UPDATED: He doesn’t take the helm of the ship until January, but the Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Elect Jean Monestime issued his first statement Monday in his new role — hours after his colleagues voted unanimously for him as their leader — urging the community to keep calm when the grand 
jury decision in the Ferguson, Missouri police shooting of an unarmed black man is read in about, oh… any second now.
“As the grand jury prepares to deliver a decision on whether to indict Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, I ask the community to respect the democratic and judicial process regardless of the outcome,” Monestime’s statement reads.
“As a father of two boys, my heart and prayers go out to the Brown Family. They have endured the unthinkable – the loss of a child and loved one. We should honor the life of Michael with a peaceful, non-violent response to the decision,” Monestime said. “The Brown Family has continued its pleas for peace, no matter the decision, and asked for four-and-a-half minutes of silence following Monday night’s announcement.”
It is not that odd that Monestime would weigh in on this, hundreds of miles away from Ferguson. Miami and Miami-Dade have seen its share of unrest after judicial action our peeps don’t like. Remember Arthur McDuffie? Remember Elián González? The Ferguson case has definitely resonated nationwide. Still, Ladra ain’t saying that our community has not changed or evolved, because it has. And it’s almost insulting that any kind of violent behavior would be expected. Almost.
What’s odd, or interesting anyway, is that Monestime is the only one who has released such a statement, hours before the jury decision that could send some black communities in the U.S. into a tailspin. Or had before the decision was to be announced at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.
Nothing from the current commission leader, Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa. Nada from Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who issued two of his own press releases about the same time as or an hour before Monestime’s — on distributing turkeys with Winn-Dixie and one about shelter dogs being trained by inmates, which Ladra hopes is not an expensive line item in the budget (more on that later?).
Well, the update is that Gimenez did issue a statement at 9:12 p.m., but it had more to do with how prepared the county was in case there were riots.
“Miami-Dade County, the Miami-Dade Police Department and our partners in law enforcement are monitoring the situation in Ferguson, Missouri,” Gimenez said. “Whatever the result of the grand jury investigation, there is an ongoing dialogue with local community leaders and organizations like the Community Relations Board. We are confident that our community will remain calm and orderly.”
In any case, this first day step might indicate that Monestime may actually bring something much needed on that commission dais: Leadership.
New Chairman Jean Monestime’s 1st official act: Call for calm added by Ladra on
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