I recently wrote about New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. To this end, to a certain point, I was unable to defend my opinions. I have thought about this quite a bit, some from the back lash from Butchieboy’s site but most from my own lack of certainty on the subject. Butchie’s this it not a bad on you, with out doubt the comment I left on your site was ill advised and actually not meant for you at all.
This experience taught me two things, not to blog when drinking and anonymous is always better when drinking and venting. My emotions run high on occasion, yet I must say my posts and comments are always with heart and always delivered by Raspootin.
Someone just stated as anonymous " dude. we watch tv too. why the nightly recaps? "
His/her comment gave me a cause to pause and think. I try to post things that are light or political. No everyone is a gifted 15 year old Tome of Communism Most of us have to think quite a bit, or if nothing comes to mind fall back on pictures or YouTube.
I can tell you why I voted for Nagin. Mitch Landrieu is and still is part of a political dynasty that prevails in New Orleans and has elected not only his sister to senate but has supported our entire political arena for decades. New Orleans residents simply did not want to see the flaws and historic corruptness that has typically followed this machine repeated. Our Mayor before Nagin, Marc Morial, was placed by this machine which resulted in an entitlement, contract gifting, school fund and housing embezzling lot of putrid political potential with a lack of prowess for any recognition by the press as anything but New Orleans is Pathetically Corrupt.
I do not think it was a majority black vote that reelected Nagin as much as some white people who would rather have him for 4 more years than the questionable Landrieu backers for 8. Mitch Landrieu seems like a very honest, very nice guy. He is well placed as Lieutenant Governor. In a city where billions of dollars are going to start to roll in, I wanted a mayor who has always proven his honesty and integrity.
Nagin came in 4.5 years ago as a wealthy business man who wanted to effect a change for New Orleans. He certainly did not need the job. He wanted to make a difference. If you are not from here I can certainly understand why your first glimpse of the man was after Katrina. I am here to say that in his first 8 months in office as Mayor he received death threats. He cleaned up City Hall, got them on line and did enact a change for the better.
He may not have done a tremendous amount since Katrina, and you may feel he did not do enough during the event. I can not justify his attempt post Katrina, but I can say that pre Katrina there was not one Governmental Agency that did not recognize, not one Weather Station that did not recognize and not One citizen of New Orleans who did not recognize that if the city were to be hit by a major hurricane that thousands of people would drown.
In many respects I think that because of Mayor Nagin we only had 1200 deaths as compared to the 60,000 body bags that were brought into the state for Hurricane Georges and Ivan.
The US, LA State and City Governments were working on the PAM hurricane project just a couple of months before Katrina. As stated, they all knew that New Orleans was a potential catastrophe.
I digress in a long topic
I defended Nagin, because I have pride in my city. I love living in one of the oldest and most culturally significant places in the US. When you dist Nagin, you dist the city. I have to take up for both as that is what I do when I care about something.
The Saint’s have always been beloved by the residents of New Orleans – Saints. Aints, double baggers whatever. Yet, we still have shown up for games for over 25 years. Cheering and supporting them as our team. Why? They represent something that is intrinsically special in our hearts; something that far bypasses a win/ loss record.
I wish everyone good luck with their Mayors and Football teams. All you can do is vote with the thought for the greater good and live with that wisdom such as it is. Football takes idealism and a couple Hail Mary’s. Come to think of it, that is not much different than the Mayor who inspires a greater thought, but both, none the less, are important to how the Nation and you feel about your home town.
Please watch The Saints upcoming game Monday night. This is the first played in the Superdome since the 2004 season. I am proud of my city and want it to succeed. I do not think The Saints will make it to the Super Bowl, nor do I think Ray Nagin would be voted in if his election was coming up in January. However, I do believe in pride and I do believe in New Orleans.
The dirty birds are favored, but we will certainly have the 12th man on the field! The city needs to have this victory. No pressure Coach Payton…
11 comments:
OCD is treatable. Get some pills.
Do you really think there were only 1200 deaths? How many people are still missing?
SLTF,
The coroner’s office says that all the people who were not accounted for, are now.
Do I believe that that is the truth? No. I think many more lost their lives or were killed in the “line of duty” as appointed by Kathleen Blanco when she called in special ops teams.
I have only heard rumors, which the governor wisely denies, but just in those rumors lay 600 people killed and then disposed of in one of the large riverfront warehouses that burned down.
I went through countless homes in New Orleans East where there where cars fully flooded laying dormant. Tricycles and children’s toys that on roofs and if you looked into the homes all the furniture still inside. Do I think these people got out? No I think they were swept away with a 20’ title surge, never to be found and not accounted for.
I hate to Katrina fatigue, but is was so spooky to go through miles and miles of neighborhoods that were still like they were Aug 30 when the levee’s broke, yet devoid of humanity.
I visited some of these same neighborhoods about 5 months ago, and given that was 6 months after the storm, nothing had changed.
OCD?
I think I have something much more exotic.
New Orleans is the coolest city in the states. Nagin didn't do anything to protect it's residents. That is why he is a douchebag.
I'm thinking the Saints'll win. Atmosphere of the place will get to them.
I envy you, being able to actually support someone in political office.
That being said, when Ivan ransacked Pensacola, many of the officers I work with have confirmed the stories of semi trailers loaded down with bodies, in conflict with the fourteen deaths reported in the final count. The amount of deaths that occurred in the Perdido Key area alone was significantly high according to these officers. However, I am in no position to validate it, but that experience alone gives me pause when considering statistics from Katrina.
When I was looking at the flood line on hundreds of homes and noted that it was at roof level, and there were still cars parked in front of the homes and no hole in the roof,I really had to question the death stats. There is just no way people could have gotten out alive.
I am not sure what the purpose in “lying” about the death stats is. Perhaps, Reverend, you have a theory?
It is not as much as I support Nagin as much as I want to be supportive of the city.
It seems as with the presidential elections that one is always forced to vote with the "better of two evil" approach. It would be nice to occasionally throw yourself full throttle behind a candidate.
"A big fat turd or a stupid douche, which do you like best?"
I don't know so much about it being an outright lie, but I find it tough to believe that all of the missing are accounted for, given the amount of people that are blown out to sea, etc. It's very tough to account for every single person, really. There is no validation for this either, but the fact remains that most times, death tallies are more or less estimates. As for the trucks I spoke of in my last comment, this came from co-workers I consider highly reliable, yet I cannot confirm it either. I can tell you from working in emergency services that eyewitnesses get stuff wrong fairly often based on the excitement or intensity of the experience.
Thank you for the insight Reverend.
Woozie, it’s all about the Turd.
We have to vote in my district on Saturday for Bill Jefferson (we found 90K in the refrigerator) - and let me tell you,” turd’s the word” when figuring out who to vote for.
Post a Comment