Please Go Home

Those of you who know me personally are aware of how opinionated I am (insert eye-roll here). I have opinions on lots of things and I don't mind sharing them, including politics, even though my views often clash with those of my conservative parents and in-laws. I don't often share my political views in my blog, but today I just have to, hence the title: Please Go Home.

This is directed toward the Katrina evacuees who currently live in my city. Not all of the evacuees, just the ones who refuse to acclimate, whine and complain about EVERYTHING and insist on murdering our citizens.

I am tired of hearing about how horrible Houston is. I am tired of the countless meetings to protest the potential cut-off of your federal benefits. I am tired of your kids bringing down our standardized test scores because not only were your schools sub-par, but you refuse to insist that they step it up and get used to a higher level of education. I am tired of having my tax dollars go to support those kids in the same set of schools that my daughter will be attending next year.

Most of all, I am tired of the murders. When our mayor publicly announced that our substantial rise in crime magically coincided with the arrival of 200,000 of you from New Orleans, the poor guy was called a racist and fear-monger. But you know what? He is right. Our crime rate has sky-rocketed since Katrina hit two years ago this week. And frankly, if you can't get along with everybody who was already here, then GO HOME.

I am sorry for what happened to you. I cannot imagine losing my home and all of my possessions. I cannot imagine losing loved ones and waiting for days to be rescued by a government that was obviously clueless and unprepared. I cannot pretend to know exactly what you went through and I pray that I never have to go through it myself.

But you know what, I'd like to think that if I had to relocate to another city under similar circumstances, I wouldn't spend TWO YEARS in a FREE apartment, refuse to find employment, whine about the city and people who generously donated money, time and effort to help me out and then proceed to rob, hurt and murder those people.

Enough is enough.

If you are an evacuee who has found a job, started paying your own rent or mortgage and put your kids in our schools with the expectation that they will learn, then I say, please stay. We're glad to have you; stay as long as you want. I understand that Houston is quite different from New Orleans, but we're glad you're here contributing to society.

For those of you who are draining society, GO HOME. We don't want you here any more than you want to be here.

Rant over.