So, a village in Japan has discovered that the best way to prevent tourists from leaving trash along the roadway is to replace “No Littering” signs with little statues of the Buddhist divinity Jizo. It’s a kinder, gentler alternative to posting, say, bloody, lifesize crucifixes fitted with eerie glass eyes or photos of nuns with captions like “Littering makes the baby Jesus cry!” but it makes a similar point, even among non-Buddhists. I guess the American equivalent would be that crybaby of an Indian from 70s TV commercials.
All of which makes me wonder, if it works in Japan, why couldn’t it work in New Orleans? I mean, if our beloved mayor really wants to clean up the city, why not post images of Marie Laveau throughout the Quarter with some snappy catchphrases like, “Use the garbage can or I use the gris-gris” or “Litterers don’t get laid.” Maybe that would get the attention of all those horny, slovenly frat boys and businessmen on Bourbon Street, swilling rotgut booze in their search for girls who have allegedly gone wild.
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