Race and the 2009 Atlanta Mayoral Election

It's campaign season in Atlanta. In less than a month, the city will elect a new Mayor to replace current Mayor Shirley Franklin who is limited to 2 terms. Unlike prior elections, this election is garnering attention for completely different reasons - urban gentrification and a controversial memo.

The population of Atlanta has shifted dramatically over the last 10 to 15 years. Even though the city's population remains majority Black, the White population has increased as more Whites have moved from the suburbs back into the city to avoid the traffic congestion. As a result, many intown neighborhoods that were majority Black have become more diverse. On the flip side, the Black population in Atlanta has declined as more Blacks have moved to the suburbs as property taxes skyrocketed. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that Atlanta's population shift will continue over the next decade. Atlanta in 2020 may not racially resemble Atlanta in 2009. In the near future, I plan to post a separate blog regarding gentrification.

Since the historic inauguration of Maynard Jackson as Mayor in 1974, the city of Atlanta has had African American Mayors - 4 to be exact. This year, the front runner according to most polls is Councilwoman Mary Norwood, a White female. In some circles around the city, this has been a surprise as well as a source of worry. Some believe that the election of a White Mayor will turn back many of the strides made by Black leadership in the city since the early 70s. Others believe that an election of a White Mayor will mean that Blacks and other minorities will be shut out of the political echelon. Unfortunately, this issue received nationwide attention recently when a memo was circulated by a group named The Black Leadership Forum, urging the public to unite behind one Black candidate and encouraging the other Black candidates to drop out of the race. The candidates for Mayor denounced the memo, while others believed that the memo was not out of line and deserved consideration. In a Wall Street Journal article, Bob Holmes, Professor Emeritus at Clark Atlanta University, stated "For a certain number of people, they do look at things through that prism. They remember the history."

I find sentiments like those in this memo insulting to both Black people as well as White people. The memo essentially assumes the worst in both races. It assumes that Black people have to think the same as well as vote alike. It assumes that we are not allowed to think for ourselves and decide who we want to run the city. It assumes that White people could not possibly consider voting for a non-White candidate. I would be naive to believe that there are not Atlantans that will cast their ballot solely based on race. Yes, I realize this does happen in some circles, but I would hope that most intelligent people would vote for the best candidate regardless of race. 

Around the country, many cities, states, and Congressional districts see their election cycles dissolve into a mess of racial animosity, bigotry, racial pandering, and immaturity. I really hope that this is not the path that Atlanta's future elections will take as the city's racial makeup changes. How this city chooses to addreses its changing demographics will be an important chapter in its future.
 
For more info on the Atlanta Mayoral election, please visit the Wall Street Journal or the Atlanta Journal Constitution. 

What Do Our Social Circles Say About Us?

From time to time when I go out in my city or cities that I have traveled to, I often find myself looking around the room in an effort to notice if there are any multicultural groups there. I do this at restaurants, lounges, sporting events, concerts and plays. In fact, I probably have had this habit for nearly 2 decades, since I first took an interest in diversity programs and helping others create a society that values differences. It has often been said that we may interact and socialize across cultures in the workplace, but after the workday ends, we return to our own self-segregated corners of the universe. Why is that? Do we socialize cross-culturally in the workplace out of necessity and choose not to when we have a choice during our own time? Are we just more comfortable with others that look like us? Most of my life, I've had friends that represent every segment of the population that you can imagine. I can remember one instance in college when a group of long time friends and I were out for dinner and drinks in Memphis. The backgrounds represented at our table were African American, White, Korean, Indian, and Thai, and we noticed all kinds of stares from others around the room- not hostile stares but more curious stares. It was almost like we were on display in some science museum, where patrons can view experiments that they normally do not see. The same thing happens from time to time when I go out for lunch with my volunteer group. We even have made the joke that we can often find each other in a large room of people because 99% of the time, we will be the only multiracial group in the room!

When my wife and I got married last year, our guest list was the most multicultural one that I have ever seen at a wedding. Neither of us did this by design. It just happened that way based on the people that we care about and desired to have with us on our special day. I remember two guests commenting to me about this, describing how unique it was to them to see so many cultures represented in one place. It was the norm for me, but for others, it was very different.

In my opinion, people generally have dinner, socialize, and attend various events with people that they have chosen to invest the time in developing a relationship with. Do we tend to only invest that time with people from our own race? If so, why is that? Would we welcome the opportunity to broaden our social circles?

President Carter's Take on Race and the Obama Administration

A little over 2 weeks ago, former President Jimmy Carter unleashed a flurry of controversary and conversation when he stated "I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man". Unfortunately and sadly, I feel compelled to agree with the former President.

New York Times op-ed columnist Maureen Dowd recently noted in a column just days before President Carter's comments that "some people just can't believe a black man is president and will never accept it". Pretty much since his inauguration in January, the President has been subjected to a level of disrespect and hatred that certainly has racial overtones. Repeatedly, throughout the summer, the President's place of birth has been called into question with the intent to paint him as a non US citizen and delegitimize his Presidency. During many of the recent Congressional town hall meetings on health care reform, numerous people have displayed racist signs and images portraying the President as "Curious George", an African witch doctor, or showing him hanging from a noose.You would have to be living under a rock to not realize that this kind of imagery reminds many Black and White Americans of a time when we had federally mandated segregation and crushing Jim Crow laws throughout the South. Last month, thousands of parents refused to let their children hear an address from the President to the nation's students because they feared that the President would indoctrinate their children with "a liberal agenda". Was that really the reason or was that a smokescreen for something for socially unacceptable? And let's not forget the outrageous outburst by South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson during the President's address to a joint session of Congress last month. The level of disrespect shown by Congressman Wilson was almost unprecedented. It was almost like he was attempting to remind this young, Black President of "his place" in society.

Disagreement on important issues is fine. As a society, we should never be expected to agree on all issues, but what happened to being respectful with our disagreements? To deny that the animosity that the President is facing has racial overtones is simply not being morally nor intellectually honest. Immediately after President Carter's comments, he was denounced in many corners for injecting race into the public square. Unfortunately, race was already injected months ago when many decided to use stereotypes, imagery, and language laced with bigotry. What is really sad is that many of the people that are behaving in this manner have no clue and do not realize the lack of racial sensitivity that they are displaying. In fact in many cases, they do not even care, and their actions are deliberate.

More people must stand up and speak out against this type of behavior. As I said earlier, it is okay for us to debate important issues, but there is no place for the level of racism that is being displayed. More people need to denounce this behavior and call it what it really is instead of tip-toeing around the issue. Our country really needs to have a serious conversation on racism, bigotry, and stereotypes.