Friends and fellow Buffalonians:
This has not been a proud week for Buffalo. Let me say something that should be instinctive to everyone, and should have been said by every elected official and member of the media by now: There’s no room for bigots or anti-Semites in our political Party or yours. There’s no room for bigoted behavior or anti-semetic jokes in our politics. There’s certainly no room for it on the County Legislature.
I was ashamed by the behavior of County Legislator Michelle Iannelleo, detailed this morning in the Buffalo News, refusing the help of African American volunteers offering to distribute information door to door in white neighborhoods. Every member of our community should be ashamed, outraged, and indignant that this innate racism and these old ways of thinking have shaped Ms. Iannelleo's campaign strategy.
As someone who is biracial, I am especially offended that Ms. Iannelleo has refused to apologize and has referred to her actions as “just a difference of opinion.” I don’t know what kind of parents that you must have had to think that this is even remotely acceptable behavior, so let me tell you something that your parents seemingly did not: civilized people treat and judge individuals based on their character, their skills, and their intentions—not their skin color.
I’ve spent countless hours encouraging people who were apathetic to our politics to participate, and explaining to them that our democracy is only as good, as representative, and as responsive as the inclusiveness of the process. I can’t help but imagine the harsh and stinging affect Ms. Iannelleo’s cold, cynical, and bigoted behavior had on the young volunteers who were told that they couldn’t participate because they were black. Is that young person likely to stick their head out of the proverbial pack again? Are they going to dare to involve themselves again after the way you shot them down? Will they have the confidence stand up and to say they demand to be heard and to be counted? No wonder young people and marginalized populations are so underrepresented in our politics.
Ms. Iannelleo owes those volunteers and this entire County a profuse and unmitigated apology. Michelle, how dare you—you should be utterly ashamed of yourself. I’m certainly ashamed of you. This is not Alabama in the 1960’s. This is Buffalo Niagara in 2009. Grow up and start acting like it.
Why can’t we all aspire to a higher politics rooted in inclusiveness and tolerance, innovation and ideas? I thirst for the day when people who think like this are made irrelevant on election day—because everyone is made equal in the voting booth.
Yours,
Matthew Ricchiazzi
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/841745.html
Are you angry of her actions or the reality that exists in Iannelleo's district? So you're implying that she should have taken the high road allowed blacks to go door to door in a community that is enormously bigoted and prejudice so she could lose on principal.
So Obama using the reverse race card on Bill Clinton so he could rally the blacks, that's ok? What planet do you live on?
Originally Posted by CSense
I'm deeply disappointed by both her actions and the reality of socio-spatial segregation that exists in our metropolitan area (among the worst in the nation).
I'm absolutely sure that was her reasoning, but that reasoning is racist. To say, they're black volunteers so they should stay in black neighborhoods is simply not acceptable in this day and age. The fact that our socio-spatial segregation patterns are so stark that we associate some neighborhoods as being "white" and others as "black" is in itself an extraordinarily tragic and unacceptable predicament created and perpetuated by institutionalized prejudices (this is why we don't have regional government yet).
We need more people of color knocking on those doors. Ignorance is only going to ease when people are forced to interact in diverse contexts. This is why cities, by virtue of their diversity and density, are more tolerant spaces--because in cosmopolitan contexts, the ignorant and intolerant are the people who can not function day to day.
But that's all an aside: our leaders are the people burdened most with the responsibility of articulating our values. They should be inspiring us towards tolerance, inclusiveness, and brotherhood by rallying people around our commonalities and shared interests. Instead, Iannelleo wants to play to prejudices of her constituents. Our leaders shouldn't be following the bigots in their districts, they should be leading us to where we need to go as a society. By definition "leadership" means "to lead people", not to follow them.
Wow! and I believe in fairies too!
According to you, her reasoning is racist but not realistic. Knowing that the patrons of a bar would most likely mame you for your sexual preferences if you entered, would you be realistic and go to another bar or enter it based on your principals? Please don't call me from the Emergency Room.
I believe in world peace, I believe we have the best mayor and I believe in Santa Claus. Yet none truly exist.
Anyone who uses that term at a Tonawanda bar deserves a fluid ass-whoopin'.socio-spatial segregation
Most of all I like bulldozers and dirt
Why's that? I don't follow.
Lmfao. I don't know whether to laugh harder at your incorrect analysis or your extraordinarily inappropriate and incongruent analogy. Are you suggesting that a person of color knocking on a white person's door in the Town of Tonawanda is going to get maimed? Obviously not, so let's tone down the flamboyant rhetoric, buddy. I can not imagine someone coming to me and wanting to help volunteer for my campaign, and telling them that they couldn't because of their skin color, or culture, or religion, etc. That's unfathomable.
I don't know from where you construct the logic that I've suggested "her reasoning is racist but not realistic." What do you mean realistic? Of course it's realistic, she did it in reality, no? I've said explicitly that her reasoning is racist and her behavior was bigoted. It's not an unrealistic expectation that elected officials behave (when it comes to managing their campaign and their behavior in the political process) in a way that reflects aspirational and appropriate social values.
I don't agree with the situation, but if you don't see the simple analogy that he was making than you are a quarter-wit.
It has nothing to do with someone being maimed. He is simply saying she made a decision based on the practical world rather than the principled world.
You and I might agree that it is better to go down in flames on your principles than to whore yourself into office, but at least I understand his analogy for what it is.
Exactly. Thank you
No. But what would be the outcome when a person of color knocks on the door of a neighborhood/community known to be racially bigoted and prejudiced? Why they would be rejected, much like you entering that bar. The similarities, her political career and your face would have resembled dog food.
She knew the "realistic" expectations of what would happen if black volunteers went door to door for her in a "socio-spatial segregated" neighborhood, much like you had a "realistic" expectation of what would happen when you entered that bar. Get it?
Glad to see your highly priced education is working out for you.
Give him a break, he's a wannabe politician. He has to be able to at least PRETEND he has no idea what's going on.
~WnyresidentBut your being a dick
I don't think he needs to PRETEND, when he doesn't know what it means to get a fluid ass-whoopin.
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