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Mayor Wonka And The New Orleans Chocolate Factory |
By:
Rev Michael Bresciani |
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Whether God sent a judgment to New Orleans for its sinfulness is
open to debate and perhaps there is no way of knowing that
answer until the fat lady sings. What Ray Nagin said about New
Orleans being "a chocolate city" is a bit easier to weigh and it
weighs in under the lightweight category for sure.
Since hurricane Katrina Ray Nagin has taken on a celebrity
status. Now everything he says is public domain as quick as it
is uttered. His sense of responsibility does not seem to be
keeping pace with his new fame. There are many now who think
Nagin has written his own political obituary with his recent
remarks. Given the nature of politics in Louisiana that may not
be true. In fact, in the state that produced Huey Long, Edwin
Edwards and David Duke it would seem rogue politicians will
always have an accepted place in the sportsmen's paradise.
The remark has drawn criticism from both white and black groups
and leaders. None of them have gone so far as to say the remarks
are racist. Let's take another look at the question by posing it
in a reverse fashion. If a white mayor were to state that their
city should be a vanilla city what could we expect to happen?
Cries of racism would be hastily followed by calls for apologies
and resignations. Every black group from the NAACP to Rainbow
Coalition would be sounding off with indignant repulsion and a
good measure of howling and baying. We could only expect that,
and rightly so. That leaves only one question. Why hasn't anyone
noticed that the most damaging effect of Mayor Nagin's remarks
is that it is abetting racism?
America is still working hard to promote racial harmony in this
decade but remarks about chocolate cities are more akin to
cognitive dissonance than harmony. Nagin who otherwise would be
rated among the top of the list of good New Orleans mayors
should take notice of what legacy he wants to leave the
wonderful city that care forgot and the wonderful nation that
spawned such a unique city.
His divisive remarks have even insulted those within the city of
New Orleans. Mayor Nagin said he wasn't worried about what the
folks uptown thought about him. Whew! Having spent twenty years
of my life in New Orleans I don't need a degree in demographics
to know that one of the few remaining predominantly white areas
of New Orleans is the uptown section.
Between the civil rights laws of the sixties and common sense of
most decent people who want to see America healed from the
grievances of our past, it is easy to conclude that America has
no chocolate or vanilla cities. We have only cities. I hope!
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Article Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article32049.html |
Article: Mayor Wonka and the New Orleans Chocolate Factory
Author: Rev Michael Bresciani
Total Views: 44
Word Count: 421
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