rest of the month played out in almost mirror fashion to the first half. There is often a period of hesitation before I record the murder stories, what is my fuckin' point anyway, and once the hurricane stories came in I felt especially cowardly. And then they were gone, replaced by the specific horror of mass devastation, but truly, the horror story in NO is thirty years old. I know it seems a little extreme but I vote to keep the National Guard in New Orleans indefinitely, build us one of those Dutch levy systems, and bring in 100,000 homeschooling tutors to replace the virtually unfixable school system. But I'm afraid the national consciousness is more in tune with Hardball's Chris Matthews, who did not even attempt to hide his contempt for those scary, ridiculous, lowbrow, Canal St. looters with their grocery carts full of tennis shoes. Thanks for the mention, Tom.
- jimlouis 9-10-2005 1:13 am