The Atlanta Mayor’s race has heated up over the past 24 hours because of a memo written by a few grumpy old men who believe they can still control Atlanta’s political arena. The “Black Leadership Forum’s” memo to Atlanta Black leaders is riddled with many assumptions, misinformation, and untruths to be even taken seriously as a “Black Agenda”. If the memo was a “Black Agenda” then it would have outlined how Black folks are faring less than other races, socially, economically, and politically, and would have offered concrete solutions. This memo did neither. Instead it imparted a less than stellar solution that Black folks should all support one Black candidate in the next Atlanta Mayor’s race. The memo specifically says that Black folks should all unite behind Lisa Borders in order to retain the Mayor’s seat with a Black person. This hypocritical and specious plan holds true to the stereotype that all Black folks vote and think the same. We do not.
The crux of the problem with this group’s memo is the suggestion that their expectations can only be met by a person’s skin color. Not the content of the candidate’s message. One of the many failures of this memo, is that it fails to offer any analysis on how their chosen candidate will address the issues facing both Black and White Atlantans. Instead they state
An agenda, beyond just electing a Black Mayor, would allow us to move from the margins of the debate to controlling the expectations associated with gaining our support.
I really would like to know what self serving expectations this group has and how their expectations can’t be met beyond their endorsed candidate.
Their endorsed candidate, Lisa Borders, emphatically stated that one of the memo’s authors was wrong and that Atlanta needs a broad coalition of people. I think she should have gone further with her repudiation of this memo by refusing this group’s endorsement. She did not refuse their endorsement. Instead she said she couldn’t hold any of her supporters accountable because it is their first amendment right. Just because someone has the right to yell “fire” in the middle of a packed theater doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be held accountable for their actions. To characterize this group as overzealous supporters allows them to control the debate. A debate and conversation that they want to have which doesn’t address the needs of all Atlantans.
Throughout Lisa Borders’ press conference she mentioned countless times how she wanted to have this debate on race since December 2007 but the City and media were not ready for the discussion. I agree with Kasim Reed, Mary Norwood, and Borders that having a healthy debate on race and class in the context of housing, crime, and the City’s growth is necessary. But when divisive language takes center stage then the much needed conversation gets muddy.
As long as Atlanta leaders stay the same then Atlanta will continue much of the same. The “Black Leadership Forum’s” cries that the Black community will fare worse if Atlantans elected a White person as the next Mayor. Seriously, really? Are you kidding me? How well has Atlanta blacks fared under the leadership of the last two Black Mayors? I’m not talking about Atlanta’s Black middle class who have the potential to strive in any circumstance. I’m talking about Atlanta’s poor folks – the folks who government should be helping so they can reach their maximum potential. How have Atlanta’s most recent Black Mayors treated the poor, the homeless, the sick, and the uneducated? Poor folks haven’t been on the agenda since Young and Jackson left office. So let’s stop pretending that we have all “overcome” under the leadership of all Atlanta Black Mayors. We haven’t. And we won’t until Atlanta recognizes that a discussion on race must also include discussing the economic and social welfare of all its citizens.
The three leading candidates in the Atlanta Mayor’s race, Kasim Reed, Mary Norwood, and Lisa Borders should be judged on their agenda to move this City forward. Atlanta does not have the luxury to waste time by letting the words of a generation that have seen their glory political days past control the next generation’s future. We need a Mayor that is focused on solving Atlanta’s financial mess, neighborhood safety, and providing services to all its citizens. I don’t care of the next Mayor is Black or White – I just want a person who is willing to tackle all the challenges of this City and to get her fixed.
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