Somebody Has to Say It: Governors Come and Go. New Orleans Endures

Gov. Jeff Landry may think bullying New Orleans and its leaders makes him look good. It only makes him look foolish.

Governor Jeff Landry has made a habit of picking fights with New Orleans. His most recent affront to common sense — that New Orleans "isn't as special as she thinks she is” slander — is just the latest reminder that this governor is more interested in provoking New Orleans than partnering with it.

If anyone needs a reality check, it's the governor.

Governors come and go. But New Orleans endures.

For more than 300 years, this city has weathered wars, epidemics, fires, floods, hurricanes, political corruption, economic downturns, and leaders who underestimated its resilience. Long after today's elected officials are political footnotes, New Orleans will still be standing.

That is what makes this city special.

Not arrogance. Endurance. Not ego. Significance. Not politics. History.

The governor can dismiss New Orleans all he wants, but he cannot erase the facts. This city remains one of Louisiana's most important economic engines. It is home to a world-class port, internationally recognized universities and hospitals, a thriving hospitality industry, and a tourism economy that introduces millions of people to Louisiana every year. Across the globe, New Orleans is the face of this state.

People don't fly across oceans to visit St. Martinville. They come to New Orleans.

Businesses don't invest in Louisiana because of political talking points. They invest because of the opportunities created by cities like New Orleans.

The taxes generated here help support communities across Louisiana. The jobs created here benefit residents from every corner of the state. When New Orleans succeeds, Louisiana succeeds.

That is why the governor's constant attacks make so little sense.

Instead of celebrating one of Louisiana's greatest assets, he repeatedly singles it out for criticism. Instead of respecting local leadership, he seeks to undermine it. Instead of recognizing the city's unique role in the state's economy and identity, he chooses political theater.

The people of New Orleans have every reason to reject that.

Mayor Helena Moreno and other local leaders have been right to stand their ground. Whether the issue is local authority, public safety, or the city's right to chart its own course, New Orleans should never be expected to bow to a governor who seems determined to score political points at its expense.

Standing up for this city isn't defiance. It's duty.

And let's be honest about something else.

There has long been an uneasy relationship between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. A diverse, majority-Black city that often votes differently from the rest of the state has frequently found itself targeted by lawmakers eager to dictate how it should govern itself. Too often, local control is celebrated until New Orleans exercises it.

That double standard deserves to be called out.

Jeff Landry may believe he can diminish New Orleans with a sound bite. He cannot.

New Orleans has outlasted governors, political movements, administrations, and personalities who believed they were bigger than the city itself.

It will outlast this one, too.

New Orleans doesn't need validation from Jeff Landry.

Its legacy was established centuries before he took office, and it will remain long after he leaves it.