Blog #502: My Reaction as a Neurodivergent to the Bourbon Street Truck Attack in New Orleans

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With all the news surrounding the California wildfires going around, it’s important to remember that there was another event before the fires that sent shockwaves throughout our every day lives. During New Years festivities in New Orleans, Louisiana, a crazed and deranged individual drove a truck into a crowd of people on the world-famous Bourbon Street. As a result, 15 people were killed including the scumbag responsible for the attack and 35 people were injured.

Now, looking at this atrocity, you might be wondering just why would someone want to ram a truck into a crowd of innocent onlookers all for a warped ideology? The fact is that the scum who did this had a belief that he would get something out of that ideology, but he ended up getting nothing out of that ideology except making more people sad and angry.

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Then there was the matter of the victims themselves. One of the biggest fears that many parents, particularly those with neurodivergent loved ones have a tendency to worry if their children were going to be a highly populated area on New Year’s Eve or any day for that matter. The attack in New Orleans serves as a reminder that while some people enjoy staying up until midnight to welcome in the new year, sometimes, it just isn’t worth the fear and the anxiety that unfortunately comes along with it.

I mean, take a look at me for example, I’ve very seldom stayed up till midnight on New Year’s Eve, probably only once or twice in my life. But that was all taking place from the comfort of either my house or my neighbors.

But these people had been looking forward to being a part of the celebration. Some were locals and had been on Bourbon Street for New Year’s Eve, others were out of town or out of the country and longed to experience it. Then, this clown comes in and turns their lives upside down.

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If there is one thing that comes out of the New Orleans attack is that there is a danger that we must keep in the back of our minds if we choose to go out on New Year’s Eve or any holiday at any time. There are many sick people in the world who are so sick or so angry that the one true person they are hurting is themselves and the people they selfishly target.

I’m sorry to say that in recent years, a lot of people just don’t go out and party till sunrise anymore. It’s not worth it and it isn’t worth getting yourself targeted by some warp minded clown.

But it also goes to show you that you don’t need to stop celebrating a certain holiday on account of that warp minded clown. What the clown wanted to do was get people to stop celebrating by setting fear into their hearts and minds, but that warp minded clown failed. You can get dressed up, play your favorite music, dance the night away and celebrate the holiday you want to celebrate because that was what the clown failed to do. He attempted to instill fear and he failed, but at the same time, he has made us more aware of our surroundings on places like Bourbon street.

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Perhaps one idea that families can take is to review what to do in the event of such a pending tragedy. The day before an event such as a parade, go to the site, pick your spot and then practice what to do should an emergency come about. Another idea comes in the form of setting a time limit or curfew. If you want to leave at 10:00pm, by all means, you have the right to do that. There are those who don’t believe or wish to break curfews just simply don’t know any better.

Sometimes, it’s just not worth getting worked up over something like being on Bourbon Street for a holiday. At the end of the day, mental health is more important than anything. But the key here is again, to not let the clown win by having fear of doing something you love to do otherwise.

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Catch you all later!!