Posted on 11/22/2005 4:01:31 AM PST by johnmecainrino
Mayor Nagin blames racism, class bias for slow Katrina response
NAGIN. I'm still shocked that this happened in America MONTEGO BAY, St James - Mayor of New Orleans Ray Nagin says he believes that the slow pace of activity by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the immediate aftermath of hurricane Katrina that devastated the city in August was based on class and racism.
"I think that if this (New Orleans) was Orange County, California or South Beach in Miami, I do think the response would have been different," Nagin said. "I think it's a combination of racial issues and a combination of class," the mayor added.
Mayor Nagin who, along with his wife, Seletha, and three children - Jeremy, Jarin and Tianna - are vacationing in the island, was speaking to reporters in Montego Bay on the weekend.
The Nagins, who have been staying at a private villa owned by Sandals chairman Gordon "Butch" Stewart in the resort town of Negril, leave the island today.
"I have had the chance to think about this a lot, and I'm still shocked that this happened in America, a country with so many resources, where we can send battle ships around the world in 24 hours and yet you saw what happened in New Orleans," he added.
FEMA, whose mission is to "lead America to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters", has come under strong criticism since Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding that devastated New Orleans in August.
Created by President Carter in 1979, elevated to Cabinet level in 1993, and incorporated into the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, FEMA is charged with guiding the federal response to the nation's disasters - both natural and man-made.
But the delayed federal response to Hurricane Katrina along the US Gulf Coast, particularly in New Orleans has led many officials to question FEMA's preparedness for natural disaster.
It was argued that the US government's failure in preparing for and responding to the category four storm that devastated roughly 80 per cent of New Orleans allowed much human suffering and property destruction to occur than should have.
Nagin told the Observer on the weekend that the images that were shown in the media around the world showed primarily poor black people suffering.
"I think that (the images of poor black suffering) in our subconscious as a nation did not allow us to respond appropriately," Nagin said.
He said, however, that the experience had taught him the importance of disaster preparedness at the local level.
"I've have learned that you don't assume that the 'Cavalry' is going to show up at some point in time and that, instead of assuming, you need to prepare to take care of yourself, no matter what, even though you don't have all the resources," he said.
At the same time, the New Orleans mayor has issued a word of advice to Jamaica on how to prepare for disasters.
".Do a critical assessment of your disaster plans, from the standpoint of your evacuation techniques, make sure that you have them updated and that they are modern enough for the worst-case scenario," he said.
"I would also advise that in the event that a hurricane hits you, that you plan to take care of your citizens over the long haul and you make sure that you have multiple resources of getting food and supplies into the country," he said.
Additionally, he said, it is necessary to have someone at the "top" who is willing to make tough calls in the event of an emergency.
"You need someone at the top who can make the tough calls so you don't have a dance going on which we experienced in New Orleans, where the federal government was trying not to step on the toes of the state government and the state government was trying not to look like they were so weak that they needed help from the federal government," said Nagin.
He added: "You need somebody at the top making the calls and getting things done during that critical first week after the storm happens."
Frontline has a show tonight blasting fema. Blanco was making the decisions not Fema. Then next year we get Michael Moore with his movie Katrina: The Wrath of Bush.
Blanco smeared Bush for her own mistakes. As bad as Nagin is she is worse because she is the cheif executive of her state.
With a thousand bodies still to be released from NO... Don't worry, be happy.
We'll get to see what the voters in Louisiana think of their leadership soon. I think they will put the blame where it belongs.
That jerk can't move buses a few blocks.
I hope the city of New Orleans is able to find such a person.
He just said it all right there. It wasn't racism Mr. Nagin, it was the state of the STATE. Stop trying to cover-up your own failings, your own weaknesses, etc. and blame it on the Feds. You know where the chips fall and both you and Blanco failed in your duties. You know this on some level deep down that you failed your own people.
That's it stupid. Your people from N.O. are suffering. Their homes and communities are in shambles and you keep playing a race card.
Alienating white folk that have the ability to help through donations and assistance are going stop helping if they are all called out like this moron keeps doing.
Race had nothing to do with what happened in N.O.
Try looking at the response from the local and state level and also look in the mirror you turd of a mayor.
Hope Nagin has ties to McDonalds cause after the next election cycle he'll need that fry line job.
Mayor Nagin really needs to get over his racism. Perhaps he needs some multicultural training.
Nagin is untouchable because he is a liberal black (a politically protected species) in this country. Anybody that would dare to criticize his enept, inexcusable, disgusting words, comments, or actions during or after hurricane Katrina would be instantly be branded a racist which in todays' politically correct society carries the same stigma as a child molestor. Remember in the liberal mind, you don't have to be proven to be a racist, all you have do to is to be accused of being one and your career is finished (providing that you are white that is). Remember Trent Lott?
I could have sworn he was off the wagon.
"we can send battle ships around the world in 24 hours"
Wow, I wonder what battleship that might be...
Nagin has certainly been one to discriminate due to "class". He is the one who didn't bus the poor out. "They must fend for themselves."
What are the metrics for detecting "racism?" Would Nagin's low IQ score suffice as proof of America's "racism?"
Wow, I wonder what battleship that might be...
(You beat me to it.)
Since all our WW2 battleships are retired, it must be those new supersonic, super secret, stealth battleships.
Funny, whitey always seems to foot the bill, though. And that's somehow escaped the notice of the professional Leftist liars for five decades.
"it must be those new supersonic, super secret, stealth battleships."
Yea, that one with the 2000 foot wingspan and 100 jet engines..made by Airbus, no doubt ;)
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