After the Mississippi legislature passed its anti gay legislation, Natchezians just couldn't take it anymore.

We have always been different from the rest of Mississippi and more like South Louisiana. Mississippi seems to have a problem with people who are different. We have always been different and even celebrate difference and diversity. We are more like New Orleans. (We're even called "The Little Easy".) From our humble beginnings centuries ago as a rough and tumble river town filled with gambling and cutthroat saloons, to our opposition to the Civil War that kept the Yankees from burning our antebellum mansions to the ground, to our quiet acceptance of a woman of color who operated a brothel in plain sight for the greater part of a century (pre Civil Rights until 1990) to our celebration of diversity, Natchez is different. We have crawfish boils, Mardi Gras Royalty, and bars that will stay open as long as somebody is buying. We even pull for the New Orleans Saints and at least half of us root for LSU.

Our economy is based on tourism. It is indeed sad that the state of Mississippi wants to celebrate our 300th anniversary by tracking mud all over our red carpet of hospitality. Could they have picked a more inappropriate time to send the wrong message to the world? Let the world know that is not who we are. Make it known that Natchez welcomes all good people with open arms and cash registers.Plus, Louisiana could use the tax revenue our tourists bring in. As a border town, Natchez could be so easily annexed, and Louisiana would love to have us. Even if our secession goes nowhere, at least the world will know where our heart is.

Since April has been designated Confederate History Month and secession is honorable this month, we hereby petition the Governor to allow Natchez to secede from the State of Mississippi and be annexed to Louisiana.

(The idea and much of the wording comes from a letter from Natchez native but Louisiana resident Patrick Mulhearn published in the Natchez Democrat on April 1 2016.)