The talk of the town this month has been the unmitigated silliness of the Seattle City Council's declared fixation to appoint a "woman of color" to fill the vacant seat. Even the lamestream dailies have run unusually critical opinion columns on this (here, here, here and here). So how have the shortlisted "women of color" applicants responded to the criticism? They might have engaged the public and changed the subject from ethnicity to emphasize their personal strengths and individual qualifications. But instead they form a sophomoric sisterhood, exclude the one white finalist and brag to the press about it, only reinforcing all the negative perceptions that this process has generated.
But it's too late to turn back at this point. The council will undoubtedly appoint one of these politically tone-deaf sub-mediocrities. My guess for the next City Councilwoman follows --
My reasoning in guessing who the council might pick does not reflect my own value judgments, but follows what I perceive to be the council's thought process --
* I doubt they'll pick Clark, the white woman. They're too wedded to picking a "woman of color". Clark is lesbian, there's already another gay person on the council (Rasmussen) and they'll want to use the opportunity to reward an "underrepresented" minority group.
* For a similar reason, I doubt they'll pick Knox, who is African-American . Seattle is only 10% black, the 9 member council already has another African American (McIver) and there are enough voters of other minorities who they'll want to see represented.
* For a similar reason, I doubt they'll pick Sibonga. Like Della, Sibonga is Filipino/a, and they'd rather spread the patronage around to yet another group. Besides, Sibonga, a former Councilmember, is old news and doesn't want to run again. After all this rigamarole, they should want to pick somebody who plans to stick around for a while.
So primarily for ethnic considerations alone, that leaves us with the Chinese Chao, Japanese Maeda and Latina Velazquez.
* Not only are they going to want somebody who plans to run for election, but they want to be darn sure it's somebody who can hold the seat. Otherwise they'll look pretty foolish if their handpicked appointee is shot down by the voters. That would exclude Chao, who, as the P-I describes her "has never run for office, and it shows". Check out her video statement (#34). She's not only wonkish, she's implausible ("we need every type of affordable housing at every income level, in every neighborhood")
* Scratch Velazquez, who apparently alienated a lot of people when she worked for the City Dept. of Neighborhoods.
* That leaves Sharon Maeda, who undoubtedly struck the right chord with the Councilmembers in her introductory statement (Video #28) "I would be honored to be the first Japanese-American ever to serve on the Seattle City Council. But if not me, I would be pleased if you appoint another woman, especially a woman of color". Most of all, as in any job interview, the City Council is really looking for somebody who thinks like they do. And with those opening remarks, Maeda showed that she is just as vapid and disconnected from the real concerns of Seattle's residents as the rest of them.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at January 27, 2006 12:11 AM | Email ThisSP can rest assured that the winner will likely be replaced at election time.
Posted by: Erik on January 27, 2006 01:17 AMHow sad. Getting excluded at dinner time.
Posted by: Erik on January 27, 2006 01:21 AMI have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring." And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
43 years later.
Seattle City Council
Whites need not apply.
Posted by: JCM on January 27, 2006 08:08 AMOne simple question.
What criteria is the council using for the appointment;
Content of Character
or
Color of Skin?
Dude, I think you are giving Stefan way too much credit. Stefan is merely getting the FACTS out that you will never read in the LEFTIST MSM. Are people afraid of you KLOWNS??? I'm not. I just think you are misguided and incapable of assessing the unintended consequences of many of your actions.
But keep on thinking that Stefan is part of some Mind-controlling RightWing Conspiracy to deveive and brainwash underemployed males. And keep on posting too!!! I love reading your garbage.
Dude, you probably also believe your posts are somehow going to make a difference in how someone who visits this Blog votes. LEFTIST PINHEADS are dreamers, deceivers and textbook cases in PARANOIA!!!!!
You aren't paranoid when they are REALLY OUT TO GET YOU are you Rev.???
Do you look under your crib at night before you tuck yourself in just to make sure there are no planted devices to play subliminal Right-wing messages while you slumber????
Posted by: Mr. Cynical on January 27, 2006 10:28 AM
I did, read about it at Respectfully Republican.
The radical anti-war protesters didn't recognize we were Republicans, and they welcomed us with open arms ;0) It really is hilarious, they thought we were there in "solidarity" with them, as if!
Posted by: Patrick E. Bell on January 27, 2006 11:41 PM