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New Orleans woman runs for mayor of Disneyland

Hurricane Mickey

Kimberly Williamson Butler is running for mayor of New Orleans, but you wouldn't know it by looking at her web site.

Butler has been superimposed over an idyllic image of the French Quarter on her stump site. The image, however, seems a bit too idyllic - what with the perfectly clean streets, and tourists outfitted with fanny-packs. And, in fact, Butler isn't in New Orleans at all. She's pictured in what appears to be Disneyland's New Orleans Square.

This is a sad state of affairs for the beaten down New Orleans and for Butler. The mayoral candidate was brought into New Orleans to "breath new life into the Downtown Development District." Instead of showing off this work, Butler relied on Team Rodent clipart.

Here's Butler's web site, although the original image is sure to be changed soon. So, here's a handy screengrab that shows Disneyland and Butler's photo.

Screen shot of Butler's web site

The screen grab from Butler's site

Photo of Disney and Butler's site compared

A comparison with Disneyland

One can't help but wonder if this was a simple mistake or if Butler is hoping to sway the collective unconscious of the new New Orleans. Plenty of folks believe bureaucrats are turning the once raucous town into a family fun park.

"We can replace Café du Monde with Starbucks and prefabricate some precision-milled gingerbread and all-weather recycled PVC grillwork, and listen to oom-pah-pah versions of 'Struttin' with some Barbecue,' just to give it that authentic New Orleans color without the messy business of keeping actual colored folks around," writes one observer.

It seems hard to think that Butler - a woman of color - would support such notions, but she has slapped her likeness in the middle of Mickey's playground.

New Orleans will elect a mayor later this month.

Here's some of the fine apparel folks in New Orleans may start wearing. ®

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