What role has New Orleans’ mayor Ray Nagin played?
It is because of him that the city is in the shape it is in now. He hasn’t really done anything to help in the recovery. Common Ground has served over 170,000 people directly—140,000 in the city of New Orleans—and Nagin has yet to come to any of our locations. His role can only be defined in deeds and actions. He made sure the Superdome was rebuilt in record time. He made sure that the Convention Center was rebuilt in record time; that the French Quarter was up and running; that the Garden District was up and running; and that the downtown businesses were given everything they needed. When you look at this community, you realize that schools are closed. The first school to be integrated in the state of Louisiana is two blocks from here and it is closed. This building we are in was first Catholic school to be integrated in the state; it is closed. How much money has Common Ground received from the government? Nothing. They haven’t even met with us. They call us the Hamas of New Orleans.
