I am going to save the heavy stuff for part two of this article. You know: the deep stuff; the in-depth analysis and so forth. The kind of heady stuff that will get me in trouble (as usual), because I am sure some feathers will be ruffled; the kind of behind the scenes stuff that most of you like. You know what I am talking about: the “national enquirer” kind of stuff. The stuff I held back on during the campaign. The stuff I save for the political crack-heads.
Firstly, I must take some credit for the fact that I was the first blogger in the city, to bring attention to the Haitian-American agenda of political-empowerment through this special election. It was rough road all the way, but in the end the mission was accomplished. Congratulations are in order; not just for Mr. Matthieu Eugene (some are saying “Una-gene”), but also for those in that community who have been crying out for empowerment over the years.
I can recall that when I first started supporting Haitian-American candidates/empowerment/issues, with my money/contributions, time, energy, connections, intellect, etc.; many of my fellow Trinidadians thought I was being ridiculous, by my encouragement of others (nationalities) within a political environment where I was competitive. I remember giving speeches when Ernest Emanuel (Haitian-American politician) held his summer fundraising boat rides, encouraging his people to stay strong and fight for political empowerment, since nothing worthwhile ever comes easy for people of color. I remember talking about the needs of Haiti and the contributions that Haitians living in the USA could make to alleviate the situation back in the home-country. I could even remember joining some Haitian-Caribbean-American organizations. I remember the Haitian AIDS march- the largest demonstration ever seen in NYC. I remember writing so many contributory checks that my right hand is still sore from just the memory alone.
On one boat ride I brought so many guests that they had to delay the boat for my arrival/lol. But the rides were fun; we danced, sang and partied till midnight. One of my concubines always loved to attend them; she used to diet in anticipation of eating all the Caribbean food. I remember Maurice Gumbs dancing to a calypso called “Ride the Donkey” on one of the boat-rides. Michael Roberts used to be there; he knows what I am talking about. Many prominent Haitian-Americans came; many others from various Caribbean countries also came; even some afro-Americans showed up infrequently. Those were the good old days; the nineteen-nineties.
I even remember supporting the first Haitian-American (no it wasn’t Eugene) who was elected to public office in Brooklyn; his name was Rubain Durancy. He was just out of his teenage years and still wet behind the ears, but he was smart and articulate. He was a likeable guy. I think he is now an attorney in Brooklyn. He was elected to School Board 17; I think this was back in the nineties again. Look it up folks; Cousin Rocky knows what he is talking about.
Politics can surely be strange sometimes. Let me explain what I mean here. In 2001, there were about a dozen people initially attempting to run to replace Una Clarke (term-limited). After one of the candidates (Trinidad-born attorney Carl Thomas) died suddenly, the field had whittled down to around seven, since some were thrown off the ballot during the court challenges and such. In this field there was a Haitian-American named Jean Vernet who many (myself included) thought was clearly the best candidate in the race. Not only was he smart and talented (though he did have some personal demons/lol), he was articulate and knowledgeable on the issues. He was quite educated (I think he presently lectures at Cornell University-which is a member of the ivy-league chain), and he had deep roots in the community. He served on the board of directors of a CBO in which I once worked, and he also had experience in the area of public policy. Vernet was endorsed by the former (and first black) mayor of NYC, David Dinkins. He was also endorsed by the health workers union (1199). Late in the race he also snagged Al Sharpton’s endorsement; this happened after “Sharptongue” did an about face on Wellington Sharpe, who he had endorsed first in one of those lucrative little side-deals. Jean Vernet lost that race; the candidate-elect here can’t even hold a match to Vernet’s face.
This time around, Mr. Eugene- who may be a nice person on a personal level- enjoyed the backing of both Una and Yvette Clarke, and also the support of the same union (1199), and managed to pull it off. For those of us who intently observed the race, and listened to the candidates when they presented at various forums and such, the consensus seems to be that Mr. Eugene was “the weakest link”. What I mean by this is that he did not demonstrate a firm grasp of the issues at hand, nor did he articulate a vision for the district with the passion and conviction of someone who could make a difference. His political knowledge seemed minimal at best. He didn’t live in the district at any point in the past (or even in the present) it seems, nor did he demonstrate a sense of the political history of the district. He offered no solutions for any of the pressing problems facing the city, and clearly offered no new ideas on “education”. His English language skills alone leave a lot to be desired, and his performance on the stump and in the media, gave credence to the comments made throughout the district, to wit: that Una and Yvette only supported him because he will be no threat to Yvette in the future, since his political-potential is rather limited.
Ostensibly, this endorsement of Eugene by the Clarkes, was all about the political survival of Yvette (in her congressional seat), and not about what’s in the best interest of the community. What a fucking shame.
Let me elaborate further: this is not the first time that this district has been hurt by prominent/ meaningful endorsements. My friend Chris Owens will not like what I have to say here, but as I always tell my readers: I call it as I see it, I tell it as it is, then I duck. In 1991, Congressman Major Owens (the father of Chris) had a choice to make between endorsing Una Clarke, Carl Andrews and Maurice Gumbs for this very seat, and he chose to endorse Una. Now, can anyone tell me that Una intellectually matches up to Maurice? Any objective analyst can see that Maurice Gumbs was an intellectual giant when compared to those two; and yet he couldn’t get a union or any prominent elected official to endorse him and bring in all the needed goodies that translate into a win. He couldn’t even get UFT to endorse him, and he was an active member of this union for years. He even served on their executive once, and was also a school board member for many many years.
Let’s go further: Major didn’t endorse Gumbs against Marty Markowitz (1986 and 1988), nor did he endorse attorney Anthony Agard (another Trinidadian) against Rhoda Jacobs in 1982 (42ndAD), in a seat where over 85% of the residents were people of color. Is this a “trini-thing”/lol?
He made promises to endorse these guys, but in actuality he never did. When it was time for him to show up, Major was frozen like the last dinosaur found in Antarctica. In 1993 he even endorsed Lloyd Henry over activist-attorney Colin Moore; tell me who was the better candidate here? So Major isn’t squeaky clean in all this is he? He endorsed an alcoholic to represent Brownsville in the state assembly, even though he could have gone with Ron Ward (a prominent community-activist), or even the spouse of the departed Thomas Boyland. Was it about cronyism? It surely wasn’t about talent. How could Rev. Camara get to the Assembly (43rdAD) ahead of attorney Jesse Hamilton? Who has paid more dues in there? Who is better qualified in there?
When Frank Boyland chose to make a mockery of the political process- and in so doing waste taxpayers money- by resigning before even swearing-in, thus setting up a special election in which his son (Junior) could replace him in Albany, where were the unions? Where were the fellow electeds of Brooklyn decrying this action? When Al Vann and Annette Robinson pulled the “switcheroo”, where were the unions and/ or the other electeds? Unions and electeds only step in to endorse at their convenience; it’s not about common sense or common good. Usually it’s about their common interests and not about the interests of the community. What a shame.
Look, let’s be fair: Major isn’t alone in this. The endorsements of electeds, and also those of the trade unions, have always been contingent on who plays ball, who kisses ass, who is willing to perform political-fellatio, and who wouldn’t “rock the fucking boat”. It is rarely about who is best qualified, or best suited for the position. It is hardly about who has paid the most dues in the district, or who has consistently put out for the community. It is never about the street activist who tries to run a successful block association, or the tenant association president, or the PTA president diligently doing his/ her duty daily; the people really committed to community involvement and community development. Instead, it’s usually about political-lackeys lucking out. And you wonder why the black community isn’t well represented in Washington, Albany or City Hall?
Matthieu Eugene agreed to join a consensus process amongst all the Haitian-American candidates vying fro this seat; he even pledged to support the winner of that process. The Haitian-American community blessed the concept/reality of such a process. There were interviews and such for all those competing in the process. Candidates made their pitches. Some of the presentations were good, some were bad, and others were just fair, but when the debate/forum/process was over and another candidate was selected (Ferdinand Zizi), Mr. Eugene went out on his own and announced that he was going to run anyway. Say hip hip hooray for ‘integrity”. Say hello to Kevin Parker#2. And as Mark Anthony once said; “yes, Brutus is an honorable man”.
This is what Una and Yvette endorsed (just as they did with Parker/ what does that tell you). They could have endorsed another Haitian-American if that was the prime imperative. They chose not too. But what can you expect from Una Clarke? In the year 2000 she did what some dogs do: she bit the hand that fed her. That was the year that she challenged Major Owens for his congressional seat. She placed personal ambition ahead of loyalty. This was the same man who came off his hospital bed in 1991, to not only endorse her (against the Dem. county machine), but to also champion her cause and campaign with her, and get her all kinds of support from other prominent elected officials and such. Without Major Owens, Una loses the race to Carl Andrews hands down. On election night she went to bed about 50 votes down, it took a recount or two to get her the victory. She eventually won by about thirty-odd votes (I think).
One of these days you guys in out-there-land should remind me to write about that race; you won’t believe some of the things that happened. You won’t believe some of the things that Una and her folks pulled on both of the opposing campaigns. There was a day when Carl Andrews was in tears- both literally and figuratively- after a series of nasty articles were put out on him. Ask Carl if you don’t believe me. I know all you “Thomases” out there will say that Cousin Rocky is bullshitting here; but I am not. I hardly ever do, despite my strange sense of humor. Politics is serious business folks.
Look, let’s get real here: in the last 16 years, the combined performance of Una and Yvette Clarke in this seat has been “mediocre” at best. The funny thing is however, that when you compare this district to others all around it in “black-Brooklyn”, it doesn’t look as bad as it really is. This is partly because the other districts are represented by folks who are worse (except in one or two instances). The only politically-redeeming factors to Una’s lore are that she is “feisty”, “spunky”and”audacious”. Personally, I admire all that. Yvette is much more likeable, but her facial expressions suggest a woman in inner-pain. Una just doesn’t give a damn; she is something of a rebel. I like rebels; I am one. But Una isn’t a likeable person on many many levels; I could tell you stories first, second and third-hand. Most of us who have been active in the Caribbean-American community over the last quarter-century and more, have tolerated her more so than liked her. The Clarkes are a trip. I think they are both about self-aggrandizement (I hope I am wrong on this). Yvette still has a chance to leave a record of sterling achievement; so we shall see.
It’s time for Una to go away; retire to Jamaica, West Indies; make way for the young folks. She should dispose of all her real-estate holdings in the area and set up some type of non-profit/ philanthropic organization that could do some real good for those less fortunate; but she won’t. As long as Yvette (her biggest sycophant) is around so too will be Una. As long as Mathieu Eugene needs his hands held Una will assume some type of relevance; no kidding folks, so buckle up, and don’t say I didn’t tell you.
Two years ago, a consortium of NYC unions supported Darlene Mealy to replace Tracey Boyland in the city council, and after Mealy won the seat, many of us were left to wonder what ever happened to “competitive-bidding” (something the unions fight for by the way), since the young lady has been as lost as any unfortunate Alzheimer’s patient on the way to their daily early morning bathroom visit. If this wasn’t a case of “bid-rigging” then there was never ever one. In the future I expect better from Patrick Gaspard and the honchos of 1199. The communities of color are yearning for high-quality representation to attack their pressing needs and afflictions in the corridors of power. The unions have a responsibility to make sure that the people they endorse are of high caliber. You are not helping us fellas; you are really exacerbating the problems.
Stay tuned-in folks.