Adrastos has a giggle-inducing account of the City Council At Large forum I asked folks to attend last week. Virginia Boulet’s last campaign for mayor still sits poorly with me; my choices are down to Diana Bajoie or Quentin Brown from thirteen candidates, phew.
Last night, while moping around the house following the Packers loss to the Bears at home (no, I don’t want to talk about it, especially not with you Patriots fans), I decided to put myself through more pain by watching the Norman Robinson-led WDSU forum with 4 of the 13 Councilmember-At-Large candidates – Kimberly Williamson-Butler, Malcolm Suber, Kaare Johnson and Joe Jones. Joe Jones “won” that one even if he routinely talked after the sounding of the buzzer and only because his rivals were truly insipid.
One of the questions asked was “Does race matter in this election and why?” Kim W-B and Kaare Johnson said it doesn’t matter because rebuilding requires us all to work together, while Suber went off on some Papa Morial “This is a black city” contract that was made a while back and Joe Jones alluded to how the issue of race cannot be realistically left out in a city like this one. In my opinion, race does matter in New Orleans and this election, because we need someone in there who is sensitive to the race-rebuilding issue right now. But, why do we belabor under the impression that someone in power of one color will look out for the people of the same color? And, if they do, is the other race simply screwed? I cannot believe a desegregated city can function and thrive like this.
Soon after, Kaare Johnson began arm-waving about the city using our own special buzzterms (levee protection, better schools) and Kim Williamson-Butler said her hero is Jesus (you aren’t his hero, that’s for sure). It was time to turn off the TV and go to bed.
I just choose whichever has the most right angles on their campaign poster.