Houston
"Katricians:"
When the "Katricians" rise up in violence, Houstonians had better be packing some serious heat.
That's the inflammatory message of a new gun-shop commercial on the radio that gives Hurricane Katrina evacuees a vaguely alien-sounding name, and advises Texans to take up arms to defend themselves against crimes committed by the newcomers.
"When the 'Katricians' themselves are quoted as saying the crime rate is gonna go up if they don't get more free rent, then it's time to get your concealed-handgun license," warns the radio ad by Jim Pruett, who co-hosts a bombastic talk-radio show and owns Jim Pruett's Guns & Ammo, a self-styled "anti-terrorist headquarters" that sells knives, shotguns, semi-automatic rifles and other weapons. As Pruett describes the dangers posed by "Katricians," glass can be heard shattering, and a bell tolling ominously.
The radio spot highlights what many gun-store owners say is a hot trend in Houston: trade in weapons amid a surge in the homicide rate that police attribute to the more than 100,000 hurricane evacuees still in the city. Though the gun sale reports are largely anecdotal, Texas officials said applications for concealed-weapons permits were up statewide: 60,328 from Jan. 1 to Sept. 1 this year, compared with 46,298 for the same period last year.
The Houston Police Department estimates that one in five homicides in the city now involves Katrina evacuees — as suspect, victim or both. Many Houston residents, including some evacuees, are worried that crime will only get worse once housing and other public assistance end.
OK, I'm not going to sugarcoat things or otherwise be naive: as much as I love the Crescent City--I'd like to think as much as a non-resident can--it's not like I'm unaware of the ominous underside: the high crime, the desperate poverty, the abysmal state of public services/education, etc. Hell, there are areas I would otherwise have NEVER gone to had it not been for the flood (e.g., the Lower Ninth). My immediate supervisor at work grew up in NOLA, and I don't think he misses living there (hint: he lived in some rough neighborhoods). Some of my Red Stick friends were once denizens of the city, and likewise don't miss it (hint: see the first hint).
So when the Houston police report that Katrina evacuees are committing crimes, well, I'm not going to immediately call bullshit. But the fact is that these folks were, first, more or less abandoned by this country while living in The Big Easy and second, have received pretty much the same treatment post-flood. Houstonians can thank the administration of fellow Texan George W. Bush directly for the latter, and his political forebears for the former.
The distinct lack of priority in dealing with a disaster they're responsible for--to repeat, as others have, for what seems like the 2millionth (pun intended) time, the levee failures are the result of irresponsibility at the federal level--merely underscores the long term neglect our country has had for the impoverished. Indeed, since "Reagan-style" conservativism became a popular political movement, the country seems to have gone even further: instead of merely neglecting the poor, it's become downright hostile towards them.
In fact, I'm often surprised we don't have even MORE examples of ugly criminal behavior...and again, lest anyone think I'm a criminal coddler, let me disuade you right away: twice I've been mugged/assaulted, less than a month ago someone tried to break into my house--no, I don't like crooks and would like to see them in jail (oh--and I also support efforts to hire more police and raise officers' salaries, often fruitlessly here in Red Stick, to my chagrin).
But again, this goes back to something Scout asked in After the Levees: what sort of government do we want? Hmmm...I forget now, but I think one of her major criteria was: a COMPETENT government.
A competent government would most certainly not let thousands of its own citizens, be they good, bad, or ugly, languish in, in this case, Houstonian limbo (and I'll forego my normal Houston bashing here). Neither would a competent government allow for the equal abandonment many of these citizens felt prior to the flood, when the VAST MAJORITY were living almost as prisoners in their own neighborhoods, the police unwilling or unable to enforce more than the barest minimum of order (or sometimes less) while yes, criminals (NOT a majority, but it doesn't require a majority) were actually powerful or brazen enough to fight the police to what amounted to a stand-off. Oh, and another thing: I SERIOUSLY doubt that this is or was a problem unique to New Orleans. I'd bet that in virtually every moderate to large sized city in the country (and even a few small sized ones) there are areas that, if you value your life and/or health, you don't want to get caught in. And if, for whatever reason, you DID, and suffered the consequences, well, most folks wouldn't even bother with sending a sympathy card.
Which, if you think about it, is bizarre/scary: the richest nation on the face of the planet--by an almost absurd degree--has entire swaths of its own territory that are barely governable. Call it the slum, the ghetto, the "inner city," whatever--but they sure as hell are more than a mere embarrassment. They're a damning indictment.
Well, that was a bit of a tangent, so to hopefully focus back: in the case of New Orleans, the forced evacuation, yes, has resulted in good people, bad people, and ugly people all having an impact where they've moved. For the most part, it's a positive impact: aside from the unique cultural legacy of the city, the displaced residents purchase goods and services, which provide employment and tax revenues, etc. etc.--I'm sure y'all all know the details. Some displaced residents no doubt commit crimes--and again, I'm NOT going to justify criminal behavior. But ALL displaced resident are, well, DISPLACED--except for the almost 2,000 who are, well, you know, DEAD, and that itself is a crime.
One that DIDN'T have to happen.
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