Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...Gustav cuts short New Orleans gay party
08.31.2008 10:53am EDT
(New Orleans, Louisiana) Southern Decadence, the largest gay festival in the South, had hardly begun when thousands of people Saturday night were told to flee New Orleans as hurricane Gustav continued to barrel down on the Gulf Coast.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin used stark language at a Saturday night news conference to urge residents to get out of the city, calling Gustav the “storm of the century.”“This is the real deal, not a test,” Nagin said as he issued the evacuation order Saturday night. “For everyone thinking they can ride this storm out, I have news for you: that will be one of the biggest mistakes you can make in your life.”
Gustav already has killed more than 80 people in the Caribbean.
Nagin’s evacuation order is the first test of a revamped evacuation plan designed to eliminate the chaos, looting and death that followed Katrina.
The city will not offer emergency services to those who choose stay behind, Nagin said, and there will be no “last resort” shelter as there was during Katrina, when thousands suffered inside a squalid Superdome. The city said in a news release that those not on their property after the mandatory evacuation started would be subject to arrest.
Many residents didn’t need to be ordered, with an estimated 1 million people fleeing the Gulf Coast on Saturday by bus, train, plane and car. They clogged roadways, emptied gas stations of fuel and jammed phone circuits.
Southern Decadence, held over the Labor Day Weekend, regularly attracted more than 100,000 people and had been one of the city’s biggest moneymakers. This year, attendance was lower, as concerns mounted that Gustav was heading toward the Big Easy.
The party has had its detractors in a city known for hard partying. In 2003, the state legislature passed a new indecency law that bans public nudity.
The festival also has been the target of evangelical preacher Rev Grant E. Storms, who leads a small group of demonstrators through the throngs on Bourbon Street. In the wake of Katrina some conservative church leaders said the devastation was the result of God’s wrath on gays.
Most people fled New Orleans as Katrina approached, but a small number of people remained in the city, and amid the destruction a small parade behind a tattered rainbow flag made its way up Bourbon Street in an unofficial celebration of Southern Decadence. The group - about two dozen people - all said they lived in the largely gay French Quarter. Defiant, they said they were not about to flee the community despite orders from the city to do so.
My thought and prayers are with the residents. Hopefully the governments, local and otherwise, are better prepared this time around. The shame will be the politicizing of this disaster. Shame on the politicians and parties that do so.
I already read that Bush and Cheney have announced that they will skip the Republican convention and stay in the White House because of Gustav. Hmmm….. I can see one of them staying behind, but both? What’s the vice president’s role in disaster response? Especially if the president is there, what is the veep to do but hold his coat? Seems like George could leave Dick in charge, or maybe Dick could let George have a whack at it by himself. But both staying behind smacks more of sending a message than of necessity.
The white trash evangelical christians
will probably try to blame this one
on us too!
Nice and tacky Peter. Your comments are no better than those that may make such accusations.
Everyone needs to keep those that may be affected by Gustov in their thoughts and prayers.
Karen I could not agree more. Staying behind in the white house will help in what way? Maybe that useless mayor could come up there too for a hurricane republican party.It’s a scheme to get votes people, a plan to seek support for their fading party.This is the men who want to also “ease up” on endangered species and environmental impacts to gather votes as a quick fix for our oil and other energy needs. No I will not quit harping on these issues, they are too important. I wish everyone who may have to evacuate a safe get away. If you live in the Gulf region you know to get out. It’s not safe or cool to stay. LOL and Peace….
So Doug, why would that worthless Mayor Nagin (a Democrat, by the way) come up to spend time with Republicans and participate in a Republican Hurricane Party?
It’s sad that some people are using this event as an opportunity to point fingers of blame for Katrina. With Katrina, the systems failed at EVERY Level. Federal, Local and State failed to pull together. It appears that things are different this time around. We can all be thankful that they have.
Hey Trace, the truth does hurt, doesn’t
it? Perhaps when Americans like us
stop being disenfranchised then we
won’t have to resort to negative
comments as such. I believe we must
fight back against our enemies or
there could very well be another
holocaust is this country! Wake up!
Thanks Peter. Luckily there seem to be fewer that think as you do and more that believe we should all look at the problems and not utilize name calling. After all, I don’t think any of us are still in Jr. High School, are we?
I wonder what the Rev. Grant Storms will think about Hurrican Gustave raining on the GOP convention? Looks like its firing back on them, their god sure doesn’t like ugly!
I think that it’s crap, that the souths best festival behind Mardi Gras; Southern Decadence, has not been mentioned on television news… If there was something ELSE going on, say a town festival, it’d be all over the news… but something GAY, such as Southern Decadence… it’s never mentioned!
I think that these news agencies need to get their heads out of their asses and realize that we are everywhere across the globe…
Michael, Both CNN and FoxNews have mentioned Southern Decadence and both have referred to it correctly as Gay Mardi Gras.
It also has been listed in the Times-Picayun and USA Today.
Nobody needs to keep those affected in ‘their prayers’. Don’t you get it? Rreligion is a sledge hammer used against us, by yourselves!
Keep them in your thoughts. Wish them well, help them when you can, but get real!
If your ‘god’ could actually hear prayers, he/she/it certainly could move a little storm.
No one ever said ignorance can’t effect our community too. Just try a little harder please!
I never get the selfishness of the gay community, especially it’s wealthier members.
Of all the places in the USA the queer dollars could be spent, why such a bigoted place as the State of Louisiana whose governor recently repealed civil rights for Gays and Lesbians.
The very drag queens that made Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras and Southern Decadence, Southern Decadence have no civil rights even in the City of New Orleans.
I am so happy it literally rained on these well to do selfish people’s parade!
Let me clear it up for you Melissa.
New Orelans is one of the most incredibly diverse and wonderful cities in the world. It has given so much in the area of arts, architecture and culture that this country would simply not be the same without it. The entire Bayou region holds some of the most gracious and caring people that you would ever want to meet in your life. We choose to spend money in this location as it is simply beautiful place with beautiful people.
As for your comments, Roger, many of us hold our faith and beliefs to be dear. If you don’t want to pray for those going through hard times, then don’t. Please refrain from telling others that they should not.
Who would plan a big party there during hurricane season???
Trace, I meant since Nagin was such a failure as mayor that he could join with the other do nothings and plead this time they’re ready. It appears that the big easy escaped Gustav, there happen to be 2 more out in the Atlantic and headed this way. We have through November to watch and wait. It does appear the levees held, that’s good news. But the pres, gov and mayor had little to do with it. They will still get together very soon to try get McCain in office. Remember these carnivals are both brought to you by the biggie co. PR is their forte’. Peace