January 17, 2006

two'sdey twostep: chocolate kisses in the big easy

Has anyone else seen the footage from New Orleans. It appears that the mayor has a corporate backer for re-election. The Hershey's company has raised the bar for everyone else in this country. It is not enough to give cash to aid those who are rebuilding after Katrina. No. One needs to adopt the city and create a "chocolate city." That's right. New Orleans is to made entirely of chocolate. The Army Corps of Engineers was stunned by the news, but I am sure they are up to the challenge. What a great opportunity. The entire city could melt in your mouth but not in...well...a deluge! The Big Easy is easy indeed.

Yikes. I don't know how to engage that news without some kind of humor...poorly or well communicated. I know that the socio-political dynamic down that way are complex. As they are in Richmond, Virginia and Detroit, Michigan, the issues surrounding race and poverty and a city "left to the minority poor constituents" in New Orleans are much more convoluted and steeped in a historical struggle for equality than any single news article can express. It saddens me, however, that the mayor would make such a statement and let it hang out there. It certainly has everyone's attention, but I am unsure if it is the kind of attention that will benefit any of us.

According to Diane Sawyer this morning, the mayor wanted to remind everyone that chocolate is a combination of dark chocolate and creame. It "makes for a tastey drink." Wow. Spin doctors? They need one...stat! Spin doctor to New Orleans General, stat!

Posted by tripp at January 17, 2006 09:00 AM
Comments

I, too, am confused by this statement.

But listening to the radio this morning where they were discussing this, a former resident of NO called in saying she missed her chocolate love. She went on to explain that that is just a term used by African Americans in NO. Nagin has been know to say things off the cuff, and perhaps he was using NO slang, that we have no context for.

As you say, it is about context, folks.

Still, though, i am befuddled.

Posted by: justin at January 17, 2006 10:19 AM

I live in New Orleans. I have no idea what the mayor is talking about, but it seems to be a fairly weak analogy to racial harmony. From his own words, it may be that he misspoke and meant 'chocolate milk'. The creme bit is new to me. It was reported here as milk and that mixing the two together made a tasty drink.
Whatever the case, it was confusing and decidedly unhelpful. It got picked up by the local conservative AM radio station immediately and was played again and again to a mass of seething, anxious whitefolk who called in to unleash all kinds of fury.
C-Ray is doing a pretty good job as mayor. He opens his mouth more than he should, but his tenure has been one of improvement for NOLA. The problem now is that having made this statement with all its ambiguity, he will not clarify or back down.

Now readers and journalists at the Times--Picayune are speculating on whether New Orleans is truly chocolate or could it be more of a Neapolitan. The best answer yet was "Fudge Ripple"

Richard+

Posted by: Richard Easterling at January 17, 2006 12:27 PM

Richard, it is good to see you online!

I appreciate your perspective...and the ice cream analogies. Fudge Ripple is a lovely flavor. I don't know the racial demographic/population breakdown in NOLA. Is Fudge Ripple accurate?

Posted by: Tripp at January 17, 2006 12:36 PM