I’ve been trying to figure out what diffuse barrier is preventing me from getting caught up in the latest round of New Orlenians against crime. I think I have finally put my finger on it. It’s the encroachment of learned helplessness regarding city government.
It goes back to the 2007 crime march and the belief that city government can somehow make the improvements needed. If the current administration were in a position to take the lead in the fight against crime, they would have done so after the march. Begging them to help now is fruitless. If the administration was involved, it would show. If they were going to improve, they would have by now. I haven’t seen the Mayor address the latest round and I haven’t heard much out of the Chief other than promises to improve.
And I think for them to discuss solutions will only lead them back to 2007.
In the 2007 march, Nagin primarily used the crime cameras as one of his remedies to our growing problems. Read the story here. For him or any of his administration to revisit the 2007 efforts would mean they would have to bring up the crime cameras again. Thus, talking openly and honestly about what they are doing, what is working and what isn’t in the fight against crime, is to potentially bring up the stunningly ineffective crime cameras and all that they entail. And they probably entail a lot of sins.
But it’s not just the cameras, look through the article and tell me how many of the improvements promised were implemented with any sucess?
So the crime problem becomes a no-fly zone. If you are a member of the administration, you don’t go near it. Like a cheating spouse, any topic that might lead down that road is avoided lest the specter of cameras comes up again. Everywhere the administration looks, there are an increasing number of subjects that have to be avoided. Effective leader…ahem, stewardship can’t move forward.
To anti-crime activists, do your own patrols and establish relationships with your local cops and district commanders because it’s going to be 2010 before you can get anything palpable out of City Hall.
After the 2006 march, didn’t the Mayor say that fighting crime would become the “primary focus of my administration” or some such thing?
Perhaps he realized the Escher-esque contradiction of that statement.
Varg, I share many of your concerns about the possibility of any positive change during the Nagin administration.
And lest we forget, the crime march was on 1/11/07.
Dang, fixed. Thanks.
It’s kind of like the Superbowl. The 2007 crime march was the culmination of the 2006 crime season.