THE LEADERSHIP CONTINUES BUT THE CITY WILL CRUMBLE

Julie de Lespinasse stated “The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of inhumanity”. Chep Morrison’s failure to face the reality of integration and take the necessary steps to avoid the expression of hatred by many who were simply ignorant and unknowing led to the initial determination of many leaving the city for the suburbs. For some it was the hatred that the ignorant had shown for others it was fear for their children. When Chep left to become U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States, the City Council elected Councilman Vic Schiro, then Councilman-At-Large, as interim mayor. Schiro would be an avowed segregationist and also inherit the helm of the Crescent Democratic Association (which would eventually disintegrate). However, this man would not allow the fiasco created by integration to control the opening of a new school year. He dealt with the issue to preserve the integrity of this city and used law officials to avoid an occurrence of events that had happened under the reign of Morrison. While he remained a segregationist, he would take some but not enough steps to halt the devastation that would be created by the continuation of the discord created by this issue. Yes there was much that could have been done but not to avoid the issues that would arise. He would defeat others and he would bring vast improvements to this city but there would be another issue that would haunt his term and it name was Betsy. The haunting would be that we would not learn from that storm. However, credit must be given to Schiro for what he did more than forty years ago. Yes he did get President Johnson to visit the city on the day after the hurricane; Johnson and Schiro visited the Lower Ninth Ward and an emergency shelter. There would be packages for those who suffered and some would claim that he used this to gain re-election. However, he did get the Saints and the beginning of a new Superdome. Give him credit for what he did, including the code of ethics for city employees, the various public buildings, etc. However, this insurance man, who had a varied background, did not face the reality of what would destroy this city – he continued the foundation of what would be the hatred that this city faces today and would create the beginning of the decline in education and race relations that haunt this city today. It would have been better, if he followed the admonishment of George Bernard Shaw: “I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.”