During the Nagin Administration, the mayor’s voice was noticeably absent from discussions of almost any issue that affected the music and second line culture in New Orleans. Now that noise ordinances are being enforced and musicians in the French Quarter are being harassed for violating them, the best that Mayor Mitch Landrieu has been able to come up with is this statement from June 17:

New Orleans is the Cultural Capitol of the World, and we have an obligation to protect and support the very things that make our culture so authentic. It is possible for musicians and residents and businesses to co-exist in the French Quarter and across our city. It requires having ordinances that make sense, that are clearly communicated to the public and that are properly enforced. My administration is going to work with the City Council and the New Orleans Police Department to review the quality of life ordinances to ensure that they best serve the needs of our community.

This statement tries to have it both ways, asserting that music is important, but so is accommodating the residents and businesses. He sets them up as equals, in effect asking, “Can’t we all just get along?” This issue is an opportunity for Landrieu to do something Nagin was never able to do—establish music as a priority in New Orleans. He has a history as Lieutenant-Governor of working to help the “cultural economy” grow; now that he’s mayor, it’s time to help the culture thrive so that there’s something there to monetize.

This is a moment for something New Orleans has lacked since Katrina—leadership. Because Nagin wasn’t setting the city’s agenda and establishing the city’s priorities, conflicting voices with disparate agendas tried to advance their own. Regarding the noise ordinance, we currently have supporters of each side lining up and looking to City Council for assistance. A little leadership here would go a long way toward speeding the resolution. If the mayor were to say, “Music is a historical, cultural and economic treasure in New Orleans and there are times where it must be accommodated for the good of the community as a whole,” then the process of reaching resolution would happen more quickly.

Landrieu’s right—the noise ordinance as written clearly needs modification, but it needs to be revised with the understanding that music is valued, not tolerated. That idea will become part of the conversation more quickly and with greater emphasis if it came from his mouth.