During the recent protests following the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling, citizens of Louisiana—and those watching from across the globe—saw the type of leaders the state has to offer. And as Business Report Editor Stephanie Riegel writes in her latest column, one shined under pressure, while another disappeared.
Riegel praises Gov. John Bel Edwards for his character and competence, saying the first-term Democrat “took control of the situation swiftly and deftly” during the first public comments by city and state officials more than 24 hours after the shooting when he said the U.S. Justice Department would be taking over the investigation into the police shooting.
Edwards also met with black community leaders to ask their help in keeping the protests peaceful while trying to assure them that the investigation would be handled fairly and impartially.
“While the tensions didn’t ease—in fact, they escalated—the protests never turned violent, and Baton Rouge never saw the kind of looting and vandalism that has marked protests in other cities embroiled in such controversies,” Riegel writes. “The governor and his state police deserve some of the credit for that.”
Edwards also reached out to Sterling’s family to personally offer them his condolences, and attended a prayer vigil in the neighborhood near the scene of the shooting.
“Throughout, he struck a firm, measured and nonthreatening tone that came across as both fair to protesters and reassuring to those who feared our city was spiraling out of control,” Riegel writes. “It was a delicate balance that Edwards handled deftly and appropriately—not because he has skilled image crafters to help shape his message, as have some recent governors. He doesn’t. Rather, Edwards was speaking from his heart and acting from his gut, which is where true character comes from. TV cameras don’t lie and most elected officials are really bad actors. When the stakes are high either they measure up or they don’t.”
Read the full column, which includes Riegel’s assessment of Mayor Kip Holden’s performance in the aftermath of Sterling’s death. Send your comments to editors@businessreport.com.
