I disagree to some extent. Unless you're talking about walking the streets of Gulfport, MS or Mandeville, LA...I find that areas of Mobile, AL; Milwaukee, WI; Houston, TX; Cincinnati, OH; Orlando, FL easily have sections of the city that rival here. It's location. I would have no trouble walking the 5 blocks from my house to the Capitol One ATM on Magazine after dark. Or the one on Prytania a little further. I walked from St. Ann to Poydras St. last Saturday alone at 3am. Not once did I feel any danger. The city was lit up. Lots of police, etc.
I realize that's just my experience and the locations I'm in. And I certainly wouldn't do the same in certain areas of the city. I just think that every city does have its sections. All that said, I'm not saying the crime rate here is acceptable. I just think there is some truth to being in a certain demographic reduces one's risk factor a thousandfold.