On Thursday, New Orleans Mayor
Ray Nagin and his entourage returned from their six day trip to communist Cuba.
The supposed purpose of the visit was for the Mayor to investigate Cuba’s
hurricane preparedness programs and to bolster trade ties with the poor
country.
Unfortunately, Nagin once again
made ridiculous comments that embarrassed the people of New Orleans. In an
interview with the Associated Press, Nagin lamented this country’s response to
Hurricane Katrina and said that “it wasn’t clear” who was in charge. Seemingly,
Nagin longs for the type of dictatorship that has ruined Cuba for the last 50
years. In that country, the Castro brothers run everything with an iron fist.
Anyone who dissents is either shot or thrown in a Cuban gulag. Does Nagin want
that kind of system here?
Amazingly, Nagin said that Cubans
do “a much better job” than U.S. officials in handling hurricanes. I guess so,
Mr. Mayor, because there is no freedom of movement or freedom of speech in Cuba
and everyone has to follow the commands of the communist authorities.
Nagin also said that “in Cuba,
you don’t have the problem” of the President and the Governor “going back and
forth.” Of course not, in Cuba there is no back and forth, there is only Castro
communism. It is what a dictatorship is all about, but sadly Nagin is clueless
about Cuban history and the fifty years of brutal suppression. Nagin should
talk to Cuban exiles who can educate him about the reality of communism.
In Cuba there are no free
elections, no freedom of assembly, no free press, no freedom to express
religious faith and no freedom to unionize. Citizens who complain or oppose the
government repression are imprisoned. This barbarism is why so many Cubans try
to flee the country and risk their lives on the high seas to make it to
America.
Nagin complimented Cuban
authorities for “knowing their citizens at a very, very detailed level, block
by block.” This type of knowledge is gained through the use of spies and
government eavesdropping that is unacceptable in a free country. If Cuba has
such a great system, why are so many people trying to leave the country? By
offering his praise, Nagin joins other Castro apologists in Hollywood who are
blinded by liberal ideology and do not recognize the real tyranny that the
Castro brothers represent.
Either Nagin is ignorant of what
a dictatorship means or he wants to emulate one in this country. Who knows what
motivated Nagin to open his mouth and criticize his own country, while praising
a communist dictatorship. However, we do know that it is no surprise for Nagin
to make foolish comments. Whether he is touting New Orleans as a “chocolate
city” or the city’s high murder rate as a way to get “the brand out there,” or
calling the 9-11 sites in New York a “hole in the ground” or claiming that he
is a “vagina friendly” Mayor, Nagin can’t help but make asinine statements. In
fact, his entire catalog of dumb comments is too numerous to list.
Thankfully, his reign of error
will end in six months. Sadly, New Orleans lost eight years with Nagin and his
City Hall crew. The real losers have been the taxpayers who will probably pay
the costs for the Nagin team to visit Cuba. These same taxpayers were left with
the $29,000 bill for Nagin and company to visit China and Australia.
None of these trips will lead to anything of
substance for New Orleans. The only things that people will be left with are
bills to pay and more embarrassment. Such is the price of electing a fool as
Mayor.
Hi Jeff, I love your column on the now present Mayor of New Orleans. I totally agree with your opinion. I am a native New Orleanian, and I was displaced from Hurricane Kartrina. I am no longer in New Orleans but still have major concerns about my city. I never like the thought of Mayor Nagin calling New Orleans "Chocolate City" and owning up to this Murderous capitol,and I am an African American female. I also have hated the thought of ever going to Cuba. This is a communist country. Aren't people running away from this place? Who wants to go to Cuba anyway? I believe this was an absolute useless trip, at the taxpayers expense. Mayor Nagin shouldn't focus on passing negative comments and taking useless trips at the taxpayers expense. There is too much of important work that needs to be done for New Orleans.
Re:RAY NAGIN’S CUBAN LOVE AFFAIR Feb 17 2010 21:11:04
History must be remembered. Many men in the 1920's and 1930's in Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Cuba fought alongside the U. S. Army and Marine Corps. Some were killed or wounded, and while alive putting themselves and their families at risk with the communist. The U. S. should have supported President Bautista and the Caribean countries (They do not consider themselves central americans south of Mexico and before Columbia).
Many worked our field and farms, fought and died at least since WW II to prove their loyalty. We have good catatrophe management long before "President" Castro.
By the way, how about many coastal towns having Amtracs (USMC) as well as ducks (U. S. Army) stationed for use with flooding around Louisiana and the U.S.A.
