quote:
“I think it’s very important that people realize that these problems aren’t just black and white issues, that bullet had no color, it could have hit anyone, anyone of us. And we have to start seeing that these issues aren’t just sidelined to one particular race or group of people, it impacts us all,” said Curtis.

He's right in that the bullet could have hit anyone, of any skin color. But the reality he's trying to tip-toe around is the person (persons) who fired the bullets are largely confined to one group. That's not prejudice. That's facts.

It's not everyone in EBR. It's not even the majority of people who live in EBR. But EBR does have a populace, more so than most other areas in the nation, whose cultural mindset is that it is entirely normal to settle disputes by trying to kill one another with gunfire.

This isn't 80's-90's era drug sales turf wars. A lot of these shooting arise simply out of one person "disrespecting" another person on social media...or in person. And shooting that person who disrespected you is viewed as a wholly acceptable response by a certain demographic in EBR.

Build all the jails you want. Unless and until it becomes culturally unacceptable to kill another person simply over a disagreement or disrespect, not much will change. Business owners will continue to find the reward is not worth the risk to operate a business in EBR and productive, law abiding citizens will continue to chose to live elsewhere where the risk of being a victim of crime (even if still small) is far less than living in BR.

Every major city generally dies the same death. BR is just in the middle of its time compared to somewhere like Jackson, MS which has already passed. Once Kip left office so went with him the belief that Baton Rouge could be a great city where people want to live. Broome is the first, but won't be the last, of political leaders who really don't care if the city collapses...as long as their personal status increases.