Oh Jessie - Where for art thou?

New Orleans is an interesting city. Known as the home of Bourbon Street Blues & Dixieland music, after Hurricane Katrina it has become known for much more, and very little of it distinguishes New Orleans as anything other than a mess. My company is holding our annual convention in New Orleans in November, and I must say that I am not looking forward to it for a couple of reasons:

1. ) Flying: If I'm stuck on the tarmac for 5 hours or more, I'm liable to have numerous federal charges placed against me. I am a capitalist, but I'm also a human being. I don't care how much it screws up your schedule for the rest of the day, or how much money you're going to lose - if you've had my sorry ass in the plane and on the ground for more than 90 minutes, I want the option to get out without having to kidnap a stewardess or whatever they're calling them these days.

2.) Chocolate: Normally I can't get enough of it, especially dark chocolate, but if the chocolate has anything to do with Mayor Ray Nagin, I'll just pass on dessert.

3.) Corruption & Racism: In case you missed the story, Orleans Parish District Attorney Eddie Jordan's conviction for violating the civil rights of his employees was upheld, so the $3.5 million dollar fine, along with accrued interest, will now have to be paid by the taxpayers of New Orleans.

What is it that Mr. Jordan did? Well, when he was elected, he came in and fired dozens of longtime employees and replaced them with his cronies. All the people fired were white - all the people hired were black.

The Rev's Jackson & Sharpton have yet to make any announcement as to when they'll stage marches and demonstrations in support of all those poor white folks.

It makes me chuckle every time I hear some nitwit start bashing President Bush again as if Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath were all his fault. The federal government, and the buck does stop on his desk, could have performed better to be sure, but look at the aftermath. How many people do you hear crying the blues in Mississippi - especially Gulf Port? No, the wailing and gnashing of teeth is coming from that below sea level cesspool that many prior residents have chosen not to return to.

The link below will take you to a site where you can see ABC's Brian Williams trying to conduct an interview with DA Jordan. When asked about comments by U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez (I don't know that he should be pointing fingers at anyone), DA Jordan and his assistant decided it was time to end the interview.

blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/08/new_orleans_dis.html - 107k -

If you have the stomach for it, do some web surfing and find out how Democrats have practiced politics in Louisiana for the past 100+ years. The corruption continues unabated, and the racism and discrimination are not limited to only one race. If you're a Republican, don't slap a grin on your face and point fingers, because there are plenty of examples to be drudged up of Republican hypocrisy as well.

The object lessons are quite simple:

Absolute power does corrupt, and when you throw in a little Deep South humidity, you can smell the stench from a long ways off.

You don't have to be a white, Anglo-Saxon to be a corrupt politician or a racist.