Since live crowds for the New Year’s Eve celebration from Time Square in New York City to Jackson Square in New Orleans were prohibited, it makes sense that more people, including myself, were home watching the New Year’s Eve countdown shows.
Every NYE I have been out covering and capturing the festive celebration in New Orleans; but this year, like many others, I was home channel surfing between a few of the top network countdown shows. When it came time for the countdown ending 2020 and welcoming in the New Year of 2021, I switched to ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.”
After a manufactured controversy over who would perform, New Orleans’ Queen of Bounce Big Freedia and Grammy-winning artist P.J. Morton performed as the nation - and the world - witnessed the beginning of 2021 in the central time zone. I watched the show because I wanted to see the image of New Orleans that the country and world would see, and the idea that Big Freedia was the main attraction made it even more must-see TV.
Set on the moonwalk on the river with the St. Louis Cathedral in the background, Big Freedia, a case of locals including a dancing NOPD officer, P.J. Morton and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell counted down to the New Year.
Wait! New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell? Yes, the Mayor was part of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” show from New Orleans.
There was quite an interesting contrast to P. J. Morton playing Auld Lang Syne on the piano with the Cathedral as the backdrop and then Big Freedia. But it was a contrast that reflects an accurate view of New Orleans.
As I watched, I saw Big Freedia and various individuals, including the dancing NOPD officer on the stage. Another person on the stage knew Big Freedia, designating her as a main character in the show. The woman was wearing black sequin pants, pumps and was dancing as Big Freeda talked. I said to myself - “Who is this?” It was Mayor Latoya Cantrell!
Mayor Cantrell appeared to have been professionally made-up with freshly-died striking black hair and her black sequin pants glistened in the lights as she danced.
I forced myself to be fair and not think of her as the mayor I have had disagreements with over issues, but rather, as the mayor of a prominent American city who was participating in the NYE celebration. Leaving politics aside, I thought Mayor Cantrell looked great and displayed a spirit of fun from a city that is known for fun.
If you saw Mayor Cantrell on the national NYE celebration from Jackson Square, chances are you judged her based on whether you like her or not and did not judge her objectively as an American mayor. I challenged myself to view her appearance - the professional make-up, black hair and black sequin pants - based on who those outside of New Orleans would view her; and if I would have seen the mayor from a city having a party act as she acted I would have said: “That’s a cool mayor!”
After the countdown, I mentioned on SOTA social media that I wish the mayor would carry that positive attitude into the New Year. Of course, any mayor has very serious things to deal with while running a city and cannot afford to be festive all the time; but Mayor Cantrell’s attitude on the national NYE broadcast showed that behind the overly serious facade she projects at many press conference, there is a mayor who is willing to wear black sequin pants and dance in the New Year!
The Mayor’s appearance on New Year’s Eve will not change my resolve to be honest about her policies when I disagree, but it did point out that we - the people - are too quick to praise or condemn someone solely on the views we disagree with. America has become so contentious that we have lost the ability to judge politicians on their positions and instead blanketly judge them based on a conservative or liberal perspective.
The Trump supporters lose credibility when they fail to recognize the President’s faults - especially now during his irrational rage against the outcome of the election he lost.
In 2021, we could all work on holding ALL politicians accountable - not by being sycophants - but by judging the good in those who don’t like and the bad in those we do like.
Because political support has become so blindly biased - politicians are allowed to use us because we will support them no matter what they do or say. We - the people - have the power to hold politicians accountable by doing one thing - being honest about them - whether we love them or hate them. That’s a challenge for 2021.