Racist Comments by Ray Nagin?

What was racist about his statement exactly?

He said dark chocolate(black) and milk(white).

The god thing I will not defend him on that. Did I mention I do not like him?

If you're referring to my post, I didn't say his comment was racist, I said it was humorous. It usually is funny when any politician trips over their tongue trying to backslide out of something they said.

Originally posted by Herman
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.

Nagin is a black man, and he was expressing the fact that he is proud of that, and that the African-American population of New Orleans will be returning. Racist in general is a negative term used to tag negative, or derrogatory statements, correct?

And where did he say "primarily black"? I don't believe he specified that. I didn't hear any guarantee's either. It's hard to hold an argument on that note as, to my knowledge, there was no specification.

And the city was primarily black before the storm, just FYI.

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.

Must not be as obvious as you seem to think as I and many others didn't pick up on any 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.

He has said some things that were really stupid and can't be defended, but I don't think this qualified as one of them. I'm not saying the man is a saint or anything, jusst that people like you are making something out of nothing and, in a small way, adding insult to injury. IMHO, of course.

Statements like that just keep racism alive...
We're PEOPLE....people...thats what we are..
And some are idiots.
Nagin is in that category...and will forever remain so..

Originally posted by Kitsunegari
Nagin is a black man, and he was expressing the fact that he is proud of that, and that the African-American population of New Orleans will be returning. Racist in general is a negative term used to tag negative, or derrogatory statements, correct?

And where did he say "primarily black"? I don't believe he specified that. I didn't hear any guarantee's either. It's hard to hold an argument on that note as, to my knowledge, there was no specification.

"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,"

"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."

If these two quotes don't indicate primarily black to you, you need to re-examine your sense of reading comprehension. He clearly was expressing that primarily black is how New Orleans "should be", and that that's how God wants it to be. It's blatant racial prejudice. There's really no defending it.

And the city was primarily black before the storm, just FYI.

I'm well aware of the fact that the city was primarily black before the storm, thank you. That doesn't change what he said.

Must not be as obvious as you seem to think as I and many others didn't pick up on any racism.

It could be as obvious as a brick wall in the middle of your living room, and some people still wouldn't pick up on it.

He has said some things that were really stupid and can't be defended, but I don't think this qualified as one of them. I'm not saying the man is a saint or anything, jusst that people like you are making something out of nothing and, in a small way, adding insult to injury. IMHO, of course.

So he clearly has a track-record of saying stupid things, I don't see how this doesn't qualify as one of them. I'm sure "people like me" (I can only speak for myself, though) don't mean to add injury to anything. I just felt the need to put this up for discussion, as it clearly merits it and isn't getting any on this site as it is.

What was racist about his statement exactly?

He said dark chocolate(black) and milk(white).

This is clearly back-pedalling. Chocolate means black mixed with white now? If that's the case, then what exactly was he saying? "This city will definitely have...people...and since there will be people of all races...it will resemble...chocolate?" Instead of telling me what Nagin didn't mean in his statement, try telling me what he did mean. What exactly does "A chocolate city" mean?

Before you make your statement, bare in mind that he also said this: "
"This city will be a majority African-American city."

Ok then, so we interpret the statement differently.

I think Nagin's just sort of an idiot, and that his statement wasn't meant to offned. Sounded to me like he was just saying that we were going to rebuild this city and get things back to normal.

--Kit.

Herman I hope you fight just as hard when a black person says racism. Which i dout! You are worried about what he said? You need to be worried about the 1000 black babies still missing, the way the gov took care of those black people, and what the black people had to say after the main situation was over.

Honestly I go to NO all the time and i want it back to the NO i know not disneyland. THey did the same to time square i do not want them tot do that to NO.

Blues music, early jazz and ragtime comes from their and it would not be what it was if it was not a "chocolate city". Jazz one of the first true music forms from america would not be what it was if was not a chocolate city. I see nothing Racist in his views this comes from a person who is more likely to see racism before you do.

BTW if a white person did not get the job it is because they were NOT qualified!! not becasue some minority who is undeserving got it first!!!

To the best of my knowledge, black people are not a minority here.

And I totally agree with your statement. I live in NO and want it back to the way it was.

--Kit.

Originally posted by BlackThought
Herman I hope you fight just as hard when a black person says racism. Which i dout! You are worried about what he said? You need to be worried about the 1000 black babies still missing, the way the gov took care of those black people, and what the black people had to say after the main situation was over.

First off, I think that you mean "I hope you fight just as hard when a white person says racism. Which I doubt."

And yes, I do speak out when a white person acts racist. Just because I speak out when a black person is being racist does not mean that I'm racist against black people. It's completely ridiculous to imply that because I don't ignore it when a black person acts racist, that I'm racist myself against black people. It's incredibly flawed logic that leads to incredibly flawed ways of thinking.

Blues music, early jazz and ragtime comes from their and it would not be what it was if it was not a "chocolate city". Jazz one of the first true music forms from america would not be what it was if was not a chocolate city. I see nothing Racist in his views this comes from a person who is more likely to see racism before you do.

First off, why would you be more likely to see racism than me? Because you're black? That statement alone pretty much summed up your way of thinking. "Black people were oppressed in the past; therefore, we're allowed to be prejudice now to make up for it." I agree with you about how New Orleans became the way it is today, but that still doesn't excuse Nagin for saying what he said. People will move in. It doesn't matter what color they are, just as long as everyone finds a home.

BTW if a white person did not get the job it is because they were NOT qualified!! not becasue some minority who is undeserving got it first!!!

What does that have to do with this topic? I'm not quite sure what you're saying here...

I am saying your cry of racism is nonsense. It is as hollow as when the British said it was no fair when the colonialist did not like up in a line to fight them on the battlefield. IT is the same game you are playing I sincerely doubt that there are white guys being discriminated against by other races in America on a major scale.


As to my statement of seeing a racist for what they are? It has happened personally I do not have to read things like this out of a book. What color is the sky where you live? Plaid with stripes?

[edit on 12/09-2005 by BlackThought]

You've gotten straight to the unpleasant truth of the matter, and made a bunch of people implicitly admit that ugly truth, even though they pretend it doesn't exist.

[by the way, this is about the only congrats you'll ever get for pointing out an unpopular truth. So don't expect a promotion when you inform your boss that she does indeed possess a fat butt. . . . Learn to keep your mouth shut, and keep your job!]

Now, we're getting down to the Real Racism in Amurka.

Here's how it works:

People who fit into "politically incorrect" profiles are held to a more exacting standard that other people are. People who are "PC" are given a "skate" due to their political value.

What this means in everyday terms is that people, all people, trust a white male in a position of power more than they do a female or person of ethnic minority who holds the same job. See, onlookers know, regardless of their own race, that a white, a male, etc, is carefully inspected for every thing he says or does.

Which means that to hold a job, the white male will average out to be about twice as competent as a similar person without the "non-PC handicap."

For instance. Rudolph Juliani. Everybody, on all points of the political spectrum, universally lauds his mayoralty of New York City. And not just his reaction to 9-11. But his handling of crime, homelessness, graffiti and even threatened garbage strikes. It is popular wisdom that Juliani was a genius. And why, you ask? Because if he had said one stupid thing against the homeless, if he had said one insensative thing against garbage-collector unions, if he had ever whispered any epithet that could have been concievably construed as anti-muslim, then the media would have removed him instantly from power. Like flushing a toilet.

Now, notice carefully that I'm NOT saying that women or minorities are any less competent, potentially that white males. It's just that "the man" gets scrutiny now, that other groups aren't subject to.

For instance. Hillary Rodham makes a comparison of the House of Reps to a plantation. She gets a "skate" because she's a woman. And a second "skate" because she's a democrat. So she can survive. If Bill Frist had said the same thing, he'd be riding home to his state in the back of a turnip-truck by now. But that's because he's a conservative white male, and doesn't get a free pass for any miss-speaks he might ever let out.

Now consider Nagin. He gets one for Being black. Another skate for being a democrat. A third for blaming Bush. And a fourth for being the victim; in his case, of the weather. So lets see. One skate covers his comments about chocolate, another covers his comments about whites owning "the rest of the country." Another for admitting publicly that he hopes the wrong color of people don't start moving into his city. The fourth skate covers his general incompetence at his job.

See?

If Julianni had said the exact same thing on 9-12, you'd be saying "Juli-who?" right now. Because an Italian male gets no passes under the current system of profiling.

Now, you'll notice that Nagin is not inherently any less competent that Julianni. Hell, for all any of us know, running the Big Easy may actually be more complicated and dangerous that trying to guide the Big Apple through a mayoral term.

But the fact is, Nagin would never be seen as a great mayor, since we all know how many "skates" he gets under the current system.

To use another racial example: Condi Rice. She may be either more or less competent than your average white secretary of state. She may be even better than Colin Powell was. The fact is though, we'll never know, because she gets a glide for being black, for being a female, etc. As much as the media may dislike her policies, they aren't about to be seen jumping all over a single black woman in public.

Compare her position mentally with Cheney. Hell, her job is probably four times as difficult as going around to battleships and beating them with champaigne bottles, or cutting a ribbon at a retirement home with a giant pair of plastic golden scissors. But we'll never know.

The thing about Cheney is, love him or hate him, you have to admit that he's got staying power. People (media) have been dog-piling him since the mid 1980's. I mean hell, he's not just male and white; I mean for Godsakes, he's fat and bald! Hell, he's even older than dirt! And those are three things that are universally agreed upon in our culture as things you don't want to ever be. But this fat, old, ugly white man has managed to hold his own for three decades now. Hell, even his haters have to admit that, while he may be a lot of things, he simply cannot be called incompetent.

Compare that again with Nagin. When Nagin says something that sounds like what you'd hear at a "purity of race rally," how does everyone respond, even the folks on this forum? We all just sort of collectively shiver, then roll our eyes, and reverently pray for him to shut up before he does anything worse than the impropriety of verbal flatulence.

This is the same response the whole of America, black AND white, has when Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, Hilary Rodham, or any other race-baiter says something so stupid it's embarrasing. Except David Duke, of course. The first time he even so much as farted about his racist past, he was instantly torn to bloody pieces by the circling journalists (and rightly so.). Compare that with Senator Robert Byrd, a one-time elder in the exact same organization (KKK) David Duke left to pursue a 3 minute career in Louisiana politics. But Byrd is a liberal (albeit a rich one), and gets the occasional skate when he needs it.

See how the system works? Don't feel like you're being picked on, merely because of your whiteness. It's all in your mind. Just be sure you work twice as hard, to make up for the presence of your male genitalia, four times as hard for your lack of melanin, and eight times as hard to cover up for your lack of appetite for marxist propaganda. Just do that, and pray that you never become fat, old, or bald.

Now shoo, before something even worse happens to you.

.

[edit on 24-1-2006 by dr_strangecraft]

What this means in everyday terms is that people, all people, trust a white male in a position of power more than they do a female or person of ethnic minority who holds the same job. See, onlookers know, regardless of their own race, that a white, a male, etc, is carefully inspected for every thing he says or does.

Meaningless nothingness if you bring up people you thought would be good then I guess their ok Crap. The leaders of the black community did not bring up Condi rice Colin power white people did. The same a ray nagin!!! You superior attitude leaves me with a bad taste because you honesty no not know what damage white males have done to this planet. You hand pick these losers then when the majority of the people say it is tokens or turn coats you do not listen.

I was having a conversation with a conservative the other day (Friday) and I asked him if you could level the playing field would you? He said no! I respect him because he is honest. That is to me you are lacking in the argument. We as a whole do not trust a white man more than others I honestly don’t know where you got that from.

If that was the case then there would have been no need for civil rights. Duhhhh!!


There one thing I agree with you on and that is the idea of the race baiting Democrats (once called dixicrats) and arrogant Republicans. The ole good cop bad cop routine. It doesn’t fool everyone.

Julianni did the most heinous thing while in power in NY he told the police department that they could do no wrong and what happened.

Broomstick up the ass. Someone shot 19 times in 41 bullets. A woman having a secure being shot by cops in a car. The idea of opening sealed records in the press the “defend the cops” Openly race profiling; the amendment of what is probable cause. The on the spot searches of pedestrians. And last but not least the selling on time square to big business.
Dirty dirty dirty

I guess it is better when it comes out of Trent Lott mouth huh.

You can deny what I say but time will tell the truth. Believe that!!!

We're moving up and there is nothing you can do about it. You tried killing our leaders but new ones are here and were are not negotiating with the likes of you. The White male on top stuff is going to stop very soon in my lifetime. People trust a white man more please you can’t even see the system of racism in America. And know you cant say with a straight face in a crowd. I can say what I say in a crowd what about you? You can't becasue it smacks of what you are trying to compain about .

You have voted dr_strangecraft for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have two more votes this month.

Well said, dr.

he has a right to say what he means just like the good ole boys have the right to fly a flag that to me is offensive and is a flag of an enemy of the united states at one time.

But by that rationale he is no better. I dont think he ment it to be a racist comment, just a reasurrance to a majority of the people to elected him. Bad wording is all.

I definately wouldnt put him and the dixie flying hillbillies in the same boat.

Originally posted by DaFunk13
But by that rationale he is no better. I dont think he ment it to be a racist comment, just a reasurrance to a majority of the people to elected him. Bad wording is all.

I definately wouldnt put him and the dixie flying hillbillies in the same boat.

I dunno, DaFunk.

There probably is a certain similarity there. As a white that is occasionally forced to socialize with hillbillies, I would say that many of them, if not most, don't mean the dixie flag as a racist comment. Honestly. To them, it is the flag that their great-granpappy died under--for a lot of them, the only war hero their family will ever have.

Again, free speech is an American right. But you do kind of cringe when you see someone spout with no regard to how non-members of their group will read their comments.

I honestly don't think Nagin wants to beat up a white person, any more than most 'stars-n-bars' wavers want to beat up a black person. The majority of them would probably call the cops if you told them where a racial incedent was going to take place.

Both groups:

They are just preachin' to their own choir, and with no thought to how non-members will hear it.

..

Sorry... been there seen that bars and stripes and shouting racist slogans unitl a big fight happens. Some are racist I came from the belt buckle of the bible belt south. You know aloong the foot hills of Appalachia.

where they play bocefus " the south should have won the war!"

Oh, they definitely exist, don't get me wrong. And more than a few of 'em, too.

But that is a different crowd than the ones filing petitions to "honor confederate dead for their valor, but not their cause" and whatnot.

There's definitely enough narrow-minded bigotry to go around. And most of it seems to be culturally based, which the leaders will pretend is "race."

Serbs, Croats, Pashtun, Tamil, Eritrean, Clan Na Gael, Orangemen, Druze, Shi'i, Sunna, Xhosa, Kwazulu, Teutonic, Gaulic, Chechen, Armene, Kazakh, Turkmen, Czech, Slovak, Tutsi, Hutu, Maya, Mestizo, Hopi, Navajo, Ashkenazi, Sephardi, ad nauseum.

And almost all of them find a sense of identity by excluding some other group(s).

I suppose a deeper questions might be,

When does '________ Pride' pose a threat to persons outside that group?

And when is it a rightful celebration of one's community and heritage?

.

when it hurts another group. Celebrating the civil war when one of the issues was slavery in a changing economy. It tells me that they wanted the economy to stay by using unpaid labor. More than that sharecropping was incideous and was the next form of slave labor. Structure is the key and you want me to ignore it?

Originally posted by BlackThought
. . . Celebrating the civil war when one of the issues was slavery . . .

In other words, if someone else celebrates their own history, they are oppressing you?

So, basically, you and your own group are the only ones allowed to talk about the past?

I have a sneaking suspicion that the groups you dissapprove of (the rich, white people from south of Baltimore) are NEVER going to be do anything you approve of or accept them as equals for.

Which, if you think about it, is sort of a license for people to quit trying to please you or dialogue with you.

I mean, if, because I'm white, I will never earn your acceptance or approval, it sort of teaches me to quit trying.

It sounds like your goal is for the rest of us are supposed to pretend that none of us have any roots, so that you will be free to celebrate yours in a cultural vacuum.

Gee, and all this time I thought it was white republicans who went around trying to control other people, and quash alternative viewpoints.

It seems we've reached the end of civil conversation.

.