Because he doesn’t have as polished a presentation as Jesse Jackson — oh, and because he’s not liberal — the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson almost never gets attention from the mainstream media. But here’s what he had to say about allegations of racism against President Bush after Hurricane Katrina:
“The mayor failed in his duty to evacuate and protect the people of New Orleans. … The truth is, black people died not because of President Bush or racism, they died because of their unhealthy dependence on the government and the incompetence of Mayor Ray Nagin and Governor Kathleen Blanco.”
“If black folks want to blame someone for this tragedy, they only need to look in the mirror. Hopefully, this will help black people realize the folly of depending on the government or leaders and serve as a notice to avert future tragedies in other cities.”