There Goes the Neighborhood
On NPR's Morning Edition this morning there was a report from Houston on the recent crime increase coincident with ... the arrival of the Katrina refugees. "Houston Examines Post-Katrina Spike in Violent Crime" by Ari Shapiro "Police in Houston late last year noticed an increase in homicides. At the time, they downplayed the potential role of Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Now, the Houston Police Department says hurricane survivors were at least partly responsible for the spike in violence." Listen
posted by hysterical blackness @ 6:15 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
....my boyfriend created a blog last night and I decided to log on and check out what other people had to say. While doing so, I came across your posting and HAD to listen to the NPR report on the crime increase in Houston....
Listening to that report completely pissed me off. I'd like to think of myself as a realistic person. As a result, I might agree that there's a possibility that crime in Houston has increased and some of the Hurricane survivors may be to blame.
Although this may be true, I think its painfully obvious in the NPR report that they are not feeling "welcomed" in their new city. Imagine losing all that you own as a result of a natural disaster that could have prevented with proper planning. Then imagine having to wait for rescue by the very people who left you trapped to die. I think its absurd for them to think that people who have lost everything and are being forced to start all over...some dealing with the loss of their families and friends...without feelings of hopelessness and despair.... Without feeling that they are OWED something. Of course they feel like they are "owed" something...hell, I wasn't there and I feel the same way! At minimum they are owed compassion and respect.
I find it difficult to believe that Katrina evacuees are being given a fair chance in the city of Houston---and it absolutely upsets me that people are more concerned about what they are wearing and how they speak--than how we can help them....
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