African American community leaders on the frontlines of demonstrations following the shooting death of Alton Sterling stressed the need for dialogue between Baton Rouge residents on the north and the south sides of Florida Boulevard.
State Rep. Ted James and businessman Cleve Dunn Jr. spoke Tuesday at the East Baton Rouge Republican Party’s Ronald Reagan Newsmaker Luncheon about the importance of allowing protesters to vent their frustrations, but still keeping the peace so Baton Rouge does not become the next Ferguson or Baltimore.
“We cannot allow what we’ve seen in other cities to take place in Baton Rouge,” James said.
Woody Jenkins, chairman of the parish Republican Party, invited James and Dunn to speak at the luncheon to start that dialogue and discuss the goals of the protests. In a news release, Jenkins described the pair as moderate black leaders working to keep the peace and curb the influence of outside protest groups.
Black leaders and lawmakers like James and Dunn have stepped up since the July 5 shooting to work with the community and protesters to help them process their anger and to set the tone for the protests and rallies. Dunn noted that while they want to keep the peace, they also want justice.
Dunn and James acknowledged the protests should not be an indictment on the entire Baton Rouge Police Department, but called for a conversation about young African American males and police shootings—one that involves diverse backgrounds and viewpoints.
“We need to communicate with the other side of Florida Boulevard,” Dunn said.
Dunn and James also proposed possible reform efforts in the wake of the Sterling shooting. Dunn shared the idea of police residency requirements to ensure officers are in touch with communities they are policing. James suggested appointing a special prosecutor to the case rather than the Attorney General. And both speakers urged the city to allow protesters to express their views by giving them more allotted space to do so.
Three mayoral candidates attended the luncheon—state Sen. Mack “Bodi” White, Metro Councilman John Delgado and R.J. “Smokie” Bourgeois—and questioned the speakers. Delgado asked Dunn and James how the city could keep protests from getting out of hand, as was the case on Sunday. White queried as to whether people can agree to disagree on the issue without hating each other.
James spoke about the need for community leaders to facilitate the protests, and for the city to allow organized and controlled demonstrations. In response to White’s question, Dunn urged an open community conversation and encouraged those opposing the protests to take an honest look at what’s happening to black males, James said.
The third mayoral candidate, Bourgeois, spoke about obeying the police—which he said is what he was taught growing up—and asked how that lesson can be communicated in today’s environment. He admitted he’s had issues with police before, but they’ve never turned out the way Sterling’s did.
James responded that those conversations are being had, noting that respect for police is not only a black issue. Dunn countered Bourgeois’ statement by adding that police encounters with blacks are more likely to escalate than those with whites.
“When African Americans have a confrontation (with police), we end up dead,” Dunn said.
—Annie Ourso
