New Orleans mayor urges unity, end to violence on MLK Day

06:28 AM CST on Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS – Mayor 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," Mr. Nagin, who is black, 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."

Mr. Nagin also promised that New Orleans will be a "chocolate" city again. Katrina damaged many of the city's black neighborhoods.

"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."

He described an imaginary conversation with Dr. King, the late civil rights leader.

"I said, 'What is it going to take for us to move on and live your dream and make it a reality?' He said, 'I don't think that we need to pay attention any more as much about other folks and racists on the other side.' He said, 'The thing we need to focus on as a community – black folks I'm talking about – is ourselves.' "

Mr. Nagin also said Dr. King would have been dismayed with black leaders who are "most of the time tearing each other down publicly for the delight of many."

A day earlier, gunfire erupted at a parade to commemorate Dr. King's birthday. Three people were wounded in the daylight shooting amid a throng of mostly black spectators, but police said there were no immediate suspects or witnesses.

In his speech, Mr. Nagin said "knuckleheads" are to blame for the shootings at the parade, which also was organized to show unity and support for New Orleans' rebuilding.

"It's time for all of us good folk to stand up and say, 'We're tired of the violence. We're tired of black folks killing each other,' " he said.

And, the city's economy is getting a boost as college students return to class. Tulane, Xavier and Southern Universities resume classes today. Loyola and Dillard started last week.

Many classes will be held in trailers and hotel conference rooms while campus repairs continue, and overall enrollment is considerably lower than the 65,000 before Hurricane Katrina.