Yesterday I wrote about the French pirate Jean Lafitte and his role in the history of the Marigny. He is a wonderfully colorful character. Byron wrote a poem about him, several movies have been made based on his life, and many books have been written about him.
He established a "kingdom" with some 3,000 pirates downriver from New Orleans in the Barateria. From there he would raid British vessels and assist the American navy. There are many stories about him and he was popular in New Orleans for decades. His legend lives on in Pirates Alley in the French Quarter.
The glorification of a pirate king says a lot about local political mores today. We have a history of electing rouges to high office and it is perfectly consistent with our past admiration of pirates. We are tolerant of a certain corruption because of various reasons. One of them is that it is a part of our heritage and our culture. The legacy of Jean Lafitte lives on in the crooks in City Hall and the Governor's Mansion.
That is just one thread in the tapestry of New Orleans. Tomorrow I'll trace the thread of prostitution.
Pirates and prostitutes are living large in New Orleans.
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