This diseased city was sunk by benign neglect

Times Online ^ | September 06, 2005 | Martin Samuel

[Calpernia]

So the breakdown of society in New Orleans was a one-off? Think again: it could happen in many US cities YOU CANNOT SAY the city of New Orleans was unprepared for tragedy. Only last year, when Hurricane Ivan threatened to strike, a Louisiana official admitted the state had prepared in advance: 10,000 body bags were stored and ready to go. Benign neglect is the political term for this pragmatism, coined by Pat Moynihan, the New York Democrat senator.

With no idea how to improve a situation, government, instead of assuming responsibility for resolving it, turns a blind eye. In Moynihan’s time, benign neglect took the form of a triage system for emergency calls to the New York Fire Department, overwhelmed by the number of arson attacks in poor black areas. New Orleans has existed under the not-so-watchful eye of benign neglect for decades.

The satirical magazine The Onion once published a mocking travelogue. “Woman who ‘loves Brazil’ has only seen four square miles of it”, read the headline. Some of the syrupy tributes to Nawlins from writers who couldn’t tell a housing project from a science project were reminiscent of that. The obituaries were all Tipitina’s, voodoo, streetcars named Desire and give my regards to Bourbon Street. Package-deal country, in other words.

Professor Longhair has been dead 25 years, folks. Louis Armstrong’s trumpet sells Kodak cameras now. Essex produces more good bands and if you want to see Dr John he’s at the Royal Festival Hall and you can walk home without an armed guard. New Orleans’ French Quarter keeps the spring breakers and tequila-slammed weekenders amused but the reality is a tiny, claustrophobic tourist trap. Every visitor is given a map of a grid the size of Romford and warned never to venture outside. Beyond that lies the true city, only visited in colourless government surveys and reports, coldly documenting a place beyond care, while doing nothing to address its disease.

Last year, a plain-clothes police deputation fired 700 rounds of blanks in a New Orleans ghetto as an experiment. Nobody reported gunfire. There were 265 murders in the city in 2004 and 192 up to mid-August this year.

For every four citizens arrested for murder, only one is convicted because of the difficulty obtaining witness statements. The murder rate is ten times the national average (incredibly, an improvement on the mid-1990s, when it was 15) and of the 78 worst schools in Louisiana, 55 are in New Orleans. Of the black community that accounts for 67 per cent of the population, half exist below the poverty line.

There is no minimum wage and the waiters and dishwashers propping up the tourist trade are not well rewarded. Still, there is some good news. “The city has one of the highest murder rates in the country, but 99 per cent of it occurs in the projects,” announces an estate agent’s website, cheerily. So that’s all right, then.

The suggestion has been that the breakdown of society witnessed in New Orleans could not happen elsewhere. Wrong. The city has extreme problems of violence and deprivation, but the economic apartheid inflicted on America is a wrong turn away in most cities. Go west of Constitution between central Washington and the RFK Stadium, walk the length of Broadway, get lost in Detroit. The all-consuming civilisation that America wishes to export globally is no more than a pretty theory. Like Marxism, in practice it mutates horribly.

The New Orleans flood was not an accident waiting to happen. It had happened, 78 years ago. In 1927, the Mississippi River broke its banks in 145 places, depositing water at depths of up to 30ft over 27,000 square miles of land. Arkansas became 13 per cent water; 246 people died and 700,000 were displaced. The disaster changed American society, shifting hundreds of thousands of delta-dwelling blacks into northern cities and cementing the divisions and suspicions that benign neglect has ensured remain today. New Orleans’ (mainly white) business class pressurised the state to dynamite a levee upstream, releasing water into (mainly black) areas of the delta. Black workers were forced to work on flood relief at gunpoint, like slaves.

In his book Rising Tide, John M. Barry writes of the Mississippi tragedy: “Their struggle began as Man against nature. It became one of man against man. The flood brought with it a human storm. Honour and money collided. White and black collided. Regional and national power structures collided. The collisions shook America.” Not enough, though. Poor blacks from the South merely became poor blacks in the North. Rural poor became urban poor.

Inequality does not explain why anyone faced with the present crisis should wish to sexually assault a seven-year-old, as happened in the Louisiana Superdome, but it may help to rationalise the communal disintegration of the past week. Many of the boasts made on behalf of Western civilisation are just a handy by-product of Western money. We get along because we can afford to; in New Orleans, wealth was removed from the equation, and what values were left? This was not just a failure for central government but for social scientists, educators, mentors, role models, the supposed civilising influence we wish to impose around the world.

The estimated cost of rebuilding New Orleans and its environs is at least $26 billion (to finish the levee projects would have cost $208 million, of which the Bush Administration sent $10 million, giving new meaning to the term voodoo economics). All that remains of the city is its legacy of benign neglect. Perhaps better it stays washed away than rises once more with sickness at its failing heart.

[Calpernia]

I thank you for the link. But this needed to be posted. Outside of being well written it had some facts that needed front page attention.

[Calpernia]

Worth a read!

[Prime Choice]

YOU CANNOT SAY the city of New Orleans was unprepared for tragedy.

Wanna bet?

[quantim]

"D"

[the invisib1e hand]

This diseased city was sunk by benign neglect

that right there is a mouthful.

[Texas Songwriter]

Nothing benign about this event

[vpintheak]

And just who has been in charge of New Orleans and Louisiana for all these years.

[Homer1]

bump

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

What a bunch of horse droppings.

[hometoroost]

There is nothing benign about the fraud, corruption, and inefficiency that lead to these kinds of problems. If there were better leadership in Louisiana there would be less poverty, less crime, and better preparation for dealing with disasters.

[the invisib1e hand]

The all-consuming civilisation that America wishes to export globally is no more than a pretty theory. Like Marxism, in practice it mutates horribly.

Sorry. This is just more bullsh&t. These things occur in spite of what America is, not because of it. Screw this dirge.

[isthisnickcool]

So, the welfare class created by the Democrats over the last 60 years will become violent in the event they don't get all the free stuff they are used to? Duh..

[Indy Pendance]

"This diseased city was sunk by benign neglect"

As are any other major US democrat run city. Imagine if a tornado wiped out Chicago or Detroit. Imagine if an earthquake hit LA or San Francisco. The hurricane was an act of God, what followed is not a New Orleans phenomena, it's a liberal manufactured event, manifested over years of corruption and socialism.

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

History repeats it's self so many times. Tho only diff is the morally corrupt eletist mob was now 3/4ths black.

Corruption leads to evil things.

The democrat machines in so many cities are so ungodly corrupt. Detroit... Chicago... Philly... and I could go on.

People who do not learn from history are destined to repeat the same mistakes.

[the invisib1e hand]

The sort of people who believe this crap can't quite reconcile it with this reality.

[Daralundy]

Malign neglect?

[_Jim]

So the breakdown of society in New Orleans was a one-off? Think again: it could happen in many US cities ...

Pap, right off the bat, dear.

Unless you're talking a newbie dem gov AND a newbie dem mayor somewhere where the gov 'teat' has been around for awhile: Detroit, Benton Harbor, Chicago ...

[RightWhale]

Benign neglect is the political term for this pragmatism

Two things.
Neglect would be something in the law, but suits against the gov't don't usually go far.
Pragmatism is doing things to get expected improvements. If somebody in DC did this expecting to see NO drowned, he wasn't in the spirit of pragmatism.

[brivette]

Benign neglect bump.

[maica]

The estimated cost of rebuilding New Orleans and its environs is at least $26 billion (to finish the levee projects would have cost $208 million, of which the Bush Administration sent $10 million, giving new meaning to the term voodoo economics).

This author could have used a bit of fact-checking.

[Calpernia]

I agree with the perception of 'America wishes to export globally'. It ISN'T "America".

But it IS part of the WOT. Bush stated in his SOTU the WOT was also on Human Trafficking.

The writer is refering to this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/1472612/posts
Sex Tourism: Addressing the Demand for Trafficking

"G&F Tours of New Orleans"

[Calpernia]

>>>>The hurricane was an act of God, what followed is not a New Orleans phenomena, it's a liberal manufactured event, manifested over years of corruption and socialism.

Emphasis on, all those that have been conditioned to the 'Gov takes care of me' vs. self relience didn't prepare or evacuate.

[SteveMcKing]

I'm sick of that "10,000" dead figure.

It's a made-up number that came from the very moron who practically caused those deaths, however few or many.

[Calpernia]

Excellent read. Perfect example of Those that Rely vs. Those that Do.

[Calpernia]

Add in NJ

[GSlob]

"Nothing benign about this event"
Well, hopefully something good will come out of it, regarding emergency preparations for the future and the absolute priority which should be given to maintaining law and order.

[Calpernia]

You are right. That piece wasn't well researched.

[Enchante]

"to finish the levee projects would have cost $208 million"

.... and as usual the liberal's assumption is that people living in every other part of the country must pay for this obvious piece of LOCAL flood control and security. It is part of the cost of living in a place like NOLA, below sea level.... now in the face of the disaster we will all pay vastly more to restore the area, when proper city/state behavior over the past 40 years would have had the situation well under control.

[The Red Zone]

New Orleans was worse, since after a tornado or an earthquake one would be more or less able to get around in a city. But when a town has turned into a giant toilet bowl with the drain all stopped up, you gotta problem.

[Calpernia]

I don't think it is a made up number. A university from LA did a computer model that provided that number. Sorry, I don't remember the thread here that posted it.

[t2buckeye]

Excellent point! Who HAS been in charge of Louisiana?
It always amazes me...whether it is the Democratic cry of "disenfranchisement of Black voters" in precints run by Democrats or thei complaints that the "Black, poor people" of New Orleans were left behind when the city is run by a Democratic Black mayor...Somehow it's always Bush's fault.

[Texas Songwriter]

You know, they are discussing what is to be done with FEMA. It seems to me that FEMA taken out of the HSA should be given to the military. They have done all of the heavy lifting so far in the rescue. (Not to denegrate all others helping). They need a trigger to put them into action. It seems that is nearly the system we have not with the State Governors being the ones to pull the trigger. General Honre seems to have the assets and ability to pull everything together.

[metmom]

That's why I'm still wondering if NO is worth saving. I can't imagine the clean up job. I just saw on FoxNews.com that authorities are letting people back in to salvage what they can from their homes. I'd take what I could and don't think I'd go back. It seems like starting over would be easier than trying to clean up that mess.

[giotto]

The all-consuming civilisation that America wishes to export globally is no more than a pretty theory. Like Marxism, in practice it mutates horribly.

So America is responsible for the fact that the French, against the advice of local Indians, built a city in a below-sea-level swamp? The American way, exemplified by Houston's founding fathers, is to find a suitable place and dig a ship channel. Not one penny should be spent to rebuild New Orleans in its present location. Use the port temporarily and move the city north to Baton Rouge, routing ships through the two lakes and digging a few short canals north. In the long run, it will be cheaper.

[Calpernia]

>>>So America is responsible for the fact that the French, against the advice of local Indians, built a city in a below-sea-level swamp?

Did we get an extended warrentee upon the purchase? Can we send France the bill?


/wiza gurl.

[Calpernia]

New Orleans, LA, August 31, 2005 -- Residents are evacuated from their homes by a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue team from Florida. New Orleans is being evacuated as a result of floods caused by hurricane Katrina.

New Orleans, LA, August 31, 2005 -- A member of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force assists a baby that was evacuated from an area affected by Hurrricane Katrina. The baby is being placed on a military transport for medical attention. New Orleans is being evacuated due to flooding caused by hurricane Katrina.

New Orleans, La., September 3, 2005 -- Survivors of Hurricane Katrina arrive at New Orleans Airport where FEMA's D-MAT teams have set up and people will be flown to shelters in other states. New Orleans is being evacuated as a result of floods from hurricane Katrina.

New Orleans, LA, August 31, 2005 -- Members of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force begin their mission to assist residents affected by Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans is being evacuated due to flooding caused by hurricane Katrina.

[Ann Archy]

NO is a sick city BEFORE the flood.....voodoo.....open drinking on the streets and in cars (both ALLOWED)....cross dressers everywhere on Bourbon Street, just open DECADENCE.....sick place.....don't have a clue why everyone loved the place. you can get great food in ALL cities.

[Calpernia]

Oh it is worse than your post. TRY to read this one: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/974665/posts

I couldn't get past the first couple of paragraphs.

[spinestein]

[The New Orleans flood was not an accident waiting to happen.]



No one could have prevented this natural disaster or lessened its severity by any amount. The wind damage, flooding, and subsequent mass homelessness of hundreds of thousands of people, and the shortages of drinking water, food, electricity, fuel, sanitation and medicine, along with the presence of vermin, disease and lawlessness was inevitable with any large hurricane to hit New Orleans. The nature of the city's isolated environment and the way development expanded human habitation in a vast region near the ocean, nearly all of it below sea level was literally a disaster waiting to happen.

The fact that it has been known for years that the city was vulnerable to this exact tragedy does nothing to allow for a government solution where no solution is or was possible.

When there are so many people living in such a prosperous and comfortable and secure country as we do, then it's also inevitable that people come to expect that this standard of living is an entitlement, somehow guaranteed by the government, and that just by being a citizen of The United States of America we are somehow above the ravages of nature that periodically afflict "lesser countries".

Even if the ten thousand dead turns out to be true (which I doubt) it is because of modern preparedness and evacuation procedures that kept if from being several hundred thousand deaths, but there is only so much that the government can do. At some point it's up to the individual to make wise choices about when to leave before danger strikes or even when to move to another location that is less hazardous.

[mad_as_he$$]

Two best lines I saw today:

"The Mayor was clueless and Governor was sobbing." Charles Kruathammer

"Just change the name to New Atlantis and be done with it." A FReeper.

[patton]

Chicago would cause some consternation, but is there anyone left in detroit?

[Prime Choice]

And just who has been in charge of New Orleans and Louisiana for all these years.

I don't want to name any names, but their initials are DEMOCRATS.

[Calpernia]

You are so right. The masses that were lost were mostly people 'conditioned' to relying on the government to think for them.

This was an excellent thread today. You may want to repost your insight here for reference:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1477374/posts

[Paleo Conservative]

don't have a clue why everyone loved the place. you can get great food in ALL cities.

But you couldn't get a bad meal in New Orleans, at least before the flooding. Even the catering at the convention center blew away restaurants in other cities.

[Oztrich Boy]

The all-consuming civilisation that America wishes to export globally is no more than a pretty theory. Like Marxism, in practice it mutates horribly.

Sorry. This is just more bullsh&t.

No it's not. The theory is great, but politicians have discoverd they can buy power with taxpayer money

[Calpernia]

Those are good quotes. In fairness to the Mayor, he has admitted to not knowing what he is doing and asked for help. I don't support someone being in a leading position that doesn't know what he is doing. But I respect someone trying to own up to his faults. He may be valuable in our corner if he is in a 'tell all' mode.

See this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1478125/posts

[Calpernia]

>>> The theory is great, but politicians have discoverd they can buy power with taxpayer money

Yup. Just ask Kathy how her Lobster Dinners were.

[smoothsailing]

When this song came out in 1960,I was crazy about it.

NEW ORLEANS

GARY U.S. BONDS (1960)

Come on everybody take a trip with me
Down the Mississippi down to New Orleans

The honey suckle is bloomin on the honeysuckle vine
And love is bloomin there all the time

Every Southern Belle is a Mississippi queen
Down the Mississippi down in New Orleans

Come on take a stroll down to Basin Street
And listen to the music with the Dixieland beat

The magnolia bloosoms fills the air
If you ain't been to heaven, then you ain't been there

French moss hangin' from a big oak tree
Down the Mississippi down in New Orleans

Come on everybody take a trip with me
Down the Mississippi down to New Orleans

The honey suckle is bloomin on the honeysuckle vine
And love is bloomin there all the time

Every Southern Belle is a Mississippi queen
Down the Mississippi down in New Orleans

I still like it,but now it's not quite the same.

[faithincowboys]

The Levees were only designed for a Cat 3... this was a Cat 4 1/2. What does the malignant Left not understand about this?