Mardi Gras

[zaragemca]

One more time we went to jam at the yearly Mardi Gras Festivities, with a Reggae/Fusion Band,as always the crowd was responsive and thrilled.Dr. Zaragemca

[JohnnyConga]

I think that Mardi Gras is a "slap" in he face to thepeople that used to live there....because they are not there to participate ...and looking at it on TV , all I see is WHITE people......."JC" Johnny Conga...

[Ecuarumba]

I'm with u JC....I'm sure "partying" is the last thing on the minds of those still homeless...it's a shame that tourists need to have their "vacations" with total disregard to what's happened to the residents



Edited By Ecuarumba on 1141155985

[Berimbau]

I just got back from NOLA and I think that ya'll are completely WRONG!!! Everyone who could, DID come back for Mardis Gras, including LOTS of African-American folks. Zulu marched, the Indians came out, and we were so blessed that they did! Mardi Gras is about ALL of us!
This was a far more spiritual Mardis Gras. It was more like a reunion for us, seeing friends and neighbors we haven't seen since Katrina, and mourning those who we will never see again. It was also a defiant one, for the people of NOLA know who their friends are! One sign said "FEMA says beads by April." Remember that many white folks were just as forgotten in the Katrina debacle as their black neighbors were. That just got more press because the racist right wing media wanted to villify and marganalize NOLA as a city of looters to help excuse Bush. Bush is just plain UNAMERICAN, and he and ALL of the NOLA detractors can completely KISS MY ASS. We ARE rebuilding NOLA, with no appologies to the LIARS at FOX non-news.
Now it is clearly the time to impeach Bush and rid the country of his thieving, baby-raping administration. My favorite t-shirt this carnival season? It said "RAY NAGIN FOR PRESIDENT."



Lovin' dat chocolate milk,



Berimbau

[Bataboom]

I live 2 hours from New orleans, I am a native of Louisiana born and raised. Mardi Gras is a history of celebration that New Orleans its self would not let go undone for even a year no matter what the cost. Its not vaccationist or tourist that put on the Mardi Gras festives, its the people of New Orleans that put this on weather they are white or black. Tourist and vaccationist are just welcome to come and visit at this time ... period! And trust me there are some stupid people in New Orleans that even though they have no home they will be out partying like they had no worries. So dont paint yourselves a picture that in spite of this pour time in the lives of the Louisiana people they still want to put on display the "New Orleans Mardi Gras" thang. Its the people that do it, and the people that want it.

Having said all that garb,,.... I do not support and I dislike Mardi Gras and everything it stands for... thats another story but I just wanted to point out that im not trying to take up for the cause because Im bias, im not I wish it didnt even exists. Im just stating the facts be known it to me because I live here.

p.s. This might start another forum war but Bush has a lotta faults and might deserve the peach, but katrina was totally the New Orleans Mayor Mr. Chocolote man himself and the Govenor Blanco because when it was time to act right away she froze, and Mayor Ray ducked tail and ran. Bush wanted to act now, Gov. Blanco said wait 24 hours! She's a woman and women shouldnt be leading in that capacity she proved that theory clearly.

I dont mean to be like oil and water but Im right here in the heart of it all and I know the score weather any of you like it or not.

Peace!



Edited By Bataboom on 1141161729

[Berimbau]

I was in the heart of Katrina, and I saw it all. Yes Blanco was a complete loser. She needs to go along with Bush. Ray Nagin stayed and FOUGHT for his city. Many in his police force left him, his city was underwater, he had NO HELP. Bush was hiding in Texas like the frightened little draft dodging chickenshit he is.
Now did Nagin freak out a little? Yes, he did. You would have freaked out too, if the US gvernment left your city to die because they were too busy looting Iraq. Ray Nagin might just be a little nuts, but I still like him. The Bush administartion wants you to hate him because he's black. This administration hates black people, and Bush is nothing less than a WAR CRIMINAL. He should be hung after his trial in the Hauge. Until then, have a happy Mardis Gras!!


Peace Out,



Berimbau

[pcastag]

Don't want to turn this into a political topic, BUT, I'm right down the street here in Houston, AND we're dealing with Katrina as well, increased problems in the schools, streets, increase in gang violence. IMHO both parties are to blame ( evacuees and locals) BUT it does not make things any easier to deal with. NO is a beautiful unique city, but it also is a city with a LOT of problems, education, crime, poverty etc. Instead of blaming bush, blanco and nagin, the people themselves should get over there and start reclaiming and rebuilding the city. Forget the politics and make it happen The way the work force is looking in NO right now it might just be Nueva Orleans by the time Nagin's beloved "chocolate city" is up and running again!
PC
PS I understand how Bush finagled his way out of paying standard wages, but in a city where unemployment is soooo high, you figure somebody would take the work.

[Berimbau]

Dear pcastag,
First of all, I don't like politics all that much myself, I don't trust many politicians! I don't want to see this forum become a political arena, either. But some FYIs you should consider. Turn off FOX non-news. It is neo-Nazi propaganda. The reality:
1.) Potential workers in NOLA have NO place to live. Many local people in NOLA and along the Gulf Coast are still waiting for FEMA trailers, living in their cars, in shelters, hotels, with relatives, or on the streets.
2.) Post Katrina, the rents in NOLA have skyrocketed beyond local wages.
3.) My wife know so MANY that are homeless. White, middle class, and yes, even Republicans!
4.) Yes there are MANY problems in NOLA, and yes, Ray Nagin is no saint.
5.) No, it seems that the Democratic Party doesn't have the answer, either. Sorry, Hillary!
Bush is a VERY dangerous man and he will sell anything to make $$$ for his corupt cronies. He sold out his fellow Americans in NOLA after Katrina. He sold our troops blood for oil money. He sold our ports to Dubai. Will you wait till he sells you out? Or YOUR family? Can you honestly imagine ANY president - Reagan, Clinton, Carter, Ford doing this?



Impeach Bush Now,



Berimbau

[pcastag]

Let me preface this by saying that I agree with you 100% about Bush. Second, I only watch Fox when i want to get pissed off or have a good laugh ( cnn for that matteras well). BUT, New orleans is new orleans, can't rely on the feds for everything, that's why we have problems in this country right now. Feds have become WAY too powerful, its become way too easy for a pres. like bush to manipulate the public using fear. He probably has committed enought crimes to be impeached, and I'm all for it, as long as Cheney and Rumsfeld go too!
PC

[JohnnyConga]

I sure hope I'm wrong...but it didn't look like that to me....bus tours to the ravaged areas!! ???....fuggeddaboutit..."JC" Johnny Conga....

[onile]

Alafia Abures!
I hope that you are all well and in an abundance of blessings!

I have to say that like most Americans who weren't in the direct path of Katrina, I have seen most of my impressions of Katrina from CNN. I agree with the comments posted here thus far. Although I don't have family affected directly by this trajedy, I am a social worker for the City of Phoenix, and as such we were given the opportunity to help those that were brought out here.

An interesting fact, and please bear with me on this point, is that there was a gentleman who had sent his wife and child on one of the buses to safety, there evidentally wasn't enough room on the bus, so he did the noble thing. When it came time to get himself out of there, he got on a bus, was taken to the airport and then placed on a plane.....destination unknown. Well as all of this played out, it turns out that he was flown out to Utah, not knowing anyone there, nor having any idea until he landed that he was headed there. His family was sent to Dallas, and had no idea of his situation.

Correct me if I am wrong my brothers, but there was one other time when families were torn apart and "shipped" out to strange places without having any 'say-so' in it. This is what our Government has managed to do all over again, with this idiot in power!

We continued to work with our brothers and sisters who survived Katrina and were sent here for assistance, however the Government only allocated 3-months of rental assistance to most of the familes. Most of the assistance given here locally, was from private citizens. Oh! and another thing, the Governer's office took presidence over the whole role (while the media was involved), soon as the media frenzy died down, it was turned over to the City. Go figure!

It breaks my heart to see our government create such vast amounts of 'beaurocratic red-tape' only to avoid having to 'help' our own!

As for how many of the families sent out here to AZ who actually stayed, if there were five,there were too many! All of them, like I'm sure that we all would, returned to be with family, most back to NOLA. It is my prayer that they all make their homes once more, and that many blessings abound for each and every one of them.

With respect!
Onile!



Edited By onile on 1141177830

[pcastag]

Yeah no doubt 10 billion a month to rebuild Iraq, but only 6 billion entirely for New orleans. Did a hurricane hit iraq too? I guess there's not enough long term investment prospects in NO to make it wotrthwile to spend OUR money so that helliburton and shell etc. can continue to reward themselves with massive profits.
PC

[onile]

.......ain't that the truth!

[windhorse]

When man is at his worst,, like the fat GOP,
We are also at our best. Here's something inspiring:

Marsalis and Konic's rebuilding project

[bongoron]

It's worth noting that tsunami victims are grateful for any help they can get even now, without blame shifting from the natural disaster to the people in charge of their country based on "my right to help in x amount of time". Nobody else has even tried to handle a situation like Katrina in this country ( BTW, a natural disaster, not a war where we previously committed resources to a country...like it or not), so who knows how anyone else would have done it? Our nation is getting a little spoiled, don't you think? We embarass ourselves before the rest of the world with our behaviour, but at least we can always blame the government. And, yes, the rest of the world is laughing at that too. Can't talk religion, but look at the political discussion going on. Whatever. I am a former american military member, too. I'm grateful I wasn't born in Israel.



Edited By bongoron on 1141238445