Louisiana Voice

I’m all about nice carpeting in executive offices, but first of all, why would Landry emblazon his name in the carpet when it’s going to need replacing in a little more than two years? (One reader quoted the old axiom, “Fools’ names and fools’ faces appear in public places.”) Second, why would he have his name take over the whole damned thing when it’s logical to have the name of the state dominate. (In fact, to have it read “Governor’s Office” would seem sufficient to impress visitors.) Third, how much did this monument to Landry’s ego cost taxpayers? The whole thing seems awfully Trumpian to me.

Mikey would eagerly snorkel in a septic tank if Trump suggested it…

As a barometer of the success of No Kings Day III, I give you Lincoln Parish and Ruston, home for the first 30 years of my life.

Donald Trump carried Lincoln Parish in 2024 with 62 percent of the vote, trouncing Kamala Harris by 26 percentage points.

So, it would stand to reason that yesterday’s No Kings Day protest in Ruston would be a huge disappointment to organizers.

Instead, more than 330 people joined 7 million in all 50 states to protest the authoritarian administration of Dementia Don and his cronies.

From one who knows Ruston, getting 300 people out for anything but a Peach Festival parade is an accomplishment akin to filling Tiger Stadium for an LSU football game. I mean, they don’t even come close to filling Aillet Stadium for Tech football; getting them to turnout for a political protest against TACO Don, given the support he received in 2024 approaches pure wonderment. The attendance there is more than significant.

Scenes from Ruston’s No Kings III Day

A third No Kings National Day of Protest will be held in 3,000 cities in all 50 states, including nearly a dozen in Louisiana Saturday, according to Indivisible Baton Rouge, which is sponsoring the event in Baton Rouge and in at least three of the other cities where it has active chapters.

NO-KINGS III DAY IS SATURDAY

“Indivisible is a nationwide movement of everyday people organizing in all 50 states to stop the rise of authoritarianism in the United States and to build a real democracy that works for all of us,” a press release by the organization said.

“A core principle of all Indivisible events is our commitment to non-violent action. Participants will act lawfully at all times and will seek to de-escalate potential confrontations with anyone who violently disagrees with our principles.” 

There will be several motivational speakers for the Baton Rouge event, including Robert Mann and Quentin Anthony Anderson. There will also be a food drive to benefit needy people in the Baton Rouge area.  Needed items include non-perishable food items, coffee, sugar, toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, dish soap, toothpaste, bath soap, and funds for baby diapers and formula, and fresh fruit, vegetables and meats.

“As Trump escalates his attempts to control every aspect of people’s lives and destroy our tradition of free and fair elections, it is on We the People to fight to protect one another and our country,” the release said.

“Generations of Americans have fought to secure fundamental freedom and dignity for all of us. We won’t back down against the chaos, corruption and cruelty that are the hallmarks of this regime. 

“That’s why on Saturday, March 28, millions will take to the streets and gather together once again for a National Day of Action to protest the Trump regime’s corruption and attacks on our democracy, rights, healthcare and reproductive freedom to demand: No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings!”

Here is the schedule for rallies in 11 Louisiana cities tomorrow:

Baton Rouge: noon – 3 p.m., AZ Young Park at the intersection of North Third and Lafayette Street/Spanish Town Road.

New Orleans: 2 – 6 pm, Lafitte Greenway, 2200 Lafitte Ave.

Alexandria: noon – 2 pm, Alexander Fulton Mini Park, 1015 3^rd St.

Covington – Northshore: 1 – 3 pm, St. Tammany Justice Center, 701 N. Columbia St.

Lafayette: 10 am – 2 pm, Prejean Point, 735 Jefferson St.

Lake Charles: 11 am – 2 pm, Lock Park, 1535 Ryan St.

Leesville: 11:30 am – 2 pm, Leesville City Hall, 508 S. 5^th St.

Monroe: 2 – 3 pm, Ouachita Parish Courthouse, 301 W. Grand St.

Ruston: 10 – 11 am, Railroad Park, 101 W Park Ave.

Shreveport Metro: 1 – 4 pm, Courthouse, 501 Texas St.

Slidell: 1 – 4 pm, Heritage Park, 1701 Bayou Lane

If organizers are worried about keeping he momentum up for the protests, Donald Trump has accommodated their efforts with his ever-increasing craziness.

If you have concerns about ICE murdering Americans, if you have questions about the imprisonment and deportation of American citizens and non-violent immigrants, if you are opposed to the U.S. becoming bogged down in yet another senseless Mideast war, if you worry about the policies that deny health coverage to Americans, if you fear for your voting rights, if fascism scares you, if you just don’t like authoritarianism in general, then you need to make your presence felt tomorrow.

State Rep. Charles Anthony Owen (R-Rosepine) apparently has seen enough of university and college faculty members taking heat whenever they call attention to violations or other questionable practices.

There is certainly no shortage of examples: KEN LEVY, IVOR VAN HEERDEN and STEVEN HATFIELD at LSU and the pulling of professor FERESHREH AMAMI from her research at Lake Maurepas by Southeastern Louisiana University come to mind immediately.

Those must have been on Owen’s mind when he filed HOUSE BILL 1008 which would prohibit public postsecondary education institutions from retaliating against faculty members who disclose certain alleged violations or who exercise academic freedom of speech.

That could be because Owen holds a Ph.D. from Louisiana Tech. Retired from the military, he also has served as an adjunct faculty member in his own right.

Regardless, as his bill asserts, “Academic freedom means the right of faculty members to teach, research, publish and express views on matters within their field of expertise without interference, consistent with professional standards and institutional policies.”

The bill says that no postsecondary institution, nor any officer, employee or agent of any institution may retaliate against or harm any faculty member for “disclosing or reporting concerns about any alleged violation of law, regulatory policy or ethical standard or any other alleged act of impropriety related to academic, administrative or operational matters at the institution.”

Included is any such reporting to any “supervisor, institutional official, state or federal agency, legislator, law enforcement officer or the public about waste, fraud, abuse, misconduct or threats to public health, safety or institutional integrity.”

Also protected in Owen’s bill is the exercising of academic freedom, “including but not limited to teaching topics that some may consider controversial, conducting research and publishing findings.”

Owen’s bill was referred to the House Committee on Education of which he is a member.

His bill has merit but enforcement could conceivably be a problem, just as it is with any violation when people in charge are reluctant to investigate and act. And in Louisiana, there’s no shortage of officials perfectly willing to look the other direction.