opinion

Viewpoint: Does civility still exist in our society?

By |

I am disappointed that Rock ‘n’ Bowl owner John Blancher posted what he considered a harmless photograph of a patron in his establishment last weekend who was wearing a T-shirt that posed the question “Where’s Nancy?” The customer was also holding a sledge hammer that mimicked the hammer used to beat on octogenarian Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at their San Francisco home recently.  

When questioned by a NOLA.com reporter, Blancher said it was not his intention to offend anyone or drive customers away from his place of business. He somehow did not realize the post was, at minimum, in bad taste and lacking in the courtesy and politeness that are hallmarks of a civil society. Courtesy and politeness — do those attributes even exist in today’s politics? Blanchard isn’t the only well-known Louisianian who has disappointed me recently. Let’s move on to U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette, who promoted a false conspiracy theory about the Pelosi attack on Twitter.

opinion

Viewpoint: Early voting a big hit with New Orleans residents

By |

During the first two days of early voting, which began Tuesday (Oct. 25), almost 10,000 New Orleanians cast their votes either in-person or by mail. Those numbers continue to grow for every election, as people become more accustomed to finalizing their decisions earlier in the election process. Candidates have also noticed and are pushing out mail, social media and other forms of advertising to meet the early voting deadlines. 

In Orleans Parish, 9,490 registered voters turned in the ballots during the first two days. As usual, more Black (5,573) than White (3,530) residents have voted early.

opinion

Viewpoint: NOLA Coalition takes on city’s crime problem because ‘New Orleans is worth saving’ 

By |

Attorney and current GNO Inc. Chair Richard F. Cortizas believes there are a lot of positive things going on in New Orleans. “Hotel occupancy rates are holding steady and room rates are increasing,” he said earlier this week. “Events at the Morial Convention Center are at about 90% of pre-pandemic levels. The proposed development of the Rubenstein Hotel on Canal Street is an encouraging indicator that folks still want to make an investment in our great city. That’s all extremely promising.

opinion

Viewpoint: Nov. 8 ballot includes 8 constitutional amendments

By |

In addition to the races for U.S. Senate, Congress, judges, clerks and the School Board on the ballot, New Orleans voters will choose among eight constitutional amendments in the November election. All amendments were passed by the Louisiana Legislature during the 2021 or 2022 regular session. Each proposed amendment had to receive a two-thirds favorable vote in the House and Senate to reach the ballot. The Public Affairs Research Council has created a well-researched guide to the amendments. which is available on their website, parlouisiana.org. 

Amendment No.

Danae Columbus

Viewpoint: Does undue influence exist in city government? Let’s count the ways

By |

The new report by Independent Police Monitor Stella Crizment should have been a real eye-opener for many New Orleanians. It shines a bright light on a number of actions that appear designed to intimidate and malign an outspoken culture bearer, Belden “Noonie Man” Batiste, who is currently chairing the effort to recall Mayor LaToya Cantrell. 

Almost a year ago, Batiste, who is related to the Batiste family of celebrated musicians that Cantrell recently honored, spoke out against then-Sen. Karen Carter Peterson at a forum, while both were running for the U.S. Second Congressional District seat. Then-Councilman Jay Banks, a Peterson political ally, was so undone that he and his armed driver suddenly appeared at Batiste’s Treme home for a not-so-friendly chat. Fearing for his personal safety, Batiste called the police. That 911 call was not recorded, authorities said. 

The investigating officer arrives without an item number slip.

opinion

Viewpoint: Crime and Cantrell will hurt the city’s bottom line

By |

Like many New Orleanians, I’ve been inundated with national and international news reports about New Orleans’ crime and Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s missteps. This week’s piece in the New York Post is only one of many recent examples. With New Orleans’ designation as “Murder Capital of the U.S.” and the lack of progress being made in reversing that trend, I expect those stories to become more frequent. Bourbon Street is still hopping and no conventions have cancelled because of the record number of murders, armed robberies and carjackings. Perhaps some are naïve enough to believe that crime and Mayor Cantrell are not hurting our economy.

opinion

Viewpoint: Norman C. Francis documentary showcases WYES’ commitment to New Orleans

By |

“We knew he was destined for something, because he had all the qualities of a leader,” said the city’s former First Lady Sybil Morial about her friend and college classmate Norman C. Francis. A courageous civil rights icon, chairman of Liberty Bank, original investor in the Saints, and former president of Xavier University, where he served with honor and distinction for 47 years, Francis is the subject of a new documentary on WYES-TV that will premiere Tuesday (Sept. 27) at 8 p.m.

Produced by WYES Executive Vice President Dominic Massa and moderated by Sally-Ann Roberts with Thanh Truong, the documentary is filled with interviews from key community leaders, including former Tulane President Scott Cowen and former Mayors Marc Morial and the late Moon Landrieu, as well as members of the Francis family. Born into a working-class family in Lafayette, Francis was steeped in the Catholic faith and the importance of receiving a good education. The nuns at Lafayette’s St.

Viewpoint: New survey reveals broad voter dissatisfaction

By |

Regardless of race, gender, age, political affiliation or neighborhood, the residents of New Orleans are clearly at a crossroads. Voters in every City Council district voiced displeasure about the direction the city is moving in a survey released Wednesday (Sept. 7). Conducted by Edgewater Research in cooperation with My People Vote, the poll indicated that nearly two-thirds (64.5%) of respondents believe that New Orleans is headed in the wrong direction. The survey also tested the strength of the current campaign aimed at recalling Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

opinion

Viewpoint: Mayor’s ongoing missteps fuel recall campaign

By |

Social media guru Eileen Carter and community organizer Belden “Noonie Man” Batiste grew up on the opposite sides of New Orleans. While it’s easy to think of them as an odd couple, they’re really a perfect match. Batiste, who was trained in grassroots organizing by Treme living legend Jerome “Duck” Smith, verbally attacked Carter’s sister Karen Carter Peterson at a political forum a few years back when both were running for Congress. Yet the spontaneous, organic, people-powered movement Carter and Batiste launched together last week has a chance to force a recall election of Mayor LaToya Cantrell.  

The campaign, which is in the early stages of organization, offers an easy-to-navigate website (noLatoya.org), detailed instructions on how to download the petition and what information is needed for anyone who wants to sign it. There is also an opportunity for people to join the site’s mailing list, volunteer their services or even host a petition signing “party.” The website includes a feature that counts down the days until the campaign ends, Ash Wednesday 2023, and how many signatures have been turned in.    

There are several things that make this campaign unique and could give it the lift needed to succeed. 

First of all, Mayor Cantrell somehow continues to anger more than a few of her constituents, and that number keeps growing.

opinion

Viewpoint: How are victims of crime in New Orleans supported?

By |

I am not a fan of ultra-conservative Fox television personality Tucker Carlson. Yet I could not ignore his 15-minute diatribe Tuesday evening (Aug. 23) on Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s recent ill-advised actions, a diatribe that was viewed in prime time by millions across the world.  

Carlson’s premise was carjackings are the “clearest possible sign” that a civilization is “falling apart.” He made a direct connection between carjackings and decaying societies where “armed predators” — rather than the police — are in charge and where “force, violence and clan loyalty” have taken the place of law and order. With almost 200 carjackings already reported in 2022 versus a figure he gave as 177 for all of 2021, Carlson claimed that New Orleans has become a city like Johannesburg, South Africa, where carjackings are now “a way of life.”  The hundreds of New Orleans carjacking victims and many other citizens who live in fear of being carjacked probably agree. 

Carlson was drawn to this topic after Mayor Cantrell suddenly appeared — without prior notice to the victims, district attorney or the court — at the sentencing hearing of a juvenile offender who was convicted in three carjackings committed in two days. Cantrell came to support the 14-year-old and his mother because he completed her little-known taxpayer-funded Pathways Youth Internship Program, which teaches life skills and work readiness to youths already involved in the criminal justice system.