It is always dangerous to write a "thank you" column on a very big and very successful event. It is almost inevitable that a listing of who to thank will leave out someone or some organization.
I attended the ceremony last Thursday outside Government Plaza that featured Mayor Tom Arceneaux and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. I then attended the press conference in the building.
To say the least, it was historic.
I have been in Shreveport since January 1977 and in that interval there has never been such a happening at Shreveport City Hall--when it was located on Texas Avenue or when it moved to Government Plaza.
The Arceneaux administration pulled out all the stops to ensure maximum publicity, maximum public attendance, and a maximum welcome to Jackson. And to my knowledge and experience there were no real hiccups at the event.
This massive publicity event required the hard work of many parties and government agencies, including but not limited to the following:
1. Jackson and his entourage that included his attorney
2. Tari Bradford and others in the mayor's office
3. Shreveport Police Department
4. Shreveport Fire Department
5. Shreveport Parks and Recreation
6. Huntington Band
7. Booker T. Washington Band
8. Downtown Development Authority
9. Visit Shreveport-Bossier
10. Caddo Parish Sheriff Office
11. Local Media
To those that were cynical of the attention given to Jackson I can only say let's think positively. All too often "Shreveportist"--the negative attitude about our city--dominates public attitudes and social media postings.
Mayor Tom has worked hard to improve the quality of life in Shreveport for all of Shreveport and to have the public display a positive attitude to Shreveport with his "I Love Shreveport" buttons which now appear on many electronic billboards. The Jackson event was a further manifestation of the mayor's commitment to the city, much like the three bond propositions on Saturday's ballot.
Let’s just hope that all citizens who interact with Jackson and his group are positive in their comments and attitude. To outsiders, Shreveport is often judged on what they think of themselves and their city. And to those that are cynical, please reserve your comments until Jackson has been given an opportunity to back up his words with actions.