Community leaders say next task will be unity

Local leaders suggest that open communication leading to systemic change is the starting point for preventing the sort of violence and community backlash now being felt in Baton Rouge, Minneapolis, and Dallas.

In light of the Alton Sterling killing, “it’s kind of surreal that it’s happening so close to home,” St. Mary NAACP President Reginald Weary said. “I never thought it would happen in Louisiana, especially not somewhere as close as to where we are.”

Even before the recent shootings and protests, the NAACP already had a forum scheduled for Aug. 18. It was to bring all police chiefs and officers throughout the parish together and invite the public. The forum was to educate and inform citizens of their rights.

Police officers would have an opportunity to answer questions.

“But no one knew an incident so close to home would occur before the planned event,” Weary said. “I’ve been trying to get a forum together to get ahead of the issue. This is something that’s been on my heart for a while. Never thinking it would happen this soon.”

Weary is working with other organizations to establish a united front addressing issues.

“We have, right now, a lot of positive organizations throughout the parish that are doing positive things individually,” Weary said. “There’s strength in numbers.

“Just one person or 10 people going to face an issue or overcome an obstacle is more difficult than having 100 or 150 people. So the task ahead now is not so much what to do, it’s when to do, and also unite the community, and that’s from Amelia to Four Corners.”

Hoodstock Founder Courtney Long says there is a sense of urgency to address disconnections among people in the community.

“I think everything that’s going on speaks to the disconnect that we have,” Long said. “The disconnect between the community and police department. A disconnect between the elders and the younger generation. The key word in everything that we’re seeing is a disconnect.”

The Baton Rouge incident might be close to home, but some residents might find it hard to conceive something similar happening in St. Mary.

“I think a lot of people are of the mindset that ‘Oh yeah, that happened in Baton Rouge but it’ll never happen in Morgan City,’” Long said.

Long thinks being proactive, rather than reactive, is a solution for prevention.

“Let’s not wait until we wake up one morning and turn on the news,” Long said. “And now CNN, FOX or other media organizations are right in our front or back yard covering a story we could have prevented from happening.”

Coming together as a whole community is what it will take to create a different reality.

“We have to come together as a parish and as individual communities, individual neighborhoods to make sure this doesn’t happen in our neighborhoods. That our kids feel safe when leaving home and coming back. That our police force is recognized for the good that they do but also held to a higher standard to make sure that they don’t do something that will cause harm to our kids.”

The NAACP might move the forum to an earlier date.

“… In order to reverse the effects … there has to be a dialogue created,” Long said. “If you leave a wound to heal on its own and it doesn’t heal, then you have to look at what’s causing it not to heal.

“Maybe there’s an underlying effect, maybe there’s a sickness that you didn’t know was there. So, everything that isn’t healing like it should be needs extra attention.”

The advancement and implementation of community policing, bias training, implementation of the federal task force recommendations and the modification of gun control laws are all ways that we can continue to make a difference in our communities, according to a 100 Black Men of St. Mary news release.

“We as an organization will continue to work with other civic organizations to try and work on ways to bring about much needed resolve on a matter as serious as this,” 100 Black Men of St. Mary President Clarence Robinson Jr. said.

The 100 Black Men national organization is encouraging its local chapters to engage, educate, and spur dialogue with local law enforcement officials, elected officials, and members of the community.

“In 2016, that shouldn’t be an issue now,” Weary said. “I think in a lot of people’s minds we have overcome. But at the same time, if we don’t step up and hold these officers responsible or accountable for their actions, we will regress.

“The NAACP is definitely needed to make sure that we continue to do what we were founded for and that’s to protect our civil rights.”