Cancel Mardi Gras 2006 & 2007

Since August of 2005, the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi & Alabama have suffered from the ravages of Hurricanes Katrina & Rita. Both storms have caused hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and millions upon millions of dollars in damage. Most severely damaged is the city of New Orleans in Louisiana, which has suffered huge displacement of its citizenry, as well as the ruination of its city services.
Giwen the enormity of the situation, as well as the ineptness of the Federal, State & Municipal governments in the handling of this crisis, there are certain parties calling for a scaled down Mardi Gras celebration in February of 2006. However, with hundreds of homes and businesses destroyed, and an infrastructure that is at the verge of collapse, it is not worth the time or effort to channel expenses that are needed for the needy and displaced into an orgy of parades, balls & disorderly conduct. In the past 20 or 30 years, the Mardi Gras celebration has degenerated into a showcase for nudity, drunkenness & lewd conduct.
With this thought in mind, we the undersigned call upon the State government of Lousiana & the Municipal Government of New Orleans to cancel all Mardi Gras celebrations for the years of 2006 & 2007, providing an opportunity for said parties to rebuild the damage infrastructure of this community.
We know that those who run the krewes will not be happy with this, but it is necessary to rebuild the city to make it a livable & sustainable community where men and women of every race, creed, color, age, sex, national origin, political persuasion, or religious belief, along with their families, can live and work together in conditions of safety, peace and friendship.