Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Upcoming visit

This weekend, I am going to be visiting New Orleans again. I am upset by Mayor Nagin's comments yesterday that New Orleans will once again be "chocolate."
Speaking to a fraction of the crowd typically drawn to a holiday parade honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin on Monday predicted that displaced African-American residents will return to the rebuilt city and it "will be chocolate at the end of the day."
Is this really such a bad thing? I am not opposed to his idea, but I just don't like the way his sits with me for some reason. Maybe that's because I want to believe that New Orleans is a nice roux with a bunch of stuff thrown in to make some great flavor.

On this visit, I plan on doing some things to help my friends and neighbors. I will attend the rally on the levee at the Army Corps of Engineers building. I will drive around aimlessly and ask people if they need help. I will get dirty and moldy and clean and help rebuild. You know why? Because people need help. Money is nice. But money doesn't take down sheetrock. Money doesn't clean china or heirlooms or refrigerators. Money helps pay the bills on a non-usable piece of property. I get the feeling that people would rather have their houses and lives back to some kind of normal More than money can provide. So I am going to help people house by house. If you are in need of some help, let me know. I will be there Friday afternoon until Monday morning, ready, willing, and able to work.

UPDATE: Nagin apologized for his comment, according to CNN this afternoon. Still, I would rather him concentrate on getting things done instead of giving speeches. That's the problem with politicians - they "look" like they know what they are doing.

1 comment:

dillyberto said...

I am really glad you're coming in Friday.

I'm working until 10:30 that night.

I'll see you at the rally on the levee. I'll be in my goldjumpsuit.

Martine and I are planning to do the La Thai for Brian's birthday, also.