Second Verse, same as the first
Yeah he’s at it again. He being OUR MAYOR, C. Ray Nagin. The reason NOTHING is happening in this city is because of racism and government red tape. Speaking to the National Association of Black Journalists in Indianapolis, Mayor Nagin said that racism and government red tape is the reason that the city is having such a hard time recovering. Oh really? And all this time I thought it was just plain old incompetence.
First, the government’s initial response was criminal in my eyes. That’s a point I will make until the last breath has been sucked out of my listless body, probably as I wait on hold with Entergy. But do I think that someone with authority in Washington D.C. said, “Now is our chance to get rid of all the black people in New Orleans so let’s just not show up.” Are you kidding? The federal government can’t get out of it’s own way, much less devise some scheme to “cleanse” New Orleans. When I hear the mayor of this city, my city, tell the country that he thinks the federal government is racist, I am ashamed and embarrassed. I’m ashamed and embarrassed that a complete jackass is representing my city, therefore he is representing me and it’s frankly sickening.
Nagin says that the city is being strangled because they basically won’t give him a blank check and let him decide how to spend it. No shit Ray. Maybe they called DamilerChrysler and got the head’s up on how we did with the first round of gifts. Not sure but the last state in this country that should be given a blank check is Louisiana. And I’m a born and bred homer that loves his state, probably too much.
Let’s play a game. The radio station has not been kind to Mr. Nagin. Either before the storm or after. We feel he has been a horrible decision-maker, as in he never makes a decision. We do think though that he has not been corrupt so it’s a 50/50 thing. My point of this game is this…We take our shots at the mayor. There is not an agenda behind our shots, we just think that A MEDIA OUTLET IN THIS CITY needs to speak honestly with the citizens of this area about the success or lack of success our leader is delivering. So when we call and ask Mayor Nagin to appear on a local program, we KNOW he will decline. He’s been doing it for 5 years now. We expect it because the dude can’t take the heat. My point is, if you continue to rip the federal government up and down, call them racist, say that they are hamstringing the city, then when you call you better be ready for them to say…”Nah, we’re gonna pass.” Are you ready to hear that from the Feds? As much as I think the Federal Government is a bloated, bottomless money pit, I am not ready to secede from the union just yet.
The other thing is this…. You wanna know why the city can’t get moving forward Ray? It’s easy. It’s you.
You’re the man who WILL NOT work with the Firefighters of this city to get them the much needed pay raise they deserve. Did you know our firefighters, the one’s actually putting fires out, make less per hour than what the local Burger King’s are paying people? Did you know that the mayor has had on his desk for 6 months now a proposal to get OUR first responders, the ones who were plucking people out of their homes left and right, a raise and that OUR MAYOR has not signed it yet? And says he’s not signing it anytime soon?
You’re the man who will not step up and say anything about neighborhoods except that we’re working on the plan for that.
You’re the man who continues to put New Orleans is a horrible light, by flying city to city to share your thoughts on race. This from the guy who before the storm was called a “white man in black man’s skin” by the city’s black preachers.
The reason the city is stuck in neutral Ray is you. I do not think anyone here, in this city, has a problem with decisions being made. The only problem we have Ray is that you just can’t make a decision. Unless it involves a speech in some city far away from the mess you’ve left behind.
Related posts:
How about a recall? Removing (or at least attempting to remove) ineffective politicians from office would be a sign that the people mean business. Yes, some will balk at this and claim it would contribute to the image of an unstable New Orleans government, but is that really any worse than the present situation.
In conversations I have with people in my corner of the country, Nagin is almost always the exclusive target of their invectives against New Orleans. Although the majority of people here are symapthetic and still want to help, I’m encountering a steadily growing contingency of folks who harbor ill thoughts about New Orleans. Regardless of what I say, Nagin’s words are consistently used to denigrate New Orleans and argue against recovery. While his lack of leadership has stymied visible recovery efforts locally, his rhetoric continues to turn people outside of the region against New Orleans.
Bottom line: outside of New Orleans, Nagin’s re-election means New Orleanians approve of and consent to his leadership. A recall effort might be the best way to combat these assumptions. At the very least, it would get the national media to report the growing discontent in New Orleans with their present elected officials.
Gov’t red tape at the mayors office.
My first question is how could a leader like this who publicly stated a “chocolate” New Orleans has to be the first and most important thing to happen before anything else can get done in New Orleans, how, how on gods green earth could he get elected again????? what kind of voting mentality is at work in the city, and maby this mentality is really the underlying cause of all the cities woes, and how could he (Nagin) now be stateing that the federal goverment is racist after the racist remarks he’s made. Can anyone tell me how or why he should still be mayor? unless there has to be a chocolate mayor of a chocolate city. I fail to see how he is a positive force in a city that needs postive leaders.
Before I even got to the racism comment what struck me in reading the article was that he’s in INDIANAPOLIS. Why is he chatting up journalists when he should be here working?! What do we pay him for? The point has been raised so many times, yet he continues to go awol.
Do you fruits ever stop crying long enough to change your urine soaked underpants? Suck it up, walk it off, etc.
At one time, I was posting as Jim, see that someone else is posting as such, so going by J.D. now.
Perhaps the reason Naygin’s in Indianapolis is that he’s rapidly running out of venues that will tolerate his diarrhea of the mouth. A side note…couldn’t the National Association of Black Journalists find a more worthy speaker?
At one time, Naygin seemed to be inept. At this point in time, he’s dangerous. The wrong man at the wrong time. Being way out in west Texas, I may be out of line making an assumption like this, but just going by what I read on these posts and other outlets.
Finally, spent four days in NOLA July 28-31. Had a good time, ate well, drank better, heard some good tunes. But talking to y’all, seeing the wreckage first hand was so emotionally draining…and what I saw was only the tip of the iceberg. I only have the utmost admiration and respect for those of you still there and hanging on. And you deserve so much better than the government you currently have.
I agree, JD. The people living and thriving in New Orleans right now are a special breed. I hope that THESE people are the one to evict Mr. Never There Mayor. A better thing couldn’t happen to New Orleans.
Dan has there ever been a black president or a black pope?
Laurie
Our Race: Homo sapiens sapiens.
Black is not a race.
White is not a race.
Asian/Oriental is not a race.
Polynesian is not a race.
Mongoloid is not a race(Out of Mongolia).
This is Man.
This is who we are.
Racisms can not exist unless an Homo habilis kills an Homo erectus.
Throw the word racism out of your vocabulary.
Laurie