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New Orleans mayor apologizes for MLK Day remarks Brett dlartel THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW ORLEANS — Mayor Ray Nagin apologized Tuesday for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day speech in which he predicted New Orleans would be a “chocolate city” and asserted that “God was mad at America.” “I said some things that were totally inappropriate.... It shouldn’t have happened,” Nagin said, explaining he was caught up in the moment as he spoke to mostly black spectators, many of them fearful of being shut out of the city’s redevelopment. During the speech Monday, Nagin said repeated hurricanes that destroyed parts of America’s coast and exerted stress upon the nation were a sign of God’s anger toward the country, as well as black communities that hadn’t done enough to fight crime. He also said New Orleans has to be a majority African American city because “it’s the way God wants it to be.” Excluding suburbs, New Orleans was more than 65 percent black before Hurricane Katrina. The storm displaced about three-quarters of the city’s population. Most of the estimated 125,000 residents who have been able to return are white. When Nagin, a former cable company executive and political novice, was elected in 2002, he received about 90 percent of the white vote, according to polls conducted by Ed Renwick, the director of Loyola University’s Institute of Politics. Nagin received less than half the black vote, Renwick said Tuesday, and the mayor’s heaviest criticism since taking office has come from rival political factions in the black community who have portrayed him as catering to the interests of white businessmen. Nagin has been trying harder to gain the trust of black residents, but in attempting to do so he may have offended much of the base that got him elected, Renwick said. “Obviously, blacks were the weaker portion of his victory margin, but some of the remarks he made Monday will possibly dampen enthusiasm among some whites,” Renwick said. “It seemed to be another Nagin-being-Nagin. He has a penchant for just speaking off the cuff and not thinking it through.” Renwick added: “He also tends to speak to the literal audience he’s with at the time instead of the whole world he reaches through the TV, radio and print media.” Nagin said his comments about God were inappropriate and stemmed from a private conversation he had with a minister earlier. “I need to be more sensitive and more aware of what I’m saying,” he acknowledged Tuesday. Nagin said his speech was really meant to convey that blacks were a vital part of New Orleans’ history and culture and should be encouraged to return. “I want everyone to be welcome in New Orleans — black, white, Asian, everybody,” he said. Nagin said the other main point he’d hoped to make Monday was that when blacks do return, they must work to stamp out the crime and political infighting that have held them back. ’ RHfl • CORTinUED FROdl 5 chairpersons of the five committees. Ross said the amendments’ passed because “that’s the way we’ve been functioning for the fast few years but this just puts it in the constitution.” However the amendments also removed part of Section 2 that said the Executive Board would have their stipend removed should they “not fulfill their duties.” It was removed “because it’s a vague clause and it had not been put into practice,” said Ross. Ross also said that threatening the executive board with a removal of their stipend is not too effective since they generally don’t participate in RHA for the money and Ross doesn’t “think we should hold that over their heads.” The amendments also took out a clause reading, “RHA insures that each individual government’s funding shall be no less than the previous year’s funding,” which leayes room in the constitution for budget cutting that was not previously there. Senator Randall Phillips, a third-year criminal justice major, motioned that the amendment be tabled until the next meeting so senators could read the amendments and solidify any objections. The motions was objected to by Bullard. It was also motioned that the bill be tabled to be proofread, but it was again objected to by Bullard who urged the amendments immediate passing. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm. sc. edu ■VIVIVfl ifil A ■ ■KBSKmHh jflHHlHk MM Judi Bottom / The Associated Press New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin pauses at a Bring New Orleans Back Commission meeting on Tuesday in New Orleans. Nagin apologized for comments made Monday. London $229 Athens Paris $253 Tokyo Rome $209 Bangkok Amsterdam $259 Sydney. Fm tra rcuriMpfcmATl ««iinai*dt>ctap Tn txgOMy nwncaons may appry neany more ones nso Book Spring Break online: B Cancun, Jamaica, Vegaa & Moretll crforboohertfcie H TRAVEL CUTS 1-800-592-cuts (2887) See the world your way Student Government 227 Russell House 777-2654 • stgov@gwm.sc.edu WM I The deadline to file for office is TODAY. Ilf you're interested in running for an Executive Office or Senatorial Seat, come to the Student Government office from 9:00am-4:00pm to file for office! ■ Questions/Comments: I email EC@gwm.sc.edu. sSL j j A I Justin Williams Ryan Holt Tommy Preston, jr. 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