In Aesop's fable The Boy Who Cried Wolf, we learn the timeless lesson about the dangers of false alarms. A boy repeatedly tricks the villagers into believing a wolf is attacking his flock, only for his cries to fall on deaf ears when the real danger finally appears. Today, this fable is more relevant than ever in the context of local politics, where fear-mongering, false accusations, and cries of crisis have become disturbingly common, establishing a vocal minority especially active in a local Facebook group.
In Bogalusa, this tactic isn't new. It dates back to the Civil Rights Movement, a time when our town was ground zero for a fierce struggle against segregation and oppression. During this turbulent period, a brave group of men known as the Deacons for Defense and Justice emerged to protect Black citizens from violence at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan and local law enforcement. They provided a much-needed defense against a real and present threat. They faced a vicious minority focused on dog whistles and race baiting. When the Deacons acted, they did so with conviction, because they understood that empty threats or exaggerated claims could weaken their credibility and undermine their mission.
Unlike the Deacons, who were steadfast in their resolve and only acted when absolutely necessary, today's political landscape in Bogalusa is filled with public figures who continually raise alarms for political gain, with notable establishment members front and center. This "boy who cried wolf" strategy is dangerous not only because it erodes trust between citizens and their leaders, but also because it distracts us from addressing the real problems facing our community.
We see this behavior in the political attacks and heated rhetoric coming from various corners of our city. Rather than working together to address long-standing issues like economic development, crime, and infrastructure, some use sensationalized claims to stir division. They manufacture crises or distort facts, knowing that fear can be a powerful motivator. But these tactics come at a cost.
In the 1960s, when the Deacons for Defense stood up, their cause was clear. They were protecting families and their community from legitimate harm. They didn't need to exaggerate or manufacture problems, because the threat was always real and ever-present. Today, we face no such existential threat. Yet, some continue to cry wolf, knowing it’s easier to rally support with a false sense of urgency than it is to do the hard work of leadership and problem-solving.
If we as a community continue to fall for these hollow tactics, we risk ignoring the true challenges facing Bogalusa. We need to ask ourselves: when is the last time a real wolf was at the door? Are the issues being raised in our politics based on facts, or are they fabricated to serve political agendas? Just as in the fable, repeated false alarms lead to disillusionment and a breakdown in trust. The more often we hear cries of wolf, the less likely we are to respond when the actual threat comes.
The Deacons for Defense understood that words mattered. When they took action, they did so because lives were at stake, and their calls for help were rooted in truth. Our leaders today would do well to remember this lesson. Leadership means telling the truth, even when it’s hard.
It means building trust, not exploiting fear. And it means confronting real problems with real solutions.
The wolf may or may not be at the door—but we’ll never know if we keep falling for the false alarms.
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