Chocolate City Blues

Mayor Nagin has lost his mind. What was with his MLK Day speech? Talking about a “chocolate city,” and about talking to Dr. King about the state of the world, and about how God is angry at the US for its war-like foreign policy. Already, the apologies have started. Personally, I like chocolate, and find this a completely hilarious way to characterize the city.

I don’t put much stock in the words of politicians anyway, and I just chalk it up to typical audience pandering. I guess the mayor felt these themes would appeal to his black audience on the occasion. He even spoke with a (rather weak) testifying preacher dialect that I have not heard from him before. Usually when Nagin speaks, he does so with a completely neutral, uninflected manner.

Oh, and anytime people start linking natural disasters with the Will of God, I cannot help but cringe and roll eyes. Most of the discussion in that vein* has been about how God sent the hurricane to punish the wickedness of New Orleans, except He missed all the actual wicked parts and took out some God-fearing, poor black neighborhoods. Yes, yes, and Lakeview as well.

*on Christian radio I suffered through on my holiday drive up to and from that other Sodom: NYC.