Stupid Remarks Once Again
Published on January 17, 2006 By Larry Kuperman In Current Events
Ray Nagin does it once again. At a rally on Martin Luther King Day, the mayor of New Orleans said "I don't care what people are saying Uptown or wherever they are. This city will be chocolate at the end of the day. This city will be a majority African-American city. It's the way God wants it to be."

Which part of that is most offensive? The "chocolate" part or the Mayor's conceit that he knows God's will?

You have to hand it to Mayor Nagin. That's not the stupidest remark that he made...not even this week.

"Surely God is mad at America. He sent us hurricane after hurricane after hurricane, and it’s destroyed and put stress on this country," Nagin told a crowd at City Hall. "Surely he doesn’t approve of us being in Iraq under false pretenses. But surely he is upset at black America also. We’re not taking care of ourselves."

Ah, an equal opportunity offender! Mayor Nagin didn't have a plan for the evacuation of New Orleans, but he knows what God intended. God was displeased with the war in Iraq, so He smote New Orleans. What a vision of the Lord of Mercy!

Before Hurricane Katrina, the population of New Orleans was 67% African American. That was the electorate that voted for Ray Nagin.

I think that everyone in America has the videotape of the October 8th beating of 64-year old Robert Davis by three New Orleans police officers. The officers struck Davis at least four times about the head, kneed him and then continued punching him once he was on the ground. The officers were white, Robert Davis was black. The incident and other incidents during the aftermath of the hurricane have led to allegations of widespread corruption and racism in the New Orleans police force.

If Mayor Nagin wants to ensure that the African American population of New Orleans returns, he might start by taking steps to guarantee their safety and security.


Comments
on Jan 18, 2006

The incident and other incidents during the aftermath of the hurricane have led to allegations of widespread corruption and racism in the New Orleans police force.

Actually, that was alleged long before that incident.  The fact that over 50 officers were fired for desertion right after Katrina was indcative of it.  The incidence with Robert Davis was just caught on camera.  It was hardly unique before Katrina.

on Jan 18, 2006
"Surely he doesn’t approve of us being in Iraq under false pretenses" that's priceless! I sure am glad Nagin can tell us how God feels. Where are all of the religious right bashers on this?
on Jan 19, 2006
Dr. Guy, you are correct, but this beating spurred the FBI to investigate.

As an interesting side note, it seems that two FBI agents were also involved, although in what capacity I am not sure. See Link