Chicago Racial Politics: Chicago has a black gay woman as mayor. She is extremely intelligent, thoughtful and articulate. This is her first elected office. She ran to restore honesty, diversity, and creativity to city government. Big problems need innovative solutions and transparency. Those solutions should come from a diverse set of people with access and input to the process of government. In spite of enormous problems dumped in her lap – pandemic, public school civil war among teachers, their unions, and CPS administration, a police department under Department of Justice restrictions, and a wave of violent crime – this mayor has stood up each day and governed with courage and forthrightness.
Her reward? Bashing because she is a woman. Bashing because
she is black. Bashing because she is a Democrat. Bashing because she is gay.
Instead of helping her govern, her detractors block her efforts to do the right
thing.
Why anyone wants to be elected to public office is beyond my
understanding. We have made the job impossible. We have multiplied hate on the
very people who can and want to do the right thing.
I am embarrassed for Chicago. I am appalled for Illinois.
This is our state and our region. Why don’t we help create a bright future for
us rather than dwell on the negative? Are we antigovernment? Anti-gay?
Anti-female? Racist? I prefer to think not. But the chatter doesn’t support my
conclusion.
Homophobia: I have received negative taunts for being
gay. I am up front about my gender orientation. I do not hide it. I do not
advertise it. I just am who I am. Meanwhile, I speak my mind on a host of
topics and life qualities. Interesting that negative comments are rarely based
on the logic of the arguments for or against a topic. But gay? The homophobia
is up front and obvious. Sad.
Ungovernable?: Have we become ungovernable? We don’t
believe our government when they speak to us about weather threats, pandemic
advice, press conferences, scientific breakthroughs, threats from foreign
powers, crime statistics, economic forecasts….? Really?
And when an elected official, or even a professional
administrator working for a government unit, gives a report, we trash the
person if we don’t like what he is saying? Or don’t agree with him? Really?
When we vote, do we trust the ballot? Do we think a
candidate is honest or not? Do we question her ulterior motives? Or do we vote
for the person at the top of the ballot even though we don’t know who the
person is? Do we even research the ballot before election day? Are we voting
intentionally and knowingly or in the blind?
Do we listen to interviews with elected officials with an
open mind or are we searching for something we can bash them on? The more we
bash public servants, does it surprise us why people are so reluctant to run
for office? Once in, do we support them or pull the rug out from under them?
The answers to these questions will tell us much about
governing America. My hunch is we are reaching a tipping point when no one
believes anyone anymore.
Is this cynical to the extreme or factual? Either way, what
do we do to restore balance and fairness?
May 25, 2021
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