I grew up in Louisiana, and have lived here most of my life, but I’ve had the opportunity to live in other cities and to do business outside the state. It never ceases to amaze and disgust me to consider that there are so many greedy (and stupid) politicians out there. It seems that almost every week, someone else is busted for being on the take or doing something spurious that puts a little—or a lot—of extra cash in a pocket, or enhances a power base. The news media covers it until some other news item diverts the issue. Soon enough, the public forgets about it, and the people of Louisiana continue to vote in the same old crooks.
It’s pretty much a given that a skank or incompetent can do something rotten, duck out of the public eye for a bit, and wait for the “guard” to change so that there’s a whole new group of people who don’t have the whole story… so we continue to be scammed.
I have a solution for making sure that the general public remembers who the bad guys are.
You know all those great murals we have in New Orleans that are painted on the sides of buildings? Like the beautiful clarinet painted on the Holiday Inn near City Hall? Or the works painted on the Hilton Riverside Hotel? Let’s find a place for a big mural that will be designated the “Wall of Shame.” Do something obviously corrupt and your mug not only gets painted on, but there’s a short description of your wrongdoing. For example:
Ellenese Simms-Brooks (“Stole money from the school system to make sure your kids stay ignorant and poor”); Eddie Jordan (“The D.A. who fired 40-plus people because of the color of their skin”); Oliver Thomas (“Betrayed the trust of a city for chump change”); Mark Smith (“Ruined a state’s reputation and its film industry for $65,000”); David Vitter (“Says he’s a man of values, patronizes hookers”); Edwin Edwards (“‘The Crook’ stole millions for himself and his cronies, leaving his state at the bottom of the economic heap”); and finally the potential William Jefferson (“Caught with $100,000 lining his freezer to bolster his family’s political ‘businesses’”).
I’m sure someone will be able to come up with more pithy remarks.
The point is that we need to be reminded all the time that these people have stolen from us, our children and our quality of life. Let’s put out a reminder for everyone to see. You make the low grade, you get on the Wall of Shame.
Just a thought, but I think it might work.
It’s painful for me to report that old friend Professor Thorny Penfield passed away on August 21 at the age of 73, of the effects of a cerebral hemorrhage in Albany, New York. Thorny was nothing if not an appreciator, preserver and promoter of New Orleans music and its creators. Thorny was one of the original founders of Tipitina’s, and tirelessly supported local musicians by frequenting Tip’s, other local clubs and Jazz Fest. Thorny was a once-in-a-lifetime person. We’ll miss you. For more about Thorny, visit OffBeat.com’s Obit section. We’ve lost so many good people lately.
On September 11, the world premiere of the Cajun Zydeco Music Hall of Fame will take place at Vermillionville in Lafayette. Produced by Big Chief Entertainment, the three-hour program will feature Cajun and zydeco legends including Doug Kershaw, Michael Doucet (of BeauSoleil), Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr., Hadley Castille, young performers Hunter Hayes and Sarah Jayde Williams, and country star Sammy Kershaw. Part of the show will feature legendary Cajun comics Dave Petitjean, Murray Conque, Uncle Noon, Steve Verret and Kent Gonsoulin.
Cajun and zydeco music legends and pioneers like Amede Ardoin, Bois Sec Ardoin, Clifton Chenier, Rockin’ Dopsie, Sr., Boozoo Chavis, Joe Falcone, Iry LeJeune and many others will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
According to Cynthia Simien, who was instrumental in getting the new Cajun or zydeco category inserted into the Grammy categories, “We’ve been trying to get investors and get an interactive museum going for a long time. The City of Lafayette has appointed an entertainment liaison to try to maximize the opportunity for a museum.” She is meeting with the Hall of Fame’s producer to discuss opportunities to get involved with the proposed Hall of Fame.
The French Quarter Festivalwill celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2008, and the organization recently announced that its original executive director, Sandra Dartus, will return to the city to consult on this milestone celebration. Last year, French Quarter Festival attracted 425,000 attendees in one weekend to its free festival.
Congratulations to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, which is instigating a series of continuing musical events in the city, the first of which is “Saturdays in the Park,” which were held throughout the month of August in Washington Square Park and continue into September. The next big event is the Congo Square Rhythms Festival on Sunday, September 30, featuring Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Donald Harrison, Jr. and Bamboula 2000, drum circles, Kumbuka African Drum and Dance Collective, and the Culu and N’Kafu African Dance Companies. On September 29, Inter-Fest also takes place at Congo Square with Casa Samba, Moyuba, Fredy Omar, Havana Soul, Margie Perez and much more.
Kudos also to the French Quarter Business Association, which has begun the French Quarter Brass Band Series. It has organized a series of parades that march through the Quarter and end with a concert on the steps of the courthouse that will take place every Friday through October 19.
The more music, the better!
