New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin apparently decided to join the ranks of nutcases like Pat Robertson in proclaiming that natural disaster, such as Hurricaine Katrina, is God’s punishment. Nagin said today,
Surely God is mad at America. He sent us hurricane after hurricane after hurricane, and it’s destroyed and put stress on this country. . . . 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.
Or perhaps God was angry at Nagin’s own racist remarks at a townhall meeting on the rebuilding of New Orleans,
I can see in your eyes, you want to know, ‘How do I take advantage of this incredible opportunity? How do I make sure New Orleans is not overrun with Mexican workers?’
On the other hand, perhaps Nagin has a point. Maybe we can divine God’s intent from smaller weather incidents as well. For example, I’m beginning to suspect some snow we had here recently was do to God’s displeasure at the University of Southern California’s loss in the Rose Bowl.
Or maybe it just mean’s He’s unhappy with racist, religious nutcases, even when they’re Democrats.
Update: For some reason there are people who think the important thing about Nagin is that he used to be a Republican (ah, those nutty Republicans, right?) The problem is that this appears to be false. The Washington Post incorrectly reported this as fact and had to retract the claim on this story,
Correction to This Article
An Oct. 26 article that featured an interview with New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin incorrectly stated that he had switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat. He has never been a Republican.
Source:
New Orleans Mayor Says God Mad at U.S. Brett Martel, Associated Press, January 16, 2006.
Immigrants find opportunity in ruined New Orleans. Reuters, December 23, 2005.