Regular readers of LouisianaVoice are aware that I traditionally hold two fundraisers per year – in April and October.
Not this time.
If you want something to support that has real meaning, please give generously to your local Food Bank or to the victims of devastating tornadoes in Arkansas, Mississippi, and elsewhere. If you don’t have money to spare for those unfortunate victims, give clothing, cookware, furniture, and appliances you no longer need. These are people who genuinely need our compassion and assistance.
Give to them, not LouisianaVoice. In fact, those of you who have set up monthly payments to LouisianaVoice should terminate those payments immediately and permanently. They are appreciated but no longer necessary.
You see, all good things (and those not so good) must eventually come to an end and that time has come for LouisianaVoice.
We’re shutting down because the time has come to do so.
Like Tom Brady, I “retired” once before because of the macular degeneration in my right eye but that retirement was short-lived after doctors assured me the progression was slow. (My wife insists that I misunderstood the diagnosis in the first place and that it was actually masculine degeneration. She could be right about that.)
Be that as it may, the time, as I said, is right. There are several reasons for my decision:
Number one, I am going to be 80 this year and hell, I’m tired.
Number two, the Internet has become one huge echo chamber with proponents of both the left and right quoting those of similar persuasion for support until everyone ends up quoting each other at the expense of actual facts and useful information.
Number three, despite the presence of all the distractions of yelling back and forth, there are some informative, intellectually-stimulating blogs out there that are far better than what I have the time or resources to offer. Lamar White, Jr., and Sue Lincoln of BAYOU BRIEF come immediately to mind. With Bayou Brief, you can find real, professional journalism second to none. Others include THE LENS, dedicated primarily – but by no means limited to – New Orleans news; LOUISIANA ILLUMINATOR, the PELICAN INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY, and LOUISIANA BUDGET PROJECT on the state scene and too many to even attempt to name on the national and international level, though I will recommend THE GUARDIAN, which, though it is a British-owned online publication, it gives excellent coverage of major events in this country.
Number four, I intend to spend what days I have left in researching and writing books. At the moment, I have two manuscripts finished and ready for publication, and I plan to write at least three more. As I said, I’ll soon be 80, so I need to get cracking on those books.
And five – and foremost – people have gotten just too damn rude. I had an oft-stated policy of non-censorship of comments to my blogposts so long as readers did not become vulgar or racist in their comments. The posting of many comments by readers who disagreed with me were ample affirmation of that policy – until recently. Some of the comments directed at me and some at readers who supported what I wrote have become unprintable, so I have blocked them. Many comments through the 12 years of LouisianaVoice’s existence have pointed out typos and factual mistakes, all of which were appreciated, posted, and corrections made where necessary.
But I don’t have to tolerate the outright hostility expressed just for hostility’s sake. I don’t have to accept the venom spewed with no solutions offered.
Writing some three million words over the past 12 years has been a blast. I’ve loved the support readers have shown over the years and I will always treasure the experience and freedom that writing a blogpost has given me – freedom of expression a writer does not always have on a newspaper (the story about questionable campaign contributions to a prominent US senator that The Baton Rouge State-Times once stopped me from writing, for example – the reason given being the friendship between the senator and Publisher Doug Manship).
I am in preliminary negotiations with an individual to keep LouisianaVoice going, perhaps even expanding it to include a podcast, but those discussions are in the embryonic stages for now, making it premature to divulge any further details.
And I’m leaving the door open to writing an occasional post should LouisianaVoice continue under someone else’s leadership.
For now, though, arrivederci and, from the bottom of my heart, grazie.
Louisiana Voice 
I cannot speak for anyone else, but
“I” will miss your articles. Good luck on your new journey and many, many, many blessings to you.
Thanks ☺️.
I appreciate all the hard work you have put into your posts and personally valued your opinion, although I absolutely understand and look forward to the new books. Wish you all the best and look forward to an occasional post in addition to the upcoming books. Good luck with all of it!
I will miss your frank, and comedic parodies of the sad fools who claim they represent us either in Baton Rouge or in Washington, DC. Let us all grow where we are planted and try to make a little part of this world a better place. You did that, Tom. Thank you!!
Thank you for all the honest, gritty articles especially during the Jindal years when state employees had no voice. Thank you for being our voice! You will be sorely missed but hope to hear from you again! In the meantime, God bless and keep you and yours, now and always!
You’ve had a great ride. I’ll miss reading your stuff. Happy retirement
It was a pleasure to meet you! Some people may not know it but a big turning point in my life was when I was working for a doctor that was murdered… Interesting you wrote the book Murder On The Teche.
I thought 80 was the new 40? It wasn’t that long ago that I found you.
My research has always been international focused, so every now and again I remind myself to go local and that’s how I found you. I don’t always agree with you, but as an Independent, I don’t expect to agree with everyone at all times.
I do respect and appreciate all of the information you have given in the short time I have read your pieces.
You are a lucky couple to have each other in the “wiser years”. I hope it will be the same for my husband and I. We wish you well.
You will be missed; that’s for certain.
Thank you for shining a light in the darkest corners of Louisiana politics. I certainly hope that torch is passed on.
Thank you for your many articles. You will be missed!
Tom,
Though I am a late comer to LV, I have read most of your articles in the last three years. Selfishly, I was counting on you to write the final outcome of a legal issue you reported on (university related) more than three years ago. As I too am fast approaching 80, I commend you for writing as long as you have. Be blessed and I wish you the best!!
Tom, you had a great run. You didn’t change, but the world did.
At the time when you, C. B. Forgotston, and Bob Mann all had blogs we mullets (as C. B. called us) had reliable sources of information we needed, and we knew it was factual.
Now, the world has moved on to a place where anybody can say or publish anything about anybody or anything without concern for truth or reality. “Facts” are endlessly debated. Freedom of speech is now freedom to confuse. People trying to find out what’s going on must choose who to believe.
The most trusted sources have, by default, become those that feed our pre-conceived notions. Those of us capable of open-mindedness can modify those notions in the face of reality. Others find doing so impossible because they cannot give them up.
In the early days your hard-hitting reporting accomplished some really good things. Your readers included powerful people who could cause positive changes. Now, these “leaders” know they only need to be slavish supporters of the team with the most political power to have personal success. The rest of us no longer matter a whit to them. It’s all in the numbers. I applaud the bloggers you cite, but they can’t overcome this either.
So, by the end you were preaching to the choir. We appreciated the affirmation, but the people who could have really benefitted from your wisdom simply ignored it. They were and are incapable of accepting anything in conflict with what they believe, and they hold onto those beliefs with a religious fervor or, worse, they simply don’t care anymore.
I wish you contentment. I’m so glad you will continue to write. I have really enjoyed your fictional works. Fiction gives you the freedom to get your points across and inform and entertain, as well. Keep it up. I hope you will also continue to be a guest on shows like “Talk Louisiana” where freedom of expression is respected, but outright lies are not tolerated.
Thanks, again, for your commitment to ethical and responsible journalism. You have done your best to keep it alive.
Good bye, so long, and thanks for the fish. Good luck in your next endeavors.
Tom, thank you, so much for being here. I was always encouraged by your focus on facts and truth in writing about Louisiana politics. I am also thankful for two opportunities you gave me to get some things off my chest when lying liars needed to be exposed. Thank you for being trustworthy, and for trusting that your readers can handle the truth.
I and literally millions are better for what you did here. Thank you.
You’ll be missed
Dear Tom, thank you so much for all you have done to keep your readers informed, and with such honesty, humor and flair. You will be greatly missed and I wish you all the best as your journey continues. God bless you and yours!
Catherine Altazan
So sorry to see you go!! I have thoroughly enjoyed Louisiana Voice and will miss the truthful and witty stories, and knowing what’s really going on out there. I sincerely hope you enjoy writing your books and the leisure “no pressure” time leaving LV will afford you. Best wishes, and I’ll be looking for those books. Thank you for keeping us informed!! ♥️🙏🤗
Thank you for all the years of shining the light. You’ll be missed by all of us feeling our way.
Thank you for all of the work you have done in informing us about the “real Louisiana” and thank you for the references for other sources! Best of luck in ALL that you do!
You will be missed. Thank you.
Thank you for your reporting, your wit, and your honesty. I will miss reading LV.
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
Thank you for the posts telling the real stories of Louisiana. The last post was amazing, I will keep you in my prayers and wish you a long life. I am 74 and planting trees and roses this year. I look forward to the time I have left daily. Mike McCoy Shreveport.
I discovered LV only a few months ago, but it has been a wonderful source of information, comment, and entertainment. Sorry to see it end, but, having just turned 70 myself, I understand. Thanks for having performed such a great public service for so long.
Thank you for your kindness, bluntness, and generosity, and sharing of knowledge. You have taught me much on things to look for behind the scenes and filled me in on things that were going on in Louisiana that I was unaware of. You are one class act! Enjoy your new retirement and thank your wife for sharing you with us.
Tom, I am so very sorry that we will no longer get to hear the inside story from your insightful and probing reporting. You have provided the facts on so many stories that never saw the light of day, and I have appreciated your viewpoint. But I certainly understand your position. I have quit posting lots of places since I realized that those I hoped to reach were totally discounting the facts. Best of luck in all endeavors, and I will look forward to more books!
I’m so sorry to see you go. You’ve provided a great service over the years. Best wishes on your next ventures.
You’ve done a lot of really great, appreciated work. I’m really glad you will continue to do some more.
I can only add to the other excellent comments about you and your work, which has been so much appreciated. May God bless you with good health so you can continue doing what you want to do. Thank you so much for the many years of enjoyable reading!
Tom, you made a difference. In fact, you made all the difference in the world by shining light on government abuse and bringing people together to work for, advocate for and demand action and change. You have been courageous and unafraid to speak truth to power. Your byline has frightened and motivated any number of elected officials to step back from selfishness, dishonesty and corruption and do the right thing, even if reluctantly. Well done, my friend. You deserve a rest. You will be missed.
Jerel M. Giarrusso
I will not miss you one bit because love circles never end. I will read the suggested blogs. I have enough family and friends who tolerate my ramblings. PEACE my friend. thanks ron thompson
Thank you dear sir for your time, effort and commitment. I was led here by a revered, respected and charismatic college professor years ago and have used your column as reference in my own professional growth. May your light continue to shine bright with all your endeavors. Gods Speed!!
Thank you Tom for many wonderful and insightful years. Thanks for bringing calm to chaos.
From someone who has already crossed the 80 threshold I certainly understand But I hate the thought of your retirement.
Let’s get together for lunch soon.
Tom, although I may not always agree with you politically, I count myself as a regular reader. I’ve always felt it is good to explore other perspectives, and you have always been a valuable resource. Thank you for providing thoroughly-researched information that certainly makes us think twice about why things are the way they are. Many blessings in this new season of your life.
I hate to see you go, but everyone deserves peace in life after a long career. Didn’t see eye to eye all the time, but enjoyed your posts and really love your books they are great. Enjoy life, enjoy family and enjoy the freedom we have.
You and your column will be missed. Kay DeFreese
Thanks so much for what you’ve done and written.