Racist Comments by Ray Nagin?

I found this very interesting. I saw it on the news, searched it in google news, and found this article. Apparently, the Mayor of New Orleans felt that God sent the hurricanes, as a result of many things including his distaste for the war in Iraq. He also remarked that New Orleans will once again be a "Chocolate City."

Here it is.



What do you think would have happened if a white official had said something similar to this? "We're going to rebuild Beverly Hills as a white city. You can't have it any other way. It's the way God wants it to be."

I often wonder this same thing about many things in our society. A magazine just for white people called "Ivory", National White History Month, NAAWP.

I don't get it, but I'm not black and it doesn't really bother me. What bothers me is how he would probably react if I mentioned it.

I think White People should lift off the yolks of oppression, discrimination and stereotyping and struggle to be considered equal and deserving for their place at the table we call the American dream.

I often wonder why it's ok for every other nationality to preserve and shout thier color to the rooftops but when a white person does it these days (of which we haven't owned slaves once, nor abused any) we're immediately called racists, bigots, or nazi's.

There is a silent war going on and I truly think white people, especially white men are being victimized.

If you are a white man, work hard, and smell ok, your the bad guy.
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To be detailed; I'm an off white rosey freckled and fair skined woman, and this is something i've started noticing in the past couple of years.

Nagin wants a chocolate city, fine..... he can have it, nobody said he couldn't. He was obviously pandering to the racist black people in that city, the mayor of detroit pulls these little comments out of his arse too sometimes.

And there ""is"" a problem with racism in this country and the majority of it comes from people like Nagin, Kilpatrick, Barry, Jackson, Sharpton, et al.

I think it is so funny how sensitive white people are, so politically correct! You'd think after running the USA, nay, the world, (and stepping on non-whites to do it) they'd lighten up a bit. Say the most innocent thing, and they blow it out of proportion.

New Orleans was predominately black, and that makes some people nervous. Americans come in different shades of importance, and when the lower levels get too much power, the higher-ups get nervous. The higher caste of Americans don't like to share America, with the lower caste. I think the Mayor was just reassuring it's residents that they will a place to come back to, that no one is going to take advantage of this catastrophe to make a buck and kick them out. There were rumors of the government turning everything over to big business. That the people who lived there would be no longer welcome, unless they worked at one of the new casinos or strip malls. But he had to change his meaning for the white PC crowd, so they wouldn't get offended. We mustn't do anything that gets white people upset!

You know what I find amusing and at the same time ridiculous? The fact that Nagin's Chocolate City comments are getting more attention on Interweb bulletin boards than his truly nutty comments about God (who is apparently Poseidon) sending hurricanes to punish people. The comments about the racial makeup of New Orleans made sense and were relevant. More public figures spouting fundamentalist Christian nuttiness concerns me more.

It's the white people that are too politically correct? That's ridiculous! Can you imagine what would have happened if the circumstances were reversed and it were a white person wishing to rebuild a city as a "White city"? Tell me, how would you react? Honestly. How would you react to the following situation: Beverly Hills gets flooded (Assuming that place is predominantly white, I'm actually not sure.) The city is destroyed, but currently being re-built. The mayor of the city comes out and says "God flooded the city because he was mad at numerous things, and we will rebuild this city to be a white city!" He'd then go on to explain the benefits of having a white city, etc. etc.

You know it's racist. Why is he allowed to get away with it simply because "The white man already has everything else."

Oh Herman, you can't say that though, the white man already had his time and has ruled everything and everything one, Let the black men be racist as well as all the mexican's and hell even muslims too, white people duck tape your mouths and just let them all walk all over ya'lls because your nothing but white poo.

It depends whether he meant a white city, because blacks are rubbish. Or that there was a threat that the original white residents wouldn't be allowed to return to their homes because everything has been sold to black big business. You know, those rich black guys that run our government. Those rich black guys that have run our government since it's creation, and have a history of making a profit off of whit people's misery.

Why Beverly Hills?

For the situation to be truly similar there would need to be wealthy black power brokers lobbying the mayor of a devasted Beverly Hills to not rebuild the white people's homes and make a resort for black people. Black conservative talk radio hosts would have to be saying Beverly Hills being washed away was a cleansing flood targeting white people. And minor city officials that had previously opposed the whites in Beverly Hills would have to have said God did what we couldn't do for 100 years... clean out Beverly Hills.

Nagin had every right to fight back and settle long time residents fears they weren't being pushed out.

[edit on 19-1-2006 by RANT]

As some columnists have said, that's just Nagin being Nagin. His attempts to wiggle his way out of what he said by reciting his recipe for chocolate were as humorous as his attempt to drag Iraq into the discussion. Add it all up and throw a little religion into it and what do you have? Ray Nagin, who saw the Angel of Death flying over the city while the buses remained submerged.

He should consider running for VEEP alongside Hillary "Plantation" Clinton.

You know you do not need a magazine called “ivory” you have living, better homes and garden, vogue, and many other mags that show the white side of living. The only reason many of the minorities have a hyphen in their name is because main society makes the feel like they do not belong.
Nagin first of all is a snake. He may say chocolate city but he meets with Halliburton to discuss the new layout of NO. They had to physically block bulldozers from tearing down peoples house even though they we not notified. He could have used school buses for evacuation he did not. He could have hired police from inside the community he didn’t that is why when the hurricane hit those offices stayed home outside of NO.

The reason he brought in Iraq is because most of their national guard was over seas where he thought they should not be. I am talking about the state national guard. For this god thing I have NOOOOO idea why he pulled that stuff. but then again I do not like him anyway.

Look most of you white folk got most of the country now you want to move back into the city because of the commute I understand that but shheeooot we have to live and visit places were we see people like us without going to the Caribbean. At first you wanted to keep the buildings in NO dealing with slavery and building with “Whites only” signs. Why the big stink over him saying he wants the people back. Have you heard anything about buses picking up the victims from other cities and taking them back?

Yes, because their are only white racists in America right? Which community in America won't let racism die? I think the poster above and Ray Nagin prove my point on this subject.

[edit on 19-1-2006 by LostSailor]

I have no problem with him wanting the people back. It would be great if the former residents could return to a scenario where they get to rebuild to at least the standard of living they had before, and better if possible. I think that the gov't should make sure they have the funds, and that includes all levels of gov't, from parish level up to the Feds. I think they are all culpable for the debacle in NO, to some degree.

What I have against Nagin is what I have against politicians in general. They can't seem to say what they mean without sounding racist. Or maybe we're all a little oversensitive to what is said these days. It's all the way at one end of the spectrum or the other with these guys; you either get an outright racist like Farrakhan or you get an apologist.

NOLA was majority black before Katrina, and not that many blacks died in the storm, so it follows that it should be majority black after the rebuilding. And if it takes a mostly white construction company to rebuild the city, then so be it. From the pictures I've seen, there is plenty of work to go around for anybody that wants it.

Ah, now I see the light! Thanks, TL. Man, and there I was thinking that racial equality meant that everybody treats each other with the same respect. Boy was I wrong.

Curme and RANT - You're making it seem like this was already a racial issue. New Orleans had nothing to do with race. There was no proof that there was some movement of white people trying to push black people out of the area. It seemed to me that Nagin just wanted to reassure people "Don't worry, there won't be any more white people. This city can still have a black majority. You can all take a deep breath." It's not even like pushing black people out of the city, had that been their motive, would solve anything for them anyway. It's just racist nonsense. I think RANT said something about white talk show hosts saying that this was a "cleansing" by God. Sean Hannity was actually fighting for these people (The people of New Orleans), and helped a lot in exposing the fact that homes were being bulldozed without anybody even being notified. And he's...Hannity!



Well said.

Well, when I see Nagin meeting with the displaced, they are black folks.
He probably should have reworded it, but he was only speaking to the MAJORITY of the people in his community that are worried that they will not be able to return. These people have been victims through all of this, and all they got was a couple grand, a hotel for a few months, and a pat on the back. All Nagin did was assure the MAJORITY of his city that things were going to be repaired to suit the former population. He is simply calming fears that Katrina would be followed by a land grab by the rich looking for another place to build some resorts and golf courses.

I feel where the guy is comming from, he just worded it pretty badly. Him and Mrs. Clinton are both just trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator in those specific communities. Everyone, both ignorant and educated know what he ment.

Whether they agreed with his wording is another story, but his message is very good.

[edit on 19-1-2006 by DaFunk13]

It was. Everything I said happened. The people were angry and terrified. That was Nagin's response.

Don't give me that there's no "proof" of some movement to not rebuild New Orleans the way it was. That was the incessant debate for months. I've seen mouthbreathers on here say exactly the things I was mentioning too. It was money people wanting it one way (that happened to be white) and the long time residents (that happened to be black) wanting it the way it was.

I'm sure the hurricane profiteers only saw green, but whether the people saw an attack on the poor or the black, of which they were both, it is a race issue just like it's a poverty issue just like its a humanitarian issue.

There's lots of "chocolate cities" in America. That's the proud nickname of DC and a hell of a George Clinton album. Get out more. There's nothing here for white folk to get their panties in a bunch over. Loosen up. Sheesh.

i do not believe there was anything racial behind his comment because ive heard of an old song that referred to new orleans as "chocolate city" im not sure why it was called this but i dont think it refers to african- americans. if any one knows what song im talking about plz fill me in.

also there have been several occasions where he has referred to new orleans as "chocolate city". just for some reason now people noticed

I think its important to note that this comment wasn't meant as racist, and was certainly not meant to offend anyone.

So, Nagin made a dumb comment. He's been having a lot of trouble lately, and it looks like he just got caught up in the moment, got a bit excited and said what popped into his head. Kinda like the Dean Scream. Keep in mind, this is a man who is in way over his head by being in any kind of office at all. I feel like he doesn't quite know how to act like a man in office should act. There's a first time for everyone, I guess.

I wasn't offended by this, and I don't think anyone should be. Dumb mistake on his part, saying what came to mind without thinking first. He's being ridiculed all over the nation now, and I feel a bit bad for him. They're selling t-shirts down here with the Nagin / Willy Wonka picture on them.

IMHO, a huge deal is being made over this thing, and it shouldn't be.

--Kit.

I'm only getting slightly worked up because people like RANT are actually defending a blatant racist comment. This is by the book racism. Nagin didn't say "The people will keep their homes" or "You don't have to worry about your city being taken over by the rich" or anything like that, he was guaranteeing to these people that the city would be rebuilt as primarily black.

Now don't get me all wrong, I'm not about to go petitioning and asking for him to resign or anything, but this was obviously racism. I do believe that people mis-speak (Hell, I'm a Bush supporter!), but there is no way to defend this comment. It wasn't just the one either, he was going on about how God was mad at black people for this and that, and that part of the reason he flooded the city was because of the Iraq war. It's just wrong, and I felt that it needed to be pointed out.