Today marks the first Fat Tuesday celebration in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina hit last summer. A few of the residents argued that this year's celebration should have been cancelled while they try to rebuild. They are saying that it is not appropriate to be having such a huge celebration at a time when they should be mourning. Although I am not a resident of the town, I would have to disagree with those critics. How else do you expect to rebuild? New Orleans is a tourist town; they depend on visitors for revenue. If you don't ever get any visitors, how do you expect to get money to pay for rebuilding? This celebration could provide much needed funds in a time when it is needed the most. Furthermore, I don't think that the dead are ever honored by constant weeping and sadness. Should the whole city be wrapped in grief because of the lost? I think that their memory could be honored much more if you celebrate life instead of mourning it. People need to be happy to be able to move on. No one will survive or want to live in the city if they are not allowed to have a good time. I think celebrations like this will help the people of New Orleans both financially and emotionally. I wish them the best of luck! (more here)
filed under: holidays, katrina
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