(ThySistas.com) We no longer know what to expect when we turn on the News. We have no idea what madness we might hear when the broadcast begins. In like fashion many hesitate when they open their phone, because we never know what is about to be trending or breaking news. One can say it can induce anxiety as we are constantly encountering things we never thought we’d see. I must admit, right now America feels too much like the terrible parts of a history book right before the terror emerges for the shadows. I remember elders talking about illegal policing when they were coming up, and they were apprehensively going places because walking down the street at the wrong time of day could result in a trip to the jail or the morgue. Louisiana is in league of its own in terms of how American culture manifests itself here…or does not. We used to make jokes about having parishes instead of counties, but that is just one thing that is different amongst many. If Louisiana is a different tune, New Orleans is a completely different song. The history matters because New Orleans is a place where we love culture, food, music, family, and we don’t bother anyone. So, the Governor declaring war upon us? What was he thinking? We don’t need the National Guard.
People from across the state & nation had their view of New Orleans; Katrina them the right to feel they could speak on a culture they did not know. After that hurricane Black people from New Orleans were branded as refugees, backwards, slow, and more importantly violent. We were blamed for violence in various cities that had nothing to do with us. We became the scapegoat people used and are still using to justify why there is crime surges in their cities. If they looked at how crime happens in New Orleans they would know what they are seeing has nothing to do with New Orleanians. This matters because even though crime has not surged in the city, and we have seen patterns of violence from outsiders in our city, it’s blasted all over the news as though we are acting foolish. Many governors have come with the agenda to “tame” New Orleans, they use the excuse of violent crimes as a reason to “step in”. Governor Landry called the President and offered up New Orleans for federal policing. In doing this what did he hope to gain? He wants to seize the resources of New Orleans and further disenfranchise the city to kill its voice…as he sees it as an opposition to the current administration. This governor has sold out the state to bow to the current administration and he has offered New Orleans.
We do not need the National Guard we need our elected officials to do their job. We need to see the state work with our city to actually fix the levee issues, and problems that still stem from Katrina. We need the state not to take more fiscally than they should and stop trying to police New Orleans in a manner by which they don’t with the rest of the state. It is unfair and creates further division within Louisiana. If the state wanted to help with something they could have worked with the city verses bringing in the National Guard which will not fix crime. It will only create further resistance and violence. Maybe the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina needs to be re-visited. New Orleanians, especially Blacks citizens of the city, were traumatized further. We were depicted as violent thieves, while our white counterparts were seen as trying to survive.
Those in authority were given the authority to kill us. Racists hunted us like animals, and many were killed. This is a history that is deeply rooted here now, and it’s clear the state doesn’t care about the city that brings millions of tourists a year to this state. Bringing the National Guard to New Orleans is like telling the Black citizens there who contribute to a large part of the culture people come to enjoy…they are bring death to our doorstep. We deserve better than this from our governor and state. We should have to remember the title, “The City That Care Forgot”. This is what I think of when I’m reading about our own governor choosing to request military presence in my city, and throughout the state of Louisiana. Rest assured history never forgets, and neither does New Orleans.
Staff Writer; Chelle’ St James
May also connect with this sister via Twitter; ChelleStJames.