There are few things in life that can be counted on. And then there's New Orleans. For a while there it seemed that the wanton killing that had become the norm in the swampy burg had run its course, and that maybe we would have to wait at least another year for a chance at a new murder record. I mean, it's a small city, so it stands to reason that eventually the killing would have to slow down. And I'll admit I have been a little worried, because as a spectator I enjoy it when old, "unbreakable" records are broken. As long as it is done within the rules, of course.
Now in case you have forgotten, New Orleans holds the current murder rate record for the United States. It was set in 1994 and stands at 86 per 100,000 people. This number represents an extremely high rate of killing, so I know it's not smart to hope that it will be exceeded. But thanks to a recent three day orgy of death, there is still a fighting chance.
Saturday, March 31, four murders. Monday, April 2, four murders. That brings the total number of murders committed in the city this year to 55. Murder rate -- 96 and holding.
That, my friends, is what you call a comeback. Just when the murder rate had slipped to around 90 and seemed in danger of falling even farther, my homeboys awakened, remembered who they were, and got back to the business of killing.
Sitting here now I don't know why I was ever worried. When it comes to murder, New Orleans is the Tiger Woods of American cities, and even Tiger suffers through the occasional slump. And just like Tiger, New Orleans has met the challenge and is now, once again, reasserting its dominance.
It's nice to see things are back to normal in the Chocolate City.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Back to Normal
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2 comments:
This is doubly impressive when you consider that some of the murderees are bound to be murderers as well. That means that the surviving murderers have to take up the slack left by the murdered murderers. It must be murder trying to keep up the murderous pace necessary to set the murder record.
That is such a good point that I am at a loss for words on how to expand on it, never mind reread the original blog and the original response. I am rarely without something to say but it has been said.
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