Congressman William J. Jefferson was reelected this weekend. You have to really wonder about the people of Louisiana. You may remember that William Jefferson was the Congressman that the feds videotaped taking $100,000, allegedly in bribes, of which $90,000 was found in his freezer.
Even though Republican candidate Karen Carter is also black, the vote split according to race says the Washington Post.
Jefferson won 57 percent of the vote to Carter's 43 percent. He won 79 percent of votes in largely black precincts, while she won 76 percent of votes in largely white precincts, according to a post-election analysis by Greg Rigamer, a consultant for the Carter campaign.
Why would anyone vote for Jefferson? Well according to those who voted for him they said they didn't believe the charges. Yes, these are the same voters who reelected Mayor Ray Nagin after his catastrophic handling of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. I'd also venture to guess that these are the same type of voters who would reelect a mayor videotaped smoking crack in a hotel room (see Mayor Marion Barry of Washington D.C.)
What is wrong with these people? Follow the logic here in the statements of those who voted for Jefferson below.
But after Sunday services at the First Pilgrim Baptist Church in the Bywater neighborhood, a group of three friends, all African American, concurred in their support for Jefferson and dismissed the allegations as unproved. Though two of Jefferson's associates -- a business partner and a former staff member -- have pleaded guilty in the bribery scheme, they cautioned against a rush to judgment.
"I just kind of felt if they had something on him, why haven't they indicted him?" said Tyra Bryant, 34, of Jefferson Parish. "I'm not even sure it's really true."
"He hasn't done anything the rest of the folks up in Washington haven't done -- he just got caught," said Sharon Williams of Mid-City.
Why hasn't he been indicted yet? Because they are making an airtight case against him because he hasn't pleaded guilty like his fellow criminal staff members. I applaud them for not indicting him until they have everything in place.
For some voter to dismiss the charges though simply because it hasn't gone to trial yet, when two others have pleaded guilty already, is simply ignorant. These voter true colors come out though in their final statement.
Carter seems to have forgotten who she is, Williams said.
"Sometimes when you are an African American and you get too high on yourself -- well, Karen Carter thought she was a Caucasian," she said. "You have to always remember where you came from."
So he got his votes from a bunch of racists... Now it's all clear.
If you "act white" as racists blacks call it, being an "Uncle Tom" as they call it, then you simply can't do anything good for them as a voter. It seems the "chocolate city" needs to take a look at itself in the mirror.
This doesn't bode well for New Orleans who will be seeking further federal aid for Katrina damage. Why should the federal government send US taxpayer money to a corrupt and racist community that was flooded with support from people of this country, regardless of race?
The people of New Orleans have spoken, they place race and "following the racial line" above all else, even if it means reelecting corrupt officials.
I've lost a little more respect for Louisiana and New Orleans in particular today.
