Mardi Gras Response

Primarily, the Puritans immigrated from England to the Northeastern United States in order to escape persecution for their individual religious beliefs. They were very conservative and had established very high morals, which conflicted with the societal standards in England. Their conservative religious beliefs and way of life conflict with the religious celebration that is associated with Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras is a Catholic celebration in anticipation of Lent, something that is not celebrated by Protestants. Honestly, the Puritans would not react well to a day of masking and "profanity" (I use quotes here because most people who would be participants in the Mardi Gras celebration would not find things like drinking in public "profane". However, the Puritans would be disgusted by this as well as the partial nudity that is every now and then involved with the Bourbon Street tourists).

I think that overall, the Puritans would just die if they were to ever see the French Quarter, particularly Bourbon Street and Frenchman Street, for what it is because of its consistency in being not conservative at all. If the Puritans were able to experience New Orleans' Mardi Gras today, they would definitely be the people from the Church of Latter Day Saints, walking around with megaphones and wearing t-shirts that say "Jesus Hates Mardi Gras" and "Repent or Perish". The picture above is actually one that I took when I was in Starbucks on Maple Street this past Lundi Gras, which speaks for itself.