Do you know what it means
to diss New Orleans?

Photo: 2005 © A.M. Stan for AFGE



It's been a weekend of highs, lows and best-of-bad-choices for the good people of New Orleans -- including those in the Katrina diaspora.

Those who might like to see the city take on a whiter character were dealt a setback this week with the re-election of Mayor Ray Nagin. Yet, given the mayor's performance during Hurricane Katrina, any large celebration would be premature.

On a more distressing front, the city's congressman, Rep. William Jefferson, is being investigated for taking bribes, and the case against him looks pretty good. This couldn't come at a better time for those on the light side who would like to play the race card, since the bribes allegedly taken by Jefferson, an African-American, are said to have been for the securing of contracts between a Louisiana firm and African governments.

In fact, the releasing of a previously sealed affidavit by the FBI, and a very dramatic raid on Jefferson's offices conducted this weekend, smack of racial politics, especially given the outcome of the mayoral election.

Did Jefferson take the bribe? It looks that way. Is his case being handled in a more high-profile manner than most such cases? It looks that way.

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