Nagin says God "doesn't approve of us being in Iraq under false pretenses"

[Stephanie]

Storms Payback From God, Nagin Says
Mayor Faults War, Blacks' Infighting

By Brett Martel
Associated Press
Tuesday, January 17, 2006; Page A04

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 16 -- Mayor C. Ray Nagin suggested Monday that hurricanes Katrina and Rita and other storms were a sign that "God is mad at America" -- and at black communities, too, for tearing themselves apart with violence and political infighting.

"Surely God is mad at America. He sent us hurricane after hurricane after hurricane, and it's destroyed and put stress on this country," Nagin said as he and other city leaders marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

"Surely he doesn't approve of us being in Iraq under false pretenses. But surely he is upset at black America also. We're not taking care of ourselves."

Nagin, who is African American, also promised that New Orleans will be a "chocolate" city again. Many of the city's black neighborhoods were heavily damaged by Katrina.

"It's time for us to come together. It's time for us to rebuild New Orleans -- the one that should be a chocolate New Orleans," the mayor said. "This city will be a majority-African American city. It's the way God wants it to be. You can't have New Orleans no other way. It wouldn't be New Orleans."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/16/AR2006011600925.html?nav=rss_nation

[ComerPerro]

1. That sounds insane. But, one thing I wish he would have stressed more

is that because of this idiotic war, we can't afford to properly take care of our own citizens.

[CottonBear]

4. I think his audience new that he meant that.

Nagin is in a tough spot. I wonder if he regrets ever having been a Republican? I suppose he has nothing to lose by speaking his mind. Even if this speech was sort of all the place, at least he seemed to be speaking from his heart.

[ComerPerro]

7. Yeah, but it comes across as one of those Pat Roberston rants

about God's wrath and punishment.

That's the trouble.

[CottonBear]

12. True. Jerry Springer was just saying the same thing on the radio.

He said he could understand why Nagin made the statement (preaching to the choir, chatting up constituents they are regular churchgoers, etc) but he also said that elected politicians should refrain from blaming god for bad events. iad it's easy to dismiss Robertson's statements but much harder, if not impossible, to dismiss Nagin's statement.

[ComerPerro]

13. He's exactly right on that (Springer)

[Binka]

2. Ray is high

:wtf:

[Zenlitened]

3. I think Nagin's lost his grip on reality, if he's doing the...

... "what-god-wants" thing now. :eyes:

[Upfront]

11. It Works

For Pat Roberson. Seems like a whole lot of folks beleive this stuff.

[WernhamHogg]

5. Ugh!

Why can't everyone stop speaking for "God"? I'm sure if "God" had something important to say, he would cut out the middle man and hold a press conference of his own...

[mopaul]

6. & they fell into sin, & they turned away from God, & He punished them

sounds like pat roberston. but it's happened a million times, a meteorite wipes out a city, or a volcano, or a tsunami or flood or pestilence, and sure enough, it's because they fucked with god.

[Binka]

8. God Hates Us For Our Freedoms!

KISS ME MO!

[newportdadde]

9. Bad call Mayor.

[johncoby2]

10. I bet Bush was wiretapping Nagin's conversation with God.