NAGIN'S PLAN FOR REBUILDING NEW ORLEANS

No one really knows what Mayor Ray Nagin's plan is to rebuild NOLA. He keeps changing his mind on the particulars of the rebuilding strategy but the first step of his plan he's never waiverd from. What is that FIRST STEP?

Well its ...

"Reinstalling the URBAN POOR"

Nagin is upset and trying desparately to find a way to get the people who can't take care of themselves back into NOLA. Well, isn't that logical folks? I mean, the FIRST STEP in any rebuilding program is to ensure that you have lots of people in place with their hands out demanding that you take care of 'em! That way the rest of the rebuilding plan is in jeopardy!

Nagin wants to do this because he knows those people are his political base - without them, he has no chance of reelection. We can't hold elections in Louisiana right now until we get those folks back into the state. Without 'em - Louisiana clearly goes firmly into the slate of "RED STATES".

But here's the reality - Nagin doesn't have the resources to take care of those folks - so they ain't comin' back!

This isn't racist. I realize that most of those folks are African American but color is irrelavant here. There are also a great number of whites who aren't coming back for the same reason. Who cares?

The reality is - NOLA will be rebuilt by PIONEER TYPES. People who are willing to withstand hardship in an unstable situation that offers a promise of a better life to those who are willing to work their fingers to the bone to get it. NOLA will be rebuilt by the same kind of folks who left their cushy lives in the eastern U.S. and headed west early in our nation's history. The same kind of folks who braved angry Indians and starvation and headed west for the promise of opportunity.

And that doesn't mean they'll be WHITE either!

In fact, at the current moment - it looks like they'll be BROWN. Most of the folks headed to this area to rebuild are Hispanics - Mexicans particularly. Suddenly, businesses are rushing to hire bilingual employees so they can communicate with these people and benefit from their patronage.

My message to these brave Hispanics is ...

"Welcome to Louisiana - I'm here to rebuild with you!"

Ray Nagin hasn't been as welcoming to these new pioneers. In fact, he's been downright racial in his reaction to them.

But here's the facts folks. Drive through east NOLA and you'll see almost no sign of life except these Hispanics - working to rebuild the city. And if they rebuild it - they should own it - or the biggest share in it anyway.

My message to those (of any race) who have a problem with this?

Get over it!

NOLA is a distroyed city - property of no one. Doesn't matter if you were born here or not - if you aren't back here living in a tent and rebuilding by now - you've sacrificed your birthright and it will be reclaimed by those willing to do the hard work.

And that's the way it ought to be.