Tuesday, January 17, 2006

You probably shouldn't be the mayor of a major American city if you say things like ...

"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." - Mayor Nagin, on the rebuilding of New Orleans

Nagin also said that God sent Katrina because he's mad we're in Iraq, and because he is mad at black Americans.

Given that its been particularly cold, windy, and dismal the last several days where I live, it must be the case that my community has done something to make God slightly annoyed with us. I have a friend in Miami that reports everything is alright with God there, as the temperture is a pleasant 78 degrees.

Update: Pam's House Blend has a good post up on this subject. Pam insightfully identifies the underlying cause of Nagin's frustration

[W]hat's true about the undercurrent in Nagin's frustrations is that no one is working together effectively or honestly in the recovery and rebuilding of New Orleans. Black, white and brown, rich, poor and middle class, fed, state, local -- all have stakes in what happens to this city. The reality is that all of this puts into clear focus that only a small segment of power brokers really have control over the final outcome. Many in the socioeconomically deprived communities of NOLA -- in this case, mostly blacks -- are finding out that they are going to be on the short end of the stick (again), with little final say in the matter.
Now this, I believe, is an important issue that should be addressed. Its a shame that Nagin couldn't manage to express himself without declaring that God wanted New Orleans destroyed or that God had a particular racial composition in mind for the city.

Also, it turns out that "Chocolate City" is an allusion to a 1975 Parliament album.

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