Today, after seventeen years and one false-alarm resignation, Memphis mayor Willie Herenton retired. He served four full terms and half of a fifth – which I consider about three-and-a-half terms too many. Sure, the argument against term limits is that incompetent or ineffective politicians get voted out – but I’m not sure that theory works in a city where only 30% of the eligible population votes.
But that’s beside the point. Herenton’s campaign manager, Sidney Chism, made a comment to the paper where I work about “educating the people about why this district was created” and the need to “take it back” as a strategy underlying his congressional run. To me he is implying that the Ninth District is the product of illegal race-based gerrymandering and should be represented by a black person, which falls in line with racially divisive statements that have been a hallmark of Herenton’s tenure.
And then, in remarks at his retirement banquet this afternoon, the mayor was audacious enough to say that he sees only one race – human – and proceeded to shift blame for the racial disunity in Memphis.
“Don’t talk about Willie Herenton being divisive,” Herenton said. “When a community predicates unity on a winning basketball team. … that’s amazing to me. Now I love the University of Memphis basketball, I love it. But it is amazing to me that people consider a basketball team as a racial unifying thing for Memphis. You know what you need to be unified on? Getting our kids educated equally. …Cleaning up the slum so people got decent places to live. You ought to be unified on making sure that there are no barriers to employment and promotions. And you need to be unified on some black folks making some money. Those are the things that unify you and make you a better community. Those are the things you need to unify on.”
Maybe he’s just still bitter about the time he got booed at a Tigers game, but I’ve mentioned before here that I think the spirit the Tigers inspire in the community is a beautiful thing. I think it demonstrates perfectly the progress that is possible when we focus on what we have in common rather than what sets us apart. Look, I know Memphis is far, far behind when it comes to race relations. But as they say, you’re either part of the problem or part of the solution. Saying “Don’t blame me” is not constructive.
Meanwhile at the White House, the President hosted Henry Louis Gates and the Cambridge policeman who arrested him, I assume to do what people in Memphis need to be doing: talking it out.
“I have always believed that what brings us together is stronger than what pulls us apart,” the nation’s first black president said after the highly anticipated meeting ended. …
“We agreed to move forward,” [the officer] said later when asked if anything was solved. “I think what you had today was two gentlemen agreeing to disagree on a particular issue. I don’t think that we spent too much time dwelling on the past. We spent a lot of time discussing the future.”
Reconciliation begins with understanding. It’s not pointing a finger, it’s extending a hand. Some non-judgmental discourse could do folks in this city – the whole country, even – a world of good. I hope our new leadership makes it a priority. Because most of this city’s problems aren’t black or white problems. They’re Memphis problems.
I must say, Jen, this was a great piece. Hopefully, under a new regime, we can make the step forward as a city that we need…instead of taking a constant step back.
[...] ex-Mayor Willie Herenton and incumbent Rep. Steve Cohen. Herenton’s campaign manager repeated a race-baiting comment I mentioned in July: “This seat was set aside for people who look like me,” said Mr. [...]