He told us the police department was sooooo corrupt and that the city had a thin facade of respectability, covering a filthy, grimy, dishonest center. I loved New Orleans, but I always found his description to be honest. So, I just never looked too deeply. I really, really wish the best for New Orleans. I miss it, but not enough to pay for all their shortcomings.
Read that one can see NO’s true beauty by comparing it to the Islands. New Orleans shouldn’t be seen as the foulest, most crooked, least efficient of American cities, but rather as the cleanest, best-administered, and least-wasteful Caribbean city.
I have loved New Orleans since the 1970s despite knowing that everything you say here is absolutely true. Filthy, grimy, dishonest. Period. Great food, great music, unbelievable spirit and culture and yet utterly filthy, grimy, and dishonest. That's New Orleans.
But there is one more thing to be said. New Orleans is now run by black people who decry "white racism" whenever anyone raises the issues of corruption and incompetance. Thus there is no accountability.
Well if you pay taxes, you're paying whether you like it or not.
I was there in the mid 70’s and it was that way then. I used to place my football bets with a city policeman.
Nobody with the means let their kids attend the public school back then.
And the talk back then was what would happen if the canal pumps ever failed.