Crooks come in all colors
Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, the NAACP, ACORN, and the Urban League are all about accusing people of racist motives. If what they say is true, there is a vast conspiracy to keep the black race down, locked out, disenfranchised, poor, and a number of other things, all of which are bad.
The latest conspiracy perpetrated on African Americans is happening right down here in New Orleans. Amazingly, this conspiracy is taking place in a city with a black democratic administration and in a state run by democrats.
I am talking about the New Orleans Mayoral election. It was supposed to have taken place in February, but Katrina changed all of that.
The citizens of New Orleans were scattered to the four winds, many of the polling places were destroyed, and the election volunteers were in short supply.
The city needed more time to address these issues. After a lot of work, the election was rescheduled for April 22 and a May runoff.
From the Governor on down, care was taken to make sure those displaced would be informed about the election and how to vote.
Several websites including nola.com, the television stations, and the City Government website have lots of information about the election. Everything from who the candidates are to the absentee voting process are clearly explained.
If someone wants to vote, it is all spelled out. This begs the question, since when is it hard to vote? If you can read, you can vote. Now Jesse Jackson would have us believe that the voting process is cumbersome and confusing for African Americans. If I were an African American I would take exception to his depiction of me. According to Jackson, he represents morons who can't fill out a ballot.
Even the current Mayor of New Orleans thinks the fix is in. He said that if he did not win, he would challenge the election. He is responsible for putting the darn thing on in the first place. So what he is saying is he is running a flawed election and he wants to challenge it before it even takes place.
Lord knows he is a good mayor. Take one of his recent business decisions that has come to light recently. The city of New Orleans was littered with flooded out cars that needed hauling away. A company from Texas approached the city with a proposal to pay the city $100 per car. They would remove all of the cars and the city would profit some 5 million dollars.
Instead, the mayor was going to give the contract to a large Denver based business and pay them 23 million dollars. Now, I wasn't a business major in college, but it seems to me it is better to be given 5 million dollars than it is to pay 23 million dollars.
The mayor explained that FEMA would reimburse the city for the 23 million. As if that makes it right. He has proven himself a politician now. To him taxpayer money is monopoly money and there is no reason to save it. What a sap.
Back to the election.
Jesse, Al, and former mayor, and a corrupt one at that, now head of the Urban League Mark Morial all claim that the election is disenfranchising blacks. They challenged it in Federal Court, but the Federal Judge said everything was fine. However, the judge is going to look at the case once again, but I am sure no problems will be found.
The fact is, these so called black leaders are so afraid a white person will become mayor of New Orleans they are pulling out all stops and leveling accusations in absurd proportions.
Let's say a white person did become mayor. Would that be the end of the world. I grew up in the 70's. We had lots of discussions in social studies about race. One of the things I thought was a truth was skin color did not matter. What mattered was the character and behavior of the individual.
To want a mayor because he is white or black is like selecting someone by hair color. Jesse Jackson accuses folks of being a racist when he practices racism himself. When he and his cohorts accuse folks it is projection. They are guilty of the very things they are accusing others of doing.
The tactic of these so-called leaders is to pit blacks against whites. They say absurd things as if they represent "the black point of view," it is usually radical and aimed at shocking white people. If the white folks take the bait and say something back equally absurd, then they have what they want - controversy and a media covered name calling event. This is divisive and does not aim for racial harmony or truth and fairness.
I do not believe the people of New Orleans are ignorant and I do not beleive the only thing important to them is the color of their mayor.
The people want a mayor who will get the city going again. They want someone to follow. I don't care what color this person is as long as he/she is a good leader.
The loudest voices complaining about the election are not local voices. They are voices of men who are more concerned about their own face time in front of the news cameras. They represent themselves and their own selfish agendas. They lack character and honor.
Some day Al and Jesse will meet their boss. I wonder if they will sing a different song on that day?
Until the next time
John Strain
Tuesday, March 28, 2006 at 12:01AM 
