By BRETT MARTEL, Associated Press Writer

NEW ORLEANS - Mayor Ray Nagin suggested Monday that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and other storms were a sign that "God is mad at America" and at black communities, too, for tearing themselves apart with violence and political infighting. "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, who is black, said as he and other city leaders marked Martin Luther King Day. "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." Nagin also promised that New Orleans will be a "chocolate" city again. Many of the city's black neighborhoods were heavily damaged by Katrina. "It's time for us to come together. It's time for us to rebuild New Orleans — the one that should be a chocolate New Orleans," the mayor said. "This city will be a majority African American city. It's the way God wants it to be. You can't have New Orleans no other way. It wouldn't be New Orleans." Nagin described an imaginary conversation with King, the late civil rights leader. "I said, `What is it going to take for us to move on and live your dream and make it a reality?' He said, `I don't think that we need to pay attention any more as much about other folks and racists on the other side.' He said, `The thing we need to focus on as a community — black folks I'm talking about — is ourselves.'" Nagin said he also asked: "Why is black-on-black crime such an issue? Why do our young men hate each other so much that they look their brother in the face and they will take a gun and kill him in cold blood?" The reply, Nagin said, was: "We as a people need to fix ourselves first." Nagin also said King would have been dismayed with black leaders who are "most of the time tearing each other down publicly for the delight of many." A day earlier, gunfire erupted at a parade to commemorate King's birthday. Three people were wounded in the daylight shooting amid a throng of mostly black spectators, but police said there were no immediate suspects or witnesses. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh, Mayor Nagin, what the hell are you thinking? He is obviously a graduate of the world renowned Pat Robertson Foot-In-Mouth Institute of Tactless Ignorance. Now, I'm not a Christian, but I do believe there is something we call God, even if it's something as simple as the collective consiousness that we all share of Good and Evil, Right and Wrong. To taint this and all concepts of God by painting HE/SHE/IT as such a vengeful character is irresponsible and detrimental to the message of peace and love, which is the real meat of what nearly all religious worship seeks. God is not a soapbox.

"Hmmm... I feel like I'm not quite unpopular enough already... What can I say or do to efficiently convince a ton of people that I'm a complete ass?"

Oh, don't tell me I'm actually learning Dutch by osmosis! 

A tempest in a teapot, CCC?

Que Bueno!

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

I have to agree with John above on this. If a conservative had said "vanilla city" he would've been grilled, BBQed, chewed up, swallowed and then vomitted out  within a night that nothing would've been left.

Dave, the chocolate comment bothered me more than the God one partly because the Bible is full of stories of a vengeful God so it's perfectly normal that a Christian (assuming he is) could say something like that even if I find the statement stupid.  

Jordan .

Trent Lott was not being intentionally racist (or even at all racist, but was viewed as such) and he was crucified for praising what's his face a few years ago. That alone supports John and my opinion.

Of course the mayor wasn't being intentionally racist (most people's comments are not intentionally racist). But it still doesn't change the fact that his comment was racist (but the other way around) and even more racist than Lott's comments praising some old Senator at the end of his life on his birthday.

It's sorta like profiling. It's not okay to profile people boarding an airline or driving around, but it's okay to profile by race in college admissions. One is "racist" and one is supposedly not "racist" (or "sexist" or "whatever-ist").

Jordan .

As a resident of Louisiana, I am VERY happy to discuss this.

 Most people down here think Nader is NOT a good politician, and want to see him out of office.  The statements about God were not so bad when you consider the culture here.  When dealing with a southern, bible belt state, comments such as that are made all the time....Nader just chose an innappropriate place to say it.  Such comments should either be explained better, or reserved for the pulpit.

 Yes, I was bothered by the chocolate city statement.  Although, since Nader is black, I think his intention wasn't a bad one.  However, many of the individuals who moved out of New Orleans (both white and black) were responsible for the crime and violence of the city.  I don't know why he is hoping for them to return.  Perhaps he hopes to be re-elected.

The fact of the matter is, Nader is not good at his job.  This has been proven throughout this entire ordeal. 

What bothers me the most about this, is the same thing that bothers me about the whole 'racism' issue.  I believe it is wrong to be racist, however, when living in an area where most crime comes from a certain race...it is hard not to stereotype.  I have to force myself to remember that historically, the white man put the black man in a terrible situation, and that is why so many modern black individuals have turned to a life of crime.  I also have to remember all my black friends, and realize that it doesn't matter what color the skin is...it is how someone acts that counts. 

The reason I am bringing this up is because of something Nader said.  I actually applaud his statements about the African-American community needing to improve itself, and how they must take care of each other rather than resulting to black on black violence.

Basically, I am upset at the WAY Nader chose to express himself...but I am not that mad about all the things he was TRYING to say...but more the 'poor-taste' fashion in which he said them.  I still think he sucks though.