Mardi Gras

STAFF EDITORIAL

TESS DONOHOE / SPECIAL TO THE GUARDSMAN

In the 300 years that New Orleans has been celebrating Mardi Gras, the festivities have only been canceled a handful of times—most of which were during the Civil War and World War II.

In general, Mardi Gras is an enduring entity, a world-class party and most importantly a billion-dollar tourist attraction.

Despite its religious origin, Mardi Gras has become synonymous with the Big Easy, and it deserves to resume business as usual without criticisms of it being too soon after Hurricane Katrina.

In addition to the joy and raised spirits the celebration will bring to New Orleans, the city is going to reap a financial gain it hasn’t seen in months.

Tourism used to be New Orleans’ No. 1 industry, and its decline has been heartbreaking to so many Katrina refugees who have returned to destroyed homes and businesses.

Since only half as many hotel rooms are available now as they were in 2005, meaning less capacity for out-of-state parade goers, the revenue Mardi Gras will accumulate this year shouldn’t be reaching the billion-dollar mark as it has in the past, but it may prompt a much needed commerce boom.

New Orleans is one of the country’s most magical cities, and even though it will probably be fighting an uphill battle on Mardi Gras for years to come, pulling out all the stops for the celebration is the best thing they can do to rebuild the city right now.

e-mail: editorial@theguardsman.com

Outrage Over Islamic Cartoons

BY ALEX DIXON
Editor

Violence spread like wildfire across the Middle East recently in response to political cartoons, one of which depicted the Prophet Mohammed with a bomb for a turban.

For lack of a better term, these people rioting in the streets and burning embassies need to get a sense of humor. No drawing of any sort, especially one this simplistic, should make you so angry that you find it necessary to set things on fire.

Imagine, for a moment, that whenever something depicting Jesus in a negative light was published, people rioted in the streets. We’d be so busy breaking windows we’d never get anything accomplished.

The whole thing is pretty ironic if you think about it: people conducting this violence in the name of the Prophet Mohammed. Do they really think that if he were alive today, he would endorse such behavior?

Rioting and burning embassies doesn’t send the message “Please respect our religion” so much as “Respect our religion or we will hurt you,” which is rather imposing.

Sure, just because free speech is available doesn’t mean you should publish offensive material. But when offensive material does get published, it doesn’t give you the green light to set embassies ablaze.

Most newspapers are afraid to reprint the cartoons, fearing a backlash from the Islamic community. This poses a problem because people need to see the drawings and caricatures to make up their own minds as to whether or not they should have been published.

We need a healthy public discussion on topics like these. Saying we have a free press simply isn’t enough. It’s time newspapers put their money where their mouth is.

e-mail: editorial@theguardsman.com

Tough Laws for Sex Offenders: State Might Employ GPS to Monitor Location of Criminals

BY JEREMIAH MICHAELS
Staff Writer

Gov. Schwarzenegger introduced his proposed budget on Jan. 10. COURTESY OF KRT CAMPUS

Lawmakers in California are fighting over what to do with the state’s sexual predators.

At present, convicted sex offenders are required to register with the state they plan on residing in upon parole, under Megan’s Law. The felon’s address is then listed in a database that is accessible from the FBI’s website.

Assemblyman Mark Leno has recently been pushing a bill that would place further restrictions on sex offenders. The bill, AB50, offers tougher spans in jail and also bars offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or a park.

While it may deter a felon from preying on children near his or her home, access to children is still open because the regulation doesn’t track the felons wherever they go.

Jessica’s Law, on the other hand, would require sex offenders to wear a bracelet equipped with Global Positioning System technology. Named after Jessica Lunsford, a 9-year-old girl who was brutally raped and killed by her next-door neighbor, this bill would give authorities the ability to track sex offenders everywhere.

Jessica’s Law would help the police by forcing criminals to give their whereabouts whenever the police demand it. This system could cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

If these bills make it to the ballot, Californians will ultimately decide how best to monitor the people who pose a threat to their children’s safety.

e-mail: jmichaels@theguardsman.com

COMING IN

Faculty Poll

Should newspapers publish the cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed?

Yes: 50% (5 out of 10)
No: 50% (5 out of 10)


“Yes, the newspapers should be allowed to print cartoons like that. However, they should make such decisions more carefully.”
Craig Persiko, computer science

“No. They have a right to freedom of expression and speech no doubt. But even though we all have these rights it's still illegal to yell, “Fire” in a theatre for obvious reasons. Exercising of one's rights or asserting them may not always be the best course of action.”
Phil Pasquini, art

ON THE RECORD

With New Orleans still in shambles, should there be a Mardi Gras this year?

John Brown

“Of course. It’s going to make people happy again. People are in shock and it will raise the morale. People wait all year for the event.”

Nikki Mullen

“I don’t think they should, personally. After what happened and America’s delayed response, I don’t think that Mardi Gras should be celebrated.”

Yucef Aissous

“I think they should not celebrate this year out of respect to the victims.”

Christina Maddox

“Considering everything that’s happened, they need to take their minds off of it. I think getting things back to normal would be conducive to healing.”

Alexia Baker

“Shouldn’t they be more concerned about helping people get back on their feet? I don’t know, but it doesn’t seem right.”

Raymond Kwong

“I think they should. They’ve been through so much that they should have a day just to relax and enjoy.”