HAROLD KELLER / L’Observateur / March 1, 2000

Monday morning, as I was driving, I turned on the radio to hear the 8 a.m.news. It started with this: Yesterday, police arrested many for public nudityas they also investigated a string of murders in the city. The reportcontinued: Yesterday, in Mandeville, a man shot his future son-in-law after an afternoon of drinking and parade-viewing. Sounds like Mardi Gras is in fullswing! Mardi Gras is said to be the biggest free show on earth. That statement isnot accurate because in Brazil, their Mardi Gras is much bigger, lasts longer and is more vulgar.

A few weeks ago, someone asked me if I liked Mardi Gras. My answer wasthat I’d rather have a root canal. I’ve only gone to Mardi Gras in New Orleanstwice. Once was when I was 16 years old. I got drunk, got separated from thepeople I went with, and finally got home at 2 a.m. the next morning. Theother time was when I was in the Navy and my ship came to New Orleans for rest and recreation during the Mardi Gras weekend. I don’t remember muchof that weekend other than a lot of drinking and riotous living.

One has to admit that over the years, Mardi Gras has gotten progressively more vulgar and is a poor excuse for a family outing.

The New Orleans Police Department, motivated by an articile in Playboy magazine and eight pages of photographs referring to the nudity in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, issued a statement last week that public nudity is against the law and violators will be arrested. Women who expose theirbreasts to get beads and men who pull down their pants will be arrested.

This promoted an editorial from a New Orleans newspaper titled: “Taking the Fat out of Tuesday.” It stated that Carnival in the French Quarter is not forthose whose sensibilities are easily offended. The article stated that thosewho enter the French Quarter on days leading to Mardi Gras should know up front that sights on display are not ones about which to write their Sunday School teacher. It said that the city officials don’t need to get so worked up.It stated that last year, only 360 people were arrested for lewd behavior or urinating in public. The article ended by saying that surely the police officerscan play their parts and still let the good times roll. (This is a good exampleof how some of the news media got branded as the liberal press.)Playing the part, I gathered, according to the article, was to maybe turn t heir heads and let the bare breasts attract the beads.

That editorial made it sound like the nudity and lewd behavior were limited to the French Quarter. I understand that its filth has filtered into the entirecity, extending into Metairie and the surrounding areas.

Yes, I’m sure the police can turn their heads to a little sin, but I don’t think God will. Oh, well, it’s New Orleans – home of the so-called Saints and thesecond-to-biggest free show on earth. It’s a spirit of laissez les bons tempsrouler (let the good times roll), or, in other words, eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you die.

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