The ridiculous violence in N.O.
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.