Raciam? I believe not.
 According to a recent NBC poll, certain groups believe that racism played a role in the rescue attempts in New Orleans and the aid rendered those trapped in flooded areas of the city. In their rush to judgment, many in the media and most of the liberal democrats blame President Bush and FEMA for all the problems before and after the hurricane. When all the facts are in I don’t believe racism was a factor at all and I am confident that only the Bush haters will blame the president for anything.
A case in point: I didn’t see any of the critics working day and night in New Orleans trying to save people, white or black. I watched television intently and all I saw immediately following the storm was a thousand to fifteen hundred white Cajuns and white Rednecks risking their lives trying to save people of every stripe. They furnished their own boats at their own expense and in risking their lives I didn’t see any of them asking the evacuees if they were white or black. In times of crisis our people don’t look at the color of one’s skin. Every life is precious and to believe otherwise is an insult to those who volunteered to save lives.
On the other side of the horn, I didn’t see the Jesse Jackson’s, the black caucus in Washington or other black leaders who are trying to play the race card in any of the rescue boats. All I saw was white faces and In fact, I didn’t see the vocal but absent black leaders anywhere in New Orleans: proving once again I guess that it is easier to criticize than to do better. Nor did I see any of the black leaders thank those who were in the thick of the rescue efforts early on: proving once again that they are ingrates at best or hypocrites at worse.
On a local level, Mayor Nagin is an African American. Is he a racist? I believe not. Is Governor Blanco a racist? I don’t’ believe. It is ludicrous to believe that Governor Blanco would do anything against her political base in New Orleans or Louisiana where she got 98% of the black vote.
On a national level, is President Bush a racist? Of course not and those who believe he is, are racists themselves. Are the people in FEMA all racists? Ludicrous on its face. So why do the black leaders, the media and liberal politicians try to play the race card?
I don’t know the answer but I suspect most of them do it for personal gain in one way or the other; either to make money or get elected to office.
Whatever the reasons, I think it is just more demagoguery on the part of those people who don’t really care about the poor people living in Ghettos rife with dope, crime and substandard education for their children.
They talk the talk but they don’t walk the walk!
That's my story and I am sticking to it
.
Milo A. Nickel is the former President and COO of Louisiana State Newspapers.