“There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction”
~John Fitzgerald Kennedy~

I brag about New Orleans and how much I love it here – every single day – I really do. It is my home. Yes, even though I live on the Northshore, I am anchored to the heart of the city of New Orleans! I didn’t move here to be near Baton Rouge – d’uh. This coming weekend, yours truly and my sis-in-law will be whooping it up in the French Quarter – girls night on the town – no concealed weapons. I certainly wouldn’t take her for a night on the town in Mosul or Kirkuk!!! Do I feel safe in the French Quarter -probably as falsely safe as I always do anywhere. Will I go there thinking I may get shot – certainly not. Will I hesitate to have fun after dark – nope. Would I feel safer in Iraq – no – even though statistically I may be safer there.

It is hard to figure out the breakdown of murder, homicide and wounded rates in New Orleans anymore. Whoever was keeping score before, seems to have stopped tracking it (besides homicides), probably from pure exhaustion. There are about 73 homicides in New Orleans in 2008 as of now. As of the time I wrote this post, we also have 171 US death in 2008 as a result of the War on Terror. Now, it doesn’t take a math whiz to figure out that the New Orleans death rate is extremely high considering none of those killed in New Orleans were heroes wearing a uniform while serving their Country fighting a war. Hello! McFly! We have a PROBLEM that needs to be fixed – NOW!!!!

We are becoming too accepting of another victim, who is somebody’s child, father or brother. We are accepting that this is just the way it is now. We also note the stats of age, race and circumstances to the murders. You may not fit the description of a 18-24 yo black man who is tied to illegal activities – but you should still be concerned. It is like freaking Urban Warfare here and I, for one, want it to stop.

I have written many times about a campaign idea I have, where the mothers of victims who have either committed crimes and are now in jail and the mothers of murdered victims unite to speak out against the crime! I truly believe that these mothers are the only ones who can stop the violence in this great city right now! I think a campaign like this will make an immediate impact on the community. Ya ya ya – keep the criminals in jail, get drugs off the street, more police, more funding, keep the National Guard here…all fine and dandy. But how about dealing with something immediately? We can’t change the breakdown of the family overnight. We can’t improve the education system with the snap of a finger. We can’t stop the drug problem tomorrow. We can’t change the invincible attitude or the don’t care attitude of today’s criminals…or can we???

I’m just thinking out loud. But maybe someone will listen to me this time. If you have a better solution – speak up! You’ve got nothing to lose by commenting with your 2 cents or great ideas. I am just a concerned resident and I have said my peace – now go ahead and either slam me for living in Fantasy Land about my idea or pony-up and offer your solutions right now!

***this post can be read at NOLA.com and my personal blog. Also tune in to Kiss My Gumbo Radio every Saturday from 3:00-4:00 on AM 690 WIST. Feel free to contact me gretaperry@gmail.com
***Soldiers’ Angels need you!!! Support the men and women in uniform today! Ask me how!