We Need an Election
In New Orleans, we need an election-- the sooner, the better for all involved.
Carson W. Maxwell
Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2005
All through the traumatic past several months, I’ve amazed at the overall lack of leadership in our governing officials—local, state, and national. Each let us down significantly, and continue to do so today. Not one can give answers to tough questions and no one is taking a strong stand for the area’s citizens. In New Orleans, we should have an opportunity to change leadership relatively quickly; however, following suit of previous dreadful decisions, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco decided yesterday to put off local elections, previously scheduled for early February, indefinitely.
New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin has never been a truly great leader. Press coverage of his early attack on City Hall corruption influenced many to think of him as the white knight of change. It seems amazing what capturing a few low-level employees and low-paid cabdrivers can do for one’s public opinion. Nothing more came of these investigations, but his status in the eyes of many remained the same. This was not the case within the poorer neighborhoods, however. Nagin never seemed to care much for his less privileged constituency. He reorganized one or two programs, such as the city’s workforce development office, claiming great improvements. Actually, the only difference in this workforce office was its new name, Job1. In this unit, where so much good could have been done, it was business as usual—assist the best candidates and leave the less educated or problematic ones out in the cold.
During Nagin’s tenure, crime rose dramatically. Violent crimes swept the city on a daily basis. One could wake up in the morning and wager as to how many people were killed the night before. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was on pace to set a year-end murder rate record. Drug-related crimes ran rampant, as did petty economic offenses. Unemployment was phenomenal in the poorest communities—the neighborhoods where criminal activities were seen the most. The mayor did nothing to focus on these areas in any way but increasing law enforcement presence. No educational, job training, or other programs were entrenched in these zones to actually help the inhabitants, unless incarceration is considered assistance. The mayor’s overall lack of support and understanding led to a rise in heated racial tensions and intense public outcry. It almost seemed as though civil rights advancements were knocked back by decades.
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina came as no great surprise, as everyone knew of the immense numbers of poor living within the city. There was no way the majority could have evacuated the area, as many were reliant on the lacking public transportation system. No plans were ever made to usher the multitudes to safety—corralling in the Superdome was always considered the most feasible and simplest solution. In hindsight, more thought should have been given to protecting the city’s most valuable commodity—life.
Today, we still witness the overall insincerity of Mayor Nagin. A few days after Katrina made landfall, Nagin stated that he was looking forward to an “awesome” celebration on Mardi Gras day. This is interesting, as only a few weeks ago, he stated, to a group of displaced storm victims in Atlanta, that he never thought the Mardi Gras celebration should take place in 2006, but was pressured into the idea by the governor’s office and by the local tourist industry. All of this was said while his office was actively pursuing corporate sponsors for the event. This adequately testifies to blatant, false compassion.
Here we are, over three month after Hurricane Katrina. We have seen no great ideas coming from the mayor, nor any plans of action. The committee he organized, composed of wealthy local businesspeople, seems stuck in the same quagmire of uncertainty. No one has taken the bold step in assuming a leadership role. Citizens, both living in New Orleans and relocated, are tired of the same old spineless routine. It’s time for a change—the sooner, the better.
Carson W. Maxwell
Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2005
All through the traumatic past several months, I’ve amazed at the overall lack of leadership in our governing officials—local, state, and national. Each let us down significantly, and continue to do so today. Not one can give answers to tough questions and no one is taking a strong stand for the area’s citizens. In New Orleans, we should have an opportunity to change leadership relatively quickly; however, following suit of previous dreadful decisions, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco decided yesterday to put off local elections, previously scheduled for early February, indefinitely.
New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin has never been a truly great leader. Press coverage of his early attack on City Hall corruption influenced many to think of him as the white knight of change. It seems amazing what capturing a few low-level employees and low-paid cabdrivers can do for one’s public opinion. Nothing more came of these investigations, but his status in the eyes of many remained the same. This was not the case within the poorer neighborhoods, however. Nagin never seemed to care much for his less privileged constituency. He reorganized one or two programs, such as the city’s workforce development office, claiming great improvements. Actually, the only difference in this workforce office was its new name, Job1. In this unit, where so much good could have been done, it was business as usual—assist the best candidates and leave the less educated or problematic ones out in the cold.
During Nagin’s tenure, crime rose dramatically. Violent crimes swept the city on a daily basis. One could wake up in the morning and wager as to how many people were killed the night before. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was on pace to set a year-end murder rate record. Drug-related crimes ran rampant, as did petty economic offenses. Unemployment was phenomenal in the poorest communities—the neighborhoods where criminal activities were seen the most. The mayor did nothing to focus on these areas in any way but increasing law enforcement presence. No educational, job training, or other programs were entrenched in these zones to actually help the inhabitants, unless incarceration is considered assistance. The mayor’s overall lack of support and understanding led to a rise in heated racial tensions and intense public outcry. It almost seemed as though civil rights advancements were knocked back by decades.
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina came as no great surprise, as everyone knew of the immense numbers of poor living within the city. There was no way the majority could have evacuated the area, as many were reliant on the lacking public transportation system. No plans were ever made to usher the multitudes to safety—corralling in the Superdome was always considered the most feasible and simplest solution. In hindsight, more thought should have been given to protecting the city’s most valuable commodity—life.
Today, we still witness the overall insincerity of Mayor Nagin. A few days after Katrina made landfall, Nagin stated that he was looking forward to an “awesome” celebration on Mardi Gras day. This is interesting, as only a few weeks ago, he stated, to a group of displaced storm victims in Atlanta, that he never thought the Mardi Gras celebration should take place in 2006, but was pressured into the idea by the governor’s office and by the local tourist industry. All of this was said while his office was actively pursuing corporate sponsors for the event. This adequately testifies to blatant, false compassion.
Here we are, over three month after Hurricane Katrina. We have seen no great ideas coming from the mayor, nor any plans of action. The committee he organized, composed of wealthy local businesspeople, seems stuck in the same quagmire of uncertainty. No one has taken the bold step in assuming a leadership role. Citizens, both living in New Orleans and relocated, are tired of the same old spineless routine. It’s time for a change—the sooner, the better.
posted by Carson W. Maxwell at 10:19 PM
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