New Orleanians have always been known for their ability to turn anything—even a funeral—into a party. We’ve now reached the ultimate kick-out-the-jams, throw caution to the winds party: Mardi Gras.

We’ve a lot to be thankful for in New Orleans—we have another Mardi Gras to celebrate. Despite the slowness of getting our city back together again, we still know how to forget our problems for a day and relax and have a good time with our friends, family and people who want to celebrate with us. So if you’re reading this and you’re local, party hearty. If you’re reading this and you don’t live here: wish you did.

If you love New Orleans, we need your help and support to re-establish New Orleans. Orleans Parish/New Orleans has lost roughly half of its citizens since Katrina. Many people can’t come back (although they’d like to, they can’t find an affordable place to live). This is a tragedy. The city pre-Katrina was one where you could always find an affordable place to live. Now, with the dearth of housing, rents and housing costs are sky-high. Simply put, there are many folks who just cannot afford to live here anymore. While most economically minded business people bemoan the lack of service workers, I am worried that New Orleans ability to attract artists, musicians, writers and craftspeople is on the wane.

Typically, our creative community lives in the lower strata of our economy. Let’s face it; in this city, this state and this country, art and the creative process needed to produce it are not valued. New Orleans, because of her climate, her “laissez faire” attitude, her roots in ancient cultures and her mix of races and cultures, has always been a place that attracted artists and musicians. It was cheap to live here. There were many creative people to form a community and support groups, to say nothing of the strength of the families who typically not only embrace their own, but serve as a sturdy lattice that also welcome others.

Those families are now scattered all over the country. Friends and neighbors who offered support are strewn from Norway to Alaska. An apartment that used to cost $500 a month now costs $1200 a month—but day gigs certainly haven’t raised wages 140 percent. So what are creative types—musicians—to do? What’s the fix?

Just like everyone else in New Orleans, we teeter-totter between loving the city so much that it hurts and wanting to get the hell out of here. We can’t imagine living outside the city—not even in the suburbs. There’s just something about New Orleans that keeps pulling you back, despite the ignorance, the education problems, the government incompetence, political corruption, the crime. I don’t want to live in a place that’s like every place else in the U.S. I don’t want to live in a homogenized, white-bread, fast-food, big box, slick, all-houses-look-alike city. I want my red beans made from scratch, my Troy Andrews, my Irma Thomas, my Crystal hot sauce, my Krewe du Vieux Parade, my French Quarter Festival, my French Quarter, my Jazz Fest, my Mardi Gras.

So I figure that if I want to keep all those things—and have the ability to turn my kids and grandkids on to them—then I’ll have to stay to fight for New Orleans. And Mardi Gras.
Since I have your attention, let me say one more thing about New Orleans that I want to change so that we can survive. We have to get rid of handguns and drugs in this city. I can hear all our Second Amendment, right-to-bear-arms readers screaming, but this has to be said. The citizens here are outraged over the crime. It’s bad enough when you’ve been looted of your property while you’re away, but to be held up at gunpoint and shot over a few bucks? To answer your door and have some idiot looking for drugs murder your wife? To have your kids gunned down in front of your house? That’s just ludicrous, senseless.

First—and most radically—legalize drugs. That would get rid of the bulk of the killings right off the bat. Don’t start screaming. We all know that alcohol is a drug, but it’s been legal for a long time. Could it be that the liquor lobby doesn’t want legalized drugs?

Next, make handguns illegal. I read in last week’s paper about a gunfight between two local musicians over something (who knows?). No one was killed, but there was a wounding. Why is it okay for anyone to carry a handgun in this city? Handguns aren’t used for hunting; they are only used for killing humans. Make handguns illegal. Period.

When these two monumental changes are accomplished, I’ll see you at the next party in New Orleans—it’ll be a lot safer, and probably a helluva lot more fun.

Happy Mardi Gras!