Posted on 08/27/2007 2:02:52 PM PDT by kipita
I had the extreme pleasure of visiting Baton Rouge, Louisiana and chatting with a very well connected black female from New Orleans. Below is a summary of her analysis.
Until the mid-1970s, New Orleans was ruled by an all white political and business elite. However, starting in the mid-1960s, well-educated blacks were accepted in supporting positions of power and earned the respect of the mostly white professional class.
From 1978 through 1986, Ernest Dutch Morial served as the Democratic Mayor of New Orleans. He quickly replaced the mostly white supporting positions within city government to just about all black and established an all black elite class. He also used the Mayors office to increase the strength and influence of the mayor's office over state-appointed boards such as the Sewerage and Water Board and Dock Board, an effort he described as a democratization of city governance. The newly established all black New Orleans elite class quickly flourished under Morial.
With strong support from the white community, Sidney John Barthelemy was elected as the Democratic African American mayor of New Orleans from 1986 to 1994. Taking a less hands-on approach to economic development than his predecessor Morial, Barthelemy preferred to let the private sector be the primary engine of growth. His efforts to be a pro-business and somewhat race neutral, quiet and mild centrist politician did little to earn the respect of the increasing black citizenry and infuriated his archrival Morial and the Morial inner circle black elite.
Ernest Dutch Morials son, Marc Haydel Morial, served as mayor of New Orleans from 1994 to 2002. Although tourism boomed during Marc Morial's mayoralty, the growth did not spread to the rest of the citys economy. Predictably, the gap between the black elite (from his fathers administration) and the vast majority of inner city blacks widened considerably. Starting in 2005, Morial, certain relatives and former associates became the focus of federal investigations into corruption during his administration.
In 2002, Clarence Ray Nagin, Jr received 85% of the white vote and 40% of the black vote to become the Mayor of New Orleans. Like his predecessor, Sidney John Barthelemy, Nagin embodied white hope for centrist leadership from the Mayors office. However, Nagin often clashed with the New Orleans City Council, and as a result failed to get their support for proposed legislation he favored. In addition, his ineffectiveness during Hurricane Katrina resulted in much hardship for many of New Orleans' poorer citizens.
Kipitas analysis
Many well-connected African-American elite residents of New Orleans became successful by assimilating American values with African values (blues, jazz, expressionism, rhythm, naturalness, etc.). Many white Americans in New Orleans live richer lives due to an inclusion of African values with American values. The problem seems to be that pure African values are encouraged and American values are not promoted by the black elite. Expect more chocolate-city politics in the future
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Don’t know, it said something about naturalness in the article. Whatever that means.
“I had the extreme pleasure of visiting Baton Rouge, Louisiana...”
I think that’s the first time I have ever seen “pleasure”, “Baton Rouge” and “visit” in the same sentence. ;)
I grew up a short distance from there.
I'm 'natural' at about 10:00AM every day... I call it a 'dump'.
That's truly unfortunate. You're the kind of person who can really make the situation better. Your example would set a model for others.
The lives of kids are far more important than that of adults (I have two). Moreover, I'm probably a 6 (out of 10) as far as black conservatives go and there are many 10s in America who feel as isolated and have much, much more to give to society.
music is not a value......
Coming back from Texas a couple of weeks after Katrina, my niece and I had to go through Baton Rouge at night. Listening to a radio station, we heard that it was better to not stop for stop signs or traffic signals for fear of carjacking. Now I don’t know how credible that info was, but two women alone at night (with 4 big wussy dogs) weren’t taking any chances so we floored it through there.
Zimbabwe on the Gulf. Good luck to you.
Reminds me of Chevy Chase/Sparky Griswold going through East St. Louis in “Vacation”.
I agree with you on that.
‘Values’ are not entertainment preferences but something (I hope) a little more profound and character-based.
Kipita is fluff and so is her analysis
If jazz, blues, rythm and 'naturalism' are what guides NOLA's black elite and its politicians... then the search for the cities problems can finally come to an end.
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