Pink Flamingos in Baton Rouge can mean only one thing: the Spanish Town Mardi Gras Parade. This Mardi Gras tradition goes back 27 years. Although we are still eight months away from next year’s installment of Baton Rouge’s largest parade, recent events are threatening the continuation of this tradition. Metro Councilman Darrell Ourso has drafted a parade ordinance that is set to go before the Metro Council next month that has caused an outcry from parade organizers and members of the Historic Spanish Town Civic Association. In addition to numerous “safety” measures, the ordinance also includes a smoking ban, an alcohol ban for downtown parades and expensive insurance regulations. With an ongoing trend of by Louisiana politicians banning smoking everywhere and anywhere they can, the non-smoking regulation, which makes it “unlawful for any participant of a parade to smoke while riding in a float or truck parade,” comes as no surprise. What is surprising, however, is the alcohol ban. If implemented, this ordinance will essentially create a large “Alcohol Free Zone” that expands upon the zone already established voluntarily by parade organizers. In fact, the Spanish Town Parade was one of the first parades in the United States to actually designate an alcohol-free zone along a parade route. Apparently, Ourso feels that these efforts have not been enough and in order to “encourage” parade organizers to expand alcohol-free zones he has decided that the government shall take on the role of managing, through legislation, a parade that has successfully and responsibly managed itself for the past 27 years. Even more incredible is that this ordinance will ban the use of “silly string” or “confetti canisters” by both persons viewing or participating in the parade. These restrictions, in addition to the smoking and alcohol bans, do little more than highlight the kind of society we are moving towards: one in which the government is going to tell you where and how you can celebrate. Talk about killing the spirit of Mardi Gras! Particularly bothersome to organizers of the Spanish Town Parade is the suggested change in the parade route. The ordinance could restrict the parade from taking place on Spanish Town Road and Third Street. This is absolutely absurd. Apart from Third Street being the longest stretch of the parade, Spanish Town Road is the traditional starting place. It is the road that even gives the parade its name. This is certainly a good way of ruining the fundamental aspects of this Mardi Gras tradition unique to Baton Rouge. Ourso claims that the downtown parade routes need to be reconsidered for safety and security reasons because of the dangers faced from low-hanging electrical wires, tree branches and narrow streets that could result in serious injuries. However, Ourso provides no evidence that Third Street and Spanish Town Road – both of which are fundamental roads on the parade route – actually pose potential problems. In fact, the evidence that is available is quite contrary to this notion. The Spanish Town Parade has successfully navigated both of these roads for its entire existence without any serious injuries. Furthermore, the Spanish Town Parade has an impeccable record of maintaining safety and security at each year’s events and takes an active role in guaranteeing both. The absolute worst aspect of this proposed ordinance – which will negatively effect not only the Spanish Town Parade but all other parades in Baton Rouge – is the insurance policy regulations. The ordinance will require that “each parade organization, float or truck float, shall carry a minimum limit of liability insurance of one million dollars … with a three million dollar aggregate.” For the past 10 years, a $1 million insurance policy has been purchased to cover the entire Spanish Town Parade. This new requirement will increase the insurance premiums to such a ridiculous amount that many krewes will simply be unable to afford them. This insurance policy requirement could essentially eliminate parades all together. The Spanish Town Parade and all other parades, apart from being a great Mardi Gras tradition in Baton Rouge, also provide important economic boosts for Baton Rouge and generate revenues for the city by attracting tourists and other party-goers who spend their money. The entire cost of police security overtime pay and post-parade clean-up efforts is easily covered by the revenues generated by these parades. Mardi Gras is a great Louisiana tradition and an important component of our economy. City administrators like Ourso who wish to impose these outrageous restrictions on parades in Baton Rouge are not only potentially hurting our tourism/party industry but could also completely eliminate the Baton Rouge tradition of celebrating a holiday that is unique to Louisiana. Ourso could better spend his time tackling other issues that face the city of Baton Rouge instead of attempting to “fix” things that simply aren’t broken. The Metro Council should reject this draft ordinance in its entirety and stop raining on our parade.
_____Erik is a philosophy senior. Contact him at ebrowne@lsureveille.com