Jump to content

New Orleans' identical twin


UptownNewOrleans

What city is most like New Orleans?  

48 members have voted

  1. 1. food, culture, nightlife, etc

    • Memphis
      37
    • Houston
      9
    • Miami
      2


Recommended Posts

Im saying that the land developers, the people that have BEEN wanting New Orleans, which is no secret to anybody

This is a secret to me. These projects are owned by the federal government, and it is the federal government that will be re-developing them. Developers have no right to this property, nor will they.

Before Katrina, developers were certainly not interested in any part of New Orleans except downtown. Development outside of downtown was stagnant to non-existant. St. Thomas was torn down and turned over because there was no need for St. Thomas anymore. We had WAY too many units. At one time, fully 1/2 of all units in New Orleans were vacant. This was a downsizing mandated by HUD, not a land-grab.

I don't want you to think I'm taking issue with you personally. This is just a good discussion, and it needs to take place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 88
  • Created
  • Last Reply

A) The crime in New Orleans is the same as it was before Katrina.

B) Which proves my point that it exists with or without the projects.

C) Which is even more reason to allow the grown adults who can make their own decisions and dont need the government to make decisions for them to move back in their homes if they want to.

D) The closing down of the housing projects right now is just the first step in their gentrification plans and them doing their best to keep the residents out of New Orleans for good.

Where is the source saying that the crime in New Orleans pre- and post-Katrina is the same? I'd like to these see statistics categorically broken down.

I would also say that if the city and the federal government is maliciously blocking the attempts for Blacks to go back to New Orleans, they don't need to go back. There are a plethora of other cities in the nation in which they can carve out better lives for themselves. I'd hate to see these folks move back just to encounter more of the same. And I would think that the government would have some type of say in what happens to the public housing projects since they created and own them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where is the source saying that the crime in New Orleans pre- and post-Katrina is the same? I'd like to these see statistics categorically broken down.

Statistically, homicides in NO are at or above pre-Katrina levels. From Wikipedia:

"...statistics are showing that violent crime is beginning to return to the city. The city finished the month of July 2006 with 22 murders, which was the same as the pre-Katrina average for the city since 2002 when the population was much higher. The numbers for this year, with 80 murders by the end of July, put the city on pace to have 58.36 murders per 100,000 citizens..."

Compare this year's murder rate to previous years:

2004: 54.5

2003: 56.5

2002: 53.2

2001: 43.9

2000: 42.1

1999: 32.6

Source: www.city-data.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's a damn shame. More details would be good, but not really necessary.

At any rate, crime wasn't the only negative consequence of the projects. A litany of social ills resulted from this social engineering experiment gone wrong, so crime stats do not justify the preservation of the projects IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Were not saying "PRESERVE THE PROJECTS"

We're saying at THIS time. As far as right now is concerned. There is no reason to NOT allow these people back into their homes.

It is a DISSERVICE and WRONG to DENY people their RIGHTFUL access back into their homes to do for themselves.

We have literally thousands of people that want and need to get back into their homes that they have a RIGHT to.

The people are NOT getting the proper help they need from Fema and the government, so what is our reasoning for DENYING law-abiding, tax-paying citizens their right back to their OWN homes.

Its sad that you cant understand that. These people are no less than you, or anyone else. Right now. At a time where people have nowhere to go. How stupid is it to deny them their right back into their own homes when those RECENTLY-RENOVATED project apartments have some of the least bit of damage in the city.

Point blank. Let the people back into their homes.

Its like people have this conception that "aww if you let people BACK into their homes the crime will just go back to what it was". "Keep them out"

That is damn near inhumane. With it now being evident that crime still exists EXACTLY the same in New Orleans with or without the 3-4 remaining, livable housing projects. What logical reasoning do we have from keeping our fellow human beings. That had lives just as important to them and valuable to them as you do. Or anybody else. What is the moral, logical reasoning, of telling every single person that lived there, you CANT COME BACK TO YOUR HOME.

Whats that??

Only thing that happened was Katrina. The crime exists with or without the projects. And the saddest part about it is, its actually costing MORE for them to pay people every month or whenever keeping them out of state, than it is for them to use that same money to allow the people to come home and fix their apartments up and rebuild their lives. The projects dont have to be their forever, but we DO have to give them the right to come back to their homes they paid to live in. Just because its provided by the government, if anything that should make it even MORE wrong to deny people their right to their apartments.

It doesnt make any sense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see we just have a legitimate difference of opinion on this one. If they move back in "just for right now," then that's where they'll stay--it will give FEMA and the federal government just the excuse they need. What's inhumane is the fact that society even felt the need to quarantine these folks from the rest of society and warehouse them. I'm thinking long-term on this--a temporary inconvenience for a permanent, better setup.

All over the nation we see public housing projects being demolished and the land being redeveloped for affordable housing that is aesthetic, community-oriented, and gives the residents a TRUE sense of ownership. The same can and should happen in New Orleans.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I agree with Nate. most attempts to re-create New Orleans fall flat. It isn't simply architecture, food, or music that create the unique culture of New Orleans, but an indigenous melding of the three which make New Orleans' culture stand out. I hope it won't be diluted by the new developments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And looking at it from a different perspective, if I have my facts right, aren't most of the working class New Orleanians now in Houston spread out all over the area, rather than confined in one area? If that is the case, then I expect that the one's that do stay permanently in metro Houston will eventually just assimilate with the rest of the population. I've heard that many of the criminals from NOLA that are now in Houston are now mostly found in certain parts of the city, but I haven't heard this about the working class people; the people with some money, that New Orleans-esque developments would really cater to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've lived in Houston and spent plenty of time in Memphis and neither in my mind could be considered New Orleans' twin. I have never been to Miami, so I couldn't give a fair comparison.

In my personal experience, the only place that I have been to that even comes close to reminding me of New Orleans is Charleston, SC. Although smaller, the residential neighborhoods of Charleston's peninsula remind me of Uptown, Central City and the Garden District. However, I would not consider CHS to be a twin.

IMHO, New Orleans is in its own unique class that is not replicated anywhere else and simply does not have a twin :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've lived in Houston and spent plenty of time in Memphis and neither in my mind could be considered New Orleans' twin. I have never been to Miami, so I couldn't give a fair comparison.

In my personal experience, the only place that I have been to that even comes close to reminding me of New Orleans is Charleston, SC. Although smaller, the residential neighborhoods of Charleston's peninsula remind me of Uptown, Central City and the Garden District.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How so. New Orleans Black culture is more closer to Charleston Black culture than it is to Memphis. In every facet.

I go to school with people from all over the country. Nobody is more similar than Charleston and New Orleans. If I had a nickel for everytime somebody ask me if I was from New Orleans, especially since Katrina happen. I would be rich. Outside of the rap game, both cities havin a lot of rappers, or Memphis being known for Blues, and New Orleans for Jazz, it really is nothing in common.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh I see what you doin. You really just wanted to parallel Memphis and New Orleans. I respect that. When I first visited Savannah, I was doin the same thing with Savannah and Charleston.

But the truth is, Beale Street and Bourbon Street. Not really "black culture". Even though they both may display certain parts of their respective cities Black cultures on the street.

Far as the food is concerned. Yeah Memphis has Barbeque. But thats only 1 thing. And alot of places have barbeque. When you talk about original style cooking. That was brought by the Africans who were enslaved. And is a staple of the African-American cultures of the 2 cities. You ask any chef in the country. Im sure they would say Charleston style food and New Orleans style food are more similar than anything.

New Orleans is famous for Gumbo. The actual WORD Gumbo came to America through us.

New Orleans is famous for Voodoo. The actual WORD Voodoo came to America through us.

New Orleans got Jambalaya. Charleston got Red Rice.

The Black speech of New Orleans. The only place in America that it is similar to is Charleston.

The Black history of New Orleans. The place it is most similar to is Charleston.

Far as music is concerned. I guess Memphis could be included. Memphis is famous for Blues. But I dont think it started there. It started in the Delta of Mississippi. New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz. We are the birthplace of Negro Spirituals. They came from and started with us. On the Sea Islands. The Gullah region.

Even the songs like Kum By Yuh, thats Gullah for Come By Here. Thats how we talk.

Both are port cities. Both are below sea level. Both get hurricanes. Both were the 2 main slave port cities of America. Which is the reason these are the only 2 cities that maintained real African culture in America.

I can go on and on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Miami and New Orleans??? I love both cities, but don't see how they compare at all. New Orleans is one of the most unique cities in the U.S.. It's what draws people to it. I'd say Savannah could be considered similar in appearance only and in attitude I'd say there's a bit of a similarity with the Key West easy going attitude, but that's about it. I've been to each city, so I feel I can make the comparisons, but there's only one New Orleans.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everyone tries to emulate New Orleans. Shreveport has an old townhouse complex that looks just like homes in the French Quarter, and two new TNDs under construction, designed after New Orleans. New Orleans is simply the look every city desires. It's beautiful.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.