To revel or not to revel: In wake of terror attack, the music is back on in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS – From behind the counter at Bourbon Street's Fat Tuesday daiquiri bar, Kenya McGrew thought she'd seen it all: The street fights and drunken tourists, the wedding parties dancing with Second Line bands, the scandalous Southern Decadence parades.

Early on New Year's Day, she was wrapping up work and chatting with friends when she saw a group of state troopers run past, responding to a terror attack back down Bourbon Street that killed 14 revelers and injured dozens more. In her mind, she still sees the bodies of the victims lying on the road and sidewalks.

But as horrific as the attack was, McGrew watched the next night as tourists strolled down Bourbon Street, their feet walking where so many had just died. It was enough to give her chills – the kind of chills you get when someone walks on your grave.

"I'm in disbelief," she said from the doorway of the bar, raising her voice over the cacophony of bucket drummers, breakdancers and solo saxophonists performing outside. "Like, aren't y'all being inconsiderate?"

The speed at which Bourbon Street reopened following the Jan. 1 attack has infuriated some locals who simultaneously acknowledge the city's fortunes are intimately linked to the bars and restaurants. There's a palpable frustration the chase for tourist dollars so quickly displaced the emotional space workers need to grieve the attack on their home.

But when almost half of the city's sales taxes come from tourists, New Orleans cannot afford to pause: In this hurricane-battered city, the music must go on.

"I didn’t want to come to work today," McGrew said. “But our tips are what we walk home with at the end of the night."

For comparison, following a 2012 attack on a Colorado movie theater that killed 12 people, the owners closed the theater for six months. And some schools that have seen mass shootings have been entirely demolished.

“It’s money, money, money, money," said bartender Keithon Burnette, 39, waiting for customers outside Cafe Lafitte in Exile.

Like many workers, Burnette said friends who wanted to take time were either pressured to come back immediately or felt they couldn't take a sick day because they have bills to pay.

The per capita income in New Orleans is about $40,000, according to the Census Bureau, about 7% less than the U.S. average. New Orleans draws more than 18 million visitors annually, dwarfing the approximately 364,000 who call the city home. And those visitors are typically about twice as wealthy as a local resident, according to a 2021 study commissioned by state officials.

Just hours after the attack, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry inadvertently highlighted the tension, drawing fierce social media criticism for posting a thumbs-up picture at a downtown steakhouse.

"Ate dinner tonight in New Orleans. Proud to be a part of this incredibly resilient city. See everyone at the game tomorrow!" Landry wrote. In a follow-up post an hour later, Landry added: "It’s important to understand that we have many visitors in the city of New Orleans right now. Safety is our top priority and we want our guests and the world to know that Louisiana does not cower to radical Islamic terrorists."

Burnette responded: "It irks me. It just feels like we needed to take time to be human."

Friday morning, New Orleans native Saelisa Moses, 38, came to pay respects to a growing memorial at the entrance to Bourbon Street where the attacker swerved around a police SUV to access the pedestrian zone. Moses doesn't know any of the victims personally, but felt it was the right thing to do. She said the throngs of tourists who flock to the area obscure the reality that New Orleans is really a small town tucked inside a big city.

"I know our city is known for promoting and having fun. But this is different, something you’d never think would happen here," she said. "It's hard to think about people celebrating and having a good time."

City officials have not organized any formal memorial service or candlelight vigil, a common occurrence following similar tragedies nationally. President Joe Biden is coming Monday, and the most significant mourning display on Bourbon Street was erected by a Texas artist. A small number of bouquets and candles mark some spots where people were killed but largely went unseen by tourists partying Friday night.

In a statement, the head of the New Orleans contention and visitors bureau called on tourists to keep coming.

"Even as we mourn, we are planning our rise," said Walt Leger III. "If you want to support our community, please plan a trip. We specialize in bringing people together and cannot let fear win. The terrorist attack in New Orleans was an attack on all of America and our way of life."

Michael Williamson, the president and CEO of United Way of Southeast Louisiana, said he understands both sides of the issue. The United Way got a new wheelchair for a victim who lost his in the attack, and is helping fund community organizations that provide counseling and other services.

"People can grieve while living," he said. "We need to try to move forward as best as possible. Quite frankly, the economics of it, spending money in places where people earn a living, is essential."

Williamson said it's also important to remember that everyone grieves and processes trauma differently. Trauma experts say some victims and survivors can find purpose, solace or distraction in work, while others need time away. Some get angry. Others become depressed.

None of that is new in New Orleans, which has been repeatedly battered by hurricanes. In some places, damage from 2005's Hurricane Katrina remains visible. Hurricane Ida further pummeled the city in 2021. Then there was the COVID-19 pandemic. Williams said a recent United Way survey found that half of New Orleans residents are struggling financially, with many just a single crisis away from disaster.

"Those bartenders and those waitresses who still see those bodies, that's not going to go away tomorrow. And they need to know that they have community support, and we need make sure that people access those resources," he said. "Hopefully people have hope that there's going to be a better day."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bourbon Street back to business: Terror assault not slowing down NOLA