[Rhodes22-list] Hurricane Evac (Political)

Mon Aug 28 12:46:56 EDT 2006

Herb,

Well said sir!  And no, you're not a racist for saying it.  We have allowed
political correctness to overrule common sense.  Dr. King's message got
highjacked here in Memphis in 1968 and turned into a cottage industry of
race-baiting for profit.  Only you and I know what is in our hearts, and I
personally refuse to allow anyone to attach a label to me based on
*their*sense of guilt.

Brad

On 8/28/06, Herb Parsons <hparsons at parsonsys.com> wrote:
>
> I don't like to pull "race" into things like this, and I certainly didn't
> like the fact that Nagan did. I know MY statement will likely seem racist by
> some, but I'll follow up what I'm about to say with some further
> clarification.
>
> Here's what Nagan had to say recently:
> "And I, to this day, believe that if that would have happened in Orange
> County, California, if that would have happened in South Beach, Miami, it
> would have been a different response". Now, just to make sure no one accuses
> me of taking this out of context, it's important to note his statement as
> part of that speech that Katrina "exposed the soft underbelly of America as
> it relates to dealing with race and class."
>
> Now, let me say what I have to say that some folks will call racists. I
> participated in some of the rescue operations in NO. I saw volunteers from
> all over the country. Some of them were "semi-volunteers", by this I mean
> law enforcement from other states that were sent by those states. As to
> race, what I saw were lots of mostly white faces doing everything they could
> to help what where mostly lots of black faces.
>
> They did this without regard to race. They did this without regard to
> class. They did this because it is the nature of people in this country to
> come to the aid of others. Mayor Nagan basically spit in the face of those
> people, myself included, and that very nature. Statements like his actually
> fuel the very racism he speaks of. Personally, I never thought of the NOLA
> Katrina episode as a race issue, until he and others like him tried to make
> it so. Since that time, I've reflected on the situation, and have to say
> that their statements tend to exemplify the very stereotypical
> generalizations I make an effort to avoid. Ray Nagan is doing his city, and
> his race, a disservice.
>
> After hearing his statement, I'd have to say I tend to agree. We likely
> would see a different response in Orange County than we did in NOLA. I don't
> think we'd see a group of people, largely of one race, rushing to help
> another group of people, largely of a different race.
>
> For that, we can thank "leaders" like Ray Nagan.
>
> Now, to my further clarification. I went to NO for many reasons. Because I
> felt a kinship to the city, since I keep my boat in a city across the lake
> from them. Because my religious faith has a heritage of service to others.
> Because I felt a deep down hurt for what people there were going through.
> And, to some degree, because I wanted the experience of "being a part of" an
> exercise that was larger than myself, and my day to day desires, duties, and
> experiences.
>
> Like I said, I went for many reasons. But, race and class were never a
> part of my considerations for going, or not going. I suspect that while the
> reasons for being there a vastly different for the folks that did what they
> can do, that statement can be made by most of them as well.
>
> So, while Mayor Nagan talks about "the soft underbelly of America as it
> relates to dealing with race and class", and declares that "They're going to
> give us our money, and we're going to rebuild this city", I hope he
> remembers that the money he's talking about is taken from the very folks
> he's quick to insult and degrade. We pay our taxes mostly without
> resistance. More than that though, we gave to NO in their time of need. To
> have the duly elected leader of that city now make the statements he's
> making makes us, some of us at least, wonder if our sympathies, sacrifices,
> and hard work were misplaced.
>
> I might refer Mayor Nagan to Matthew 7:6 - Do not give dogs what is
> sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them
> under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
>
> I hope the good people of NO take a good hard look at who is leading their
> city, and ask themselves some very serious questions about what they want
> for a future.
>
>
>
>
> >>> tnrhodey at hotmail.com 8/28/2006 7:18:29 am >>>
> Herb,
>
> I agree...did you happen to watch 60 Minutes last night? Nagan knocking on
> the new levee bragging they were ready.......
>
> Don't fprget DC re-electing Marion Berry. The American voter can be pretty
> dense at times. Kind of sad,
>
> Wally
>
> >From: "Herb Parsons" <hparsons at parsonsys.com>
> >Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Hurricane Evac
> >Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 22:12:16 -0500
> >
> >Brad,
> >
> >I've become quite jaded by my experience in NO and the stuff I've seen
> and
> >heard since. The failures of were across the board, but the biggest
> failure
> >was NOT that of FEMA or the feds, it was the local government. Yet they
> >re-elected Nagan. I can only conclude that the people, many of whom want
> to
> >blame everyone but themselves for their problems, want a leader that does
> >the same.
> >
> >
> >Herb Parsons
> >
> >S/V O'Jure
> >1976 O'Day 25
> >Lake Grapevine, N TX
> >
> >S/V Reve de Papa
> >1971 Coronado 35
> >Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana Coast
> >
> > >>> flybrad at gmail.com 8/27/2006 3:18:53 pm >>>
> >John,
> >
> >It looks like the Mississippi Gulf Coast and NOLA will get a bye on
> >Ernesto.  Jeb Bush just declared a state of emergency for
> Florida.  Better
> >batten down the hatches there, again.
> >
> >The article on Cuba was interesting. My wife  commented after Katrina how
> >much better the Chinese handle such emergencies.  They send in massive
> >numbers of army soldiers and order folks to obey or else.  I blame the
> >failures at NOLA squarely on Nagin and Blanco.  The stories of heroism
> from
> >the National Guard, Coast Guard, and Navy still aren't being
> told.  Neither
> >is there much coverage on the lower parishes that were wiped out or the
> 90
> >miles of Mississippi coast that was devastated.  It's all New Orleans,
> all
> >the time.
> >
> >Florida handles hurricanes much better - so does the upper midwest with
> >snow.  Go figure.
> >
> >Brad
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >On 8/27/06, johnp <jhnpldng at earthlink.net> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > Interesting article on Katrina and Ivan.
> > > http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=2&subID=840
> > >
> > > Brad Haslett-2 wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Ernesto is building strength and headed to the Gulf coast.  This
> will
> >be
> > > > interesting to watch for the next few days.  We've got to come-up
> with
> >a
> > > > plan to tie down our two campers.  I wonder what FEMA has in mind
> for
> > > the
> > > > thousands they placed one block from the coast?
> > > >
> > > > Brad
> > > > __________________________________________________
> > > > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > View this message in context:
> > > http://www.nabble.com/Hurricane-Ernesto--tf2171606.html#a6009395
> > > Sent from the Rhodes22 forum at Nabble.com.
> > >
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