Renewing Old Rivalries
The Midland Reporter-Telegram puts a most puzzling spin on the newly released City Crime Report, choosing to present it within the context of a "Midland-vs-Odessa" rivalry. Even the headline of the story is provocative: Report: Odessa safer than Midland
The article provides a number of quotes that serve to reinforce the idea that (1) Midland and Odessa are somehow engaged in a zero-sum game of crime statistics, and (2) Odessa is somehow fudging its numbers.
Then there's this amazing quote by a Midland county deputy sheriff: "We usually have a lower crime rate than Odessa does," he said. "I'd say 50-60 percent of crime in Midland was committed by people from Odessa."
[Now, I will concede that the sheriff's department should have a handle on the cities of residence of offenders, and there could well be a statistical basis for the sheriff's statement. I'd like to see those statistics...along with the same stats from Odessa. Could it be that we're simply trading offenders?]
The same guy later was quoted as saying ""You can make numbers look the way you want them to, so I'm not convinced", which might cause one to question how Midland's statistics managed to look relatively better through the years.
Thankfully, Midland County Attorney Al Schorre put things back in the proper perspective:
"We've hung on to they myth of Midland being white-collar and Odessa being blue-collar too long. Midland has always claimed it was safer than Odessa, but I personally think we're about the same," he said.
I'll confess that I once subscribed to the "myth" Mr. Schorre describes, but came to my senses, ironically, once I moved to Midland almost 25 years ago. It's past time that this myth was laid to rest.
In any event, there's no good purpose served by casting reports like this in an "us-vs-them" light, especially considering how much "we" have to gain (or lose) depending on how well we work together.
Oh, well -- interstate rivalries are a whole different matter. ;-)
Actually, it's pretty rare that neighboring states have such strong common interests as to preclude such "rivalries." Personally, I loathe the way many drivers of cars with New Mexico plates flaunt our traffic laws here in Texas, even as I realize that New Mexicans probably feel the same way about lead-footed Texans traversing their fair state.
Posted by: Eric at November 10, 2006 01:48 PMLiving on a state line, the rivalry between KS and MO is palpable (and some cases, state law and political differences are at the root, but often it's just perceived artificial differences). What I do know though is that at least 50% of the crimes in the KC metro are committed by people from Odessa. ;-)
Posted by: Gwynne at November 10, 2006 05:35 PM...at least 50% of the crimes in the KC metro are committed by people from Odessa.
ROFL!!
Posted by: Eric at November 10, 2006 05:40 PMI've always heard that there was a bitter rivalry between Midland and Odessa. I knew that one city claimed to be more upscale than its blue-collar neighbor, but could never remember which one was which. 'Course since they're both way out there in West Texas, "upscale" is sort of a relative term, huh?
Posted by: John Peter Smith at November 10, 2006 07:56 PMThe irony of your comment is not lost on me, coming as it does from someone blogging from "Cow Town."
Of course, if anyone would know something about inter-city rivalries, I guess it would be you guys. ;-)
Posted by: Eric at November 10, 2006 10:06 PMAbout the publisher
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We have the same phenomenon here - though it's us (Virginia) vs. them (Maryland). Not sure that I've seen it as "safer" but we definitely can see that MD produces the worst drivers by far. ;)
(I put a winkie face, but in all honesty, both times I've been rear-ended because someone was driving aggressively and following too close it was a MD driver at fault. Just sayin')
Humor aside, it amazes me how easily we as humans get sucked into the us-vs-them mentality on any score (towns, drivers, politics) and every now and then I just want to join in on the chorus of "Why can't we all just get along" as naieve as it may be.
Posted by: beth at November 10, 2006 10:53 AM