Op-ed: Absence of local 'leaders'

There's one thing you can count on in Houston when a horrendous act of violence occurs, our elected officials will find the nearest camera and microphone, dressed in shirts and jackets emblazoned with the city seal and their respective offices, and express their outrage.

What we have not been able to count on, so far, is an earnest and robust effort to address the ongoing crisis in our streets.

Of course, some of our officials are doing the work, quietly, away from cameras, but too many aren't and only show up to see and be seen. City leaders show up, as they did yesterday after the shooting in 3rd Ward, to blame "gun violence" but don't utter a word about policies imposed by their colleagues running Harris County and the culture that has led us to this point.

These same officials will lead rallies and protests against injustice, use their platforms to call out the Governor or other Republican officials over legislative disagreements, and hold press conferences calling policy they dislike "Jim Crow 2.0" but surprisingly can't find that same fire in their belly to address issues they actually have the authority and responsibility to oversee.

It's past time that we demand more.

Charles Blain is the president of Urban Reform and the Urban Reform Institute.