There is absolutely no code anymore, little babies, women, in broad day light, it doesnt matter. Just violence everywhere. I no longer live in N.O. but Im there almost every weekend, and I just see a culture that is continuously eroding.
This isnt like the early 90's, where it was mostly about drug organizations and power struggles around certain wards and hoods. This is little 12-16 year olds, running around like they are playing a video game.
My little cousin was killed a few months ago, 17 years old. And although I am sad that his life his lost, I dont have much sympathy because its the life he lived. He ran the streets, robbed people, and we even suspect murdered, until it caught up with him one night. And nobody can blame poverty for him, he grew up in a upper middle class family, with both his mom and dad at home, and a huge loving family surrounding him, but he was always just.....bad! And it seems like that is becoming the norm here. Just a bunch of bad *** kids. But instead of breaking windows and you normal teenage mischief, they are killing and terrorizing neighborhoods.
Just the other day a 13 year old killed a Mexican guy sitting on his porch is Mid City, 13!!!!
At 13 I was watching Power Rangers, reading comic books, and trying to get enough guts to go and talk to girls.
Sorry, just felt like ranting for a bit. It's just very disturbing. I grew up in the "hood" in Algiers, I've been around a lot of stuff, seen a lot of bad stuff go down, and I dont know if it's my old age or not (Im 30), but it is much much more unsafe then it is when I was coming up. It really is scary.
Back in the day, you pretty much knew, that if you just didnt get involved in the street game, you dont really having anything to worry about. But now, dudes will kill you just because they dont like the way you carry yourself. Or just for kicks, just to prove that they have power over your life. It's a sad state of affairs.
Times have changed, and it's sad, but most of the issue is poverty. You live in that atmosphere, it's not easy, or good for that matter.
Not just in New Orleans, it's everywhere. Thing that gets me is the meth addiction. I've had a branch of my family lost to addiction of that crap, blowing up meth labs and trafficking, it's so screwed up.
Times have changed, and it's sad, but most of the issue is poverty. You live in that atmosphere, it's not easy, or good for that matter.
Not just in New Orleans, it's everywhere. Thing that gets me is the meth addiction. I've had a branch of my family lost to addiction of that crap, blowing up meth labs and trafficking, it's so screwed up.
Poverty can hurt....no doubt. It can be the root cause of a lot of the ills that plauge the city......but all too often it an EXCUSE. There are tons of stories about kids overcoming obsticles to make a better life. There are tons of programs to aid and help disadvantaged folks...especially kids. It all boild down to the errosion of the family and values. Where are the parents of these children. How can a 13 year old have access to a handgun? C'mon man! Parents gotta do their jobs. They ain't.
Lots of fingers to point. Lots of blame to go around. Time for the parents to actually do their freakin' job.
I was listening to WWL this morning on my way to work and the host made the comment that yes, we need a long term solution, but we can't wait 15-20yrs for a long term solution to work. We need change today. What can be done today? I totally agree with him.
I was listening to WWL this morning on my way to work and the host made the comment that yes, we need a long term solution, but we can't wait 15-20yrs for a long term solution to work. We need change today. What can be done today? I totally agree with him.
I don't think there is a quick fix aside from putting a police officer on literally every corner and having them treat everyone like a suspect. Even if that were feasible IDK if I would want to live like that.
Poverty, education, parenting, the justice system, racism, drug problems, corruption. All of these things play some part in the problem and none of them will be fixed overnight.
There are no EXCUSES for killing another person and resorting to a life of crime.
It's out of control and people are again starting to flee the city. Just when things were starting to turn around, people are starting to flee the city.
I know of Three personal incidences this month Murder, Theft and Assault.
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As mentioned - so many issues. One that immediately comes to mind is that a lot of the kids are being raised as criminals. It goes beyond poverty; when their older cousins, uncles, brothers, and yes, even dads in some cases, are bringing them up in it - teaching them how to rob and kill, where to hide, how to sell drugs - it's just an endless cycle of crime and violence. I, too, grew up in the hood in New Orleans - 7th ward - AP Tureaud (London Ave). I've been around and really during the 90's, saw some terrible things. Back then though, it was mostly about turf/drugs and as bornandraised mentioned, if you separated yourself from it, you were fine for the most part. That didn't make it right, but it's more alarming now, it seems, because everyone is a target - babies, ladies, teenage girls -awful.
It is extremely sad. New Orleans is a wonderful city, but that element continues to leave a stain. Many of the children are lost from birth it seems, because the parents are not raising them right, if at all. It's a tough thing to witness, and unfortunately, I don't have and really don't believe there's a viable resolution.
I don't think there is a quick fix aside from putting a police officer on literally every corner and having them treat everyone like a suspect. Even if that were feasible IDK if I would want to live like that.
Times have changed, and it's sad, but most of the issue is poverty. You live in that atmosphere, it's not easy, or good for that matter.
Not just in New Orleans, it's everywhere. Thing that gets me is the meth addiction. I've had a branch of my family lost to addiction of that crap, blowing up meth labs and trafficking, it's so screwed up.
It's hard to argue poverty when kids from middle class families are doing this too. I think poverty is only a peripheral issue. The causes are complex and varies from person to person.
I think a lack of morality, low value of life and a loss of identity due to the breakdown of family support has as much to do with what's happening than financial circumstances.
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It's hard to argue poverty when kids from middle class families are doing this too. I think poverty is only a peripheral issue. The causes are complex and varies from person to person.
I think a lack of morality, low value of life and a loss of identity due to the breakdown of family support has as much to do with what's happening than financial circumstances.
There are no EXCUSES for killing another person and resorting to a life of crime.
no it is certainly not an excuse but there is a difference between giving an excuse and identifying the root of the problem. I think there is a mindset in a lot of our poverty stricken areas that you get out in one of three ways: Sports, Music or Crime. You don't make it in the first two unless you are elite. There is a another way but I don't think it is always visible to theses kids.
Bornraised, this has been eating at me too so I am glad you posted. It is very sad about your nephew but if he was surrounded by positive influence and still went bad, then he is the exception not the rule. There will always be exceptions I'm afraid.
I was listening to WWL this morning on my way to work and the host made the comment that yes, we need a long term solution, but we can't wait 15-20yrs for a long term solution to work. We need change today. What can be done today? I totally agree with him.
id venture one thing with the ages getting younger that you see the major crimes, the window for turning things around will get lower too. If you can reach a the current generation of elementary school students, you wont see those violent pre-teens in a few years.
I think a lack of morality, low value of life and a loss of identity due to the breakdown of family support has as much to do with what's happening than financial circumstances.
ok, I won't argue about the flexibility of morals and lets say I agree that the bold portion of your post is indeed the root of the problem, I will still counter that if you concentrate limited resources toward fixing these things in poverty areas before middle class areas, you will see results far faster. My point is, there may not be a rule set in stone about the relationship between the things you identify and poverty, but there paths run parallel enough that it certainly cannot be ignored.
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