Standing up for New Orleans

CRIME...

Yeah, there were shootings during Mardi Gras. And shootings at other random times. But I wonder why people talk about the violence in the city as if every other city in the country is the Garden of Eden?! Why must everyone ride Nola's ass about its crime rate as if it's the only place with shootings? Now for the people shot, I'm not belittling your wounds. That being said...

Take Los Angeles. Anyone remember what they were doing back in 1994 during the RIOTS?! How about the fact that it wasn't the first LA riot? Anyone remember that Hollywood bank heist that became a huge police shoot out? How about the time I was sitting in my apartment building on an average Tuesday evening and looked outside my window to find a gang battle? Like as in "old wild west style". One store owner across the street had closed his shop. Then stood on the roof with a shotgun, shooting at ANYONE who came too close. Saw someone die that day, just across the street from my building.

I was mugged in Los Angeles, stalked in Los Angeles, harassed in Los Angeles. Ya want police brutality, since that's one of the new "things" New Orleans people are talking about...hhhhhmmm does the name "Rodney King" come to mind? Or that one guy who got owned against the cop car at a gas station. Don't remember his name, sorry. Or the countless, almost daily police car chases. Those are fun to watch, by the way. That was NOT New Orleans. By the way, that kid at the gas station, TOTALLY deserved it. Sorry kids, I'm on the side of the COPS. (wee~oh~wee~oh~wee!!!)

Since I've been in New Orleans, I've only acquired one stalker. And he only shows up on special events in a small part of the Quarter. Never been mugged. I get harassed, but that's because of the drunks around the corner. Do not get me started in comparing the homeless population of NOLA and Los Angeles. Because again, LA is worse. On the 3rd Street Promenade in supposedly "beautiful" Santa Monica, you can't go TWO blocks without counting easily 100 bums. I am NOT exaggerating. But if you don't believe me, ask for some vacation time and go see for yourself.

I guess my point is, I'm SICK of listening to people bitch & moan and berate New Orleans like it's hell. Don't like New Orleans? MOVE!!!!! Save your money and get out. I left Los Angeles. I'll take the strange random shootings in New Orleans to any possible DAILY danger in Los Angeles. The rest of NOLA's crime is drugs and crimes of opportunity (ie: car break ins or pick pockets). And please save yourself from looking like a moron to assume other cities don't have these crimes. And gangs...NOLA doesn't have any "real" gangs. They have unorganized groups of thugs who do criminal activity...but they're no "18th St"...again, Los Angeles.

Siiiiigggghhhhh...that's it. Just read some bashing of NOLA due to a shooting and it pissed me off.