This Mardi Gras, More Than Just a Reason to Get DrunkSeveral defining moments in the history of the United States have taken place in and around the city of New Orleans. This week, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and its residents experienced a defining moment of its own. A defining moment that could either bring it back from the brink of near extinction or one that could push it closer to the brink of financial collapse. This past Thursday, the city council voted 7-0 to authorize 2.7 million dollars in expenditures to covering police overtime and other carnival expenses. According to news reports, Council members offered no thoughts on where the nearly broke city will find the cash, choosing to spend now and worry later. There is no doubt that this decision by the New Orleans City Council is one that will be debated vigourously by local residents for some time to come.
But when you look past the financial ramifications of the council's decision, you see and hear a bold statement from the leadership in New Orleans to the rest of the country that the "Crescent City" may be down, but it's not out. It's the latest of many steps forward and the first of many more to come on the road to recovery for New Orleans.
For now this Mardi Gras, scaled back as it may be, is giving the residents who refused to leave their city and those who have come back the opportunity to get some sense normalcy back in their lives. And it's reminding the rest of us that one of America's great treasures when it comes to history, music, and food won't give up without a fight.
Personally, I'm cheering them on and can't wait for the chance to visit there again.
(originally posted 2-19-06 on Yahoo 360)
5 comments:
I have not had the chance to go to go there yet but I will get there sooner or later lol. I heard its a blast.
Monday February 20, 2006 - 10:44am (EST)
Personally, I have no desire to go to Mardi Gras, and wish they would just stop it altogether. The only thing it's good for these days is for recording more "Girls Gone Wild" videos. (rolls eyes)
Monday February 20, 2006 - 12:48pm (EST)
If the Mardi Gras celebration was to be shut down, snoop puppy and his little girls would just go somewhere else an on and on and on. Why not just get rid of the production of GGW and save everybody a lot a time, money, and hassle? I don't know, just a thought.....
Monday February 20, 2006 - 04:04pm (PST)
It is a great reason to get drunk though. But hey who needs a reason.
Monday February 20, 2006 - 07:07pm (EST)
I have to say that Mardi Gras is a celebratoin of the people and culture of New Orleans. Yes, it is an excuse for coeds to get sloppy drunk and perform who knows what acts of debochery, but this is the shot in the arm that city needs. The majority of the tourist revenue for that city comes in from this. They are only expecting half of the tourists and income than previous years, but $500 million is more than nothing. I say party on! Nagin is an idiot, but God Bless the people of New Orleans, they need it!
Tuesday February 21, 2006 - 12:00pm (CST)
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