When I write columns like this one, they invariably lead to e-mails and phone calls where I have to defend my virginity (political), integrity and honor. Sometimes the callers are so-called friends, with special interests and/or hidden agendas; I don’t care for the shouting matches (sometimes/lol). I do these type of columns because I blog with a purpose, and also because I do believe that voters need to know the kind of things that take place behind the scenes, before they pull the levers on the voting machine.
One Friday evening last month, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (Brooklyn’s 11th district) was spotted on Broadway (Booth Theatre) taking her mother (Una Clarke) to see Laurence Fishburne, starring in the play “Thurgood Marshall”. Fishburne was one of the stars in a movie in which I appeared, more than a decade in ago. He is quite a humorous though intense actor. That movie was entitled: “Searching for Bobby Fisher”. In it, I played myself (as a chess player); and of course near all my best scenes were left on the cutting floor/lol.
In “Marshall”, Laurence Fishburne has done a tremendous job bringing an icon back to life; and if you know anything about Thurgood Marshall, I am sure you must know that he was denied entrance to many top law schools: because he was black. He was eventually accepted by -and graduated from- Howard Law School in Baltimore, Maryland. He later became the first Negro (black) lawyer to be selected to the country’s highest court. Justice Marshall wrote some of the most profound decisions in the history of the SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) relative to issues of race. He was one of the lead lawyers in the landmark decision of Brown v. Board of Education (1954). He was a champion of the civil rights cause. He was also a champion in the fight for racial equality.
So the question becomes this: how does one view racial equality when it comes to running for public office in a district where one is a member of the district’s minority? I will expound further, but before I do that, let’s briefly give some relevant background info to help guide you though this article.
Two years ago, the black incumbent congressman (Major Owens) from the eleventh district chose to retire rather than seek re-election. The white residents of this district comprised a little over twenty-five per cent of the total population. There were four black candidates initially, and then a white councilman (David Yassky) threw his hat into the ring. Many people were upset. I wasn’t. So it was an opportunistic move; so what? It is about freedom, equal rights, and equal opportunity for ALL.
I will say this over and again: David Yassky has (and had) every right to run for the 11th congressional seat. To oppose this position is to be totally contradictory to the letter and spirit of our national Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Clarkes were wrong in their position then -just as they are wrong in their position now (relative to the 21st senatorial district and the upcoming primary).
One of the blacks dropped out of the race (Assemblyman Nick Perry), leaving three other blacks to run against the one white candidate. They were namely: Yvette Clarke, Chris Owens and Carl Andrews. Without boring you with the details, let me just say that when all was said and done: Yvette Clarke won a close race with Yassky coming in second.
With that as a backdrop, let me now tell you about the 21st Senatorial District. It was carved out in 2002. It stretches from Borough Park through Ditmas Gardens, Midwood, Kensington, Flatbush, Vanderveer Houses, Glenwood, parts of East Flatbush, and ends up near Carnarsie, Brooklyn. The demographics are similar to the 11th congressional district. Blacks make up about sixty per cent of the residents, and whites make up about twenty-five. Hispanics are about ten per cent, and the other five per cent are Asians and others. This is a rough estimate, but real close. The demographics may have changed a bit in the last six years, but not by much.
By May of 2002, about a dozen blacks had intoned that they wanted to contest the open seat; I know, since I was one of them. Many of my supporters had pulled me kicking and screaming into the race. I was a reluctant runner. Then a white candidate entered; his name was Noach Dear; he was a former city council member. The blacks started panicking. The feeling was that one white amongst all these blacks will surely win the seat, since the black vote will be split up into too many little pieces. You know how intelligent these black electeds are: it took them quite a few months to come up with this realization and a plan to suit.
The black electeds from all over Brooklyn (from Congress down) decided to call for a consensus candidate process, whereby they will select one candidate that the Kings County political machine would throw all its weight and resources behind. They promised help with fundraising for that winner (candidate). They also promised union support, endorsements and many other political goodies. All the candidates promised to support the winner of the process and refrain from running as mavericks. All the electeds also promised to honor the process by supporting the winner enthusiastically. This was another classic case which proves that most of the black electeds in Brooklyn are full of shit.
Then Lori Knipel entered the race. She is white. She is also the district leader of the 44thAD. Then even later Harry Karloshi entered; another white candidate. In the end there were two blacks and three whites who contested the race. However, before we got there, the black electeds met and set the rules for the consensus process. The night of the second meeting, one of the white candidates (Lori Knipel) showed up: hoping to be included. Out of about ten black candidates, I was the only one who voted for her inclusion. In the end she was excluded.
I have never delved deeply into writing about this process and the horrible experience I had here, but hopefully one day I will; for now, let’s just say that I eventually withdrew from the race despite being the first candidate selected as one of the three finalists. I couldn’t stomach the lies, deception, hypocrisy and dishonesty coming from too many of the players and electeds involved. If there was one event that has turned me off from running for public office again: it was this one; not even the inevitable and perennial court challenges to my petitions come close.
Eventually Omar Boucher emerged as the consensus winner, and yet despite the promises from all those electeds, most of them reneged and supported a loser in the process (Kevin Parker), who had given his word to honor the process; you see the fix was always in. Clarence Norman turned out to be one of just a few who kept their word. To this day, I respect him for that; even though he made it quite clear to many, that he didn’t want me to emerge as the winner of the process.
Kevin Parker eventually won the race and became the senator –a position he has held for six years. I will say this until I can’t say it anymore: he is no fucking good; he is a man void of integrity, and he has shown no propensity for change.
Then last year I told you guys to expect some fireworks when council member Dr. Kendall Stewart challenges Parker this year. Ironically enough Stewart was one of those who encouraged and supported Parker when he dishonored the consensus process. Two years later Stewart was supporting Wellington Sharpe in his challenge to Parker. Now four years later he is challenging parker himself. What does all that tell you?
Then last month another white candidate jumped into this year’s race for the 21st SD; his name is Simcha Felder. Ironically enough, he was the council member who replaced Noach Dear. Remember, Noach Dear tried three times in a row (2002, 2004 and 2006) to win this said seat. Last year Noach decided to run for a judgeship instead. He won and is now a sitting judge.
Simcha Felder is a likeable guy, and he is nowhere close to being as controversial as Noach (Noah) Dear. Felder has a strong chance of winning this race-even if one of the black candidates drop out (as rumors have it). Once again black folks have started to panic. I will deal with that in another column later this week.
Last month a meeting was set up by the political club that both Yvette and Una Clarke head up, located on Flatbush Avenue, near Empire Boulevard in Brooklyn; the expressed purpose of the meeting was for the club to endorse a candidate in the upcoming senate race. Kevin Parker was interviewed first. I am told by my spies that he did reasonably well. Kendall Stewart then showed up after Parker (to take his usual whipping from the Clarkes) with high hopes of snagging the endorsement. One of these days, Kendall will realize that some of his so-called alliances are not worth the paper that the verbal agreements are written on. Hopefully that day will come soon.
Then Simcha Felder (the only white candidate in the race) showed up. He had hoped to address the club and make his pitch as to why he should be considered for the club’s endorsement. He wasn’t allowed to address the group. That was shameful behavior exhibited by the Clarkes; although I am told that Yvette was not present at this gathering. However, Una ran the show and called the shots. Why are we going down this road again?
It’s a David Yassky/ Lori Knipel redux folks. It’s de-ja-vu all over again. Maybe someone needs to explain the Thurgood Marshall life story with its ancillary historical underpinnings, to both Yvette and Una, all over again. Una was born in Jamaica so she probably missed a lot of the historical subtleties; but what is Yvette’s excuse? After all, she was born right here in Brooklyn, as far as I know. Did she flunk History? And by the way: when is Yvette going to finish up her coursework and graduate from college? That would mend a lot of fences for her; but she is probably unaware of this; or maybe she just doesn’t give a damn.
At the rate Yvette has been imploding since the middle of her congressional campaign two years ago, it is obvious that she will be challenged soon. This year there are no primary challengers, but in two years I will be surprised if she runs unopposed again. The next year of Yvette’s tenure will be critical to her political survival. I know she reads my column, so let me just say this: girlfren, this is a piece of advice only; but you need to heed it -unsolicited as it may be.
At this club meeting -that Monday night last month- I am told that Una’s puppy dog brother was running back and forth (from the door) preventing (on Una’s word) visitors who wanted to get in and observe the proceedings. Two persons who were rejected were Michael Roberts (Carib News) and Wellington Sharpe (community/ political activist). One of the people at the table was city council member Mathieu Eugene (I hope he had an interpreter) -another one from Una’s puppet-on-a-string stable.
For the club members to not have seen the blatant discourtesy, and the possible constitutional violation inherent in their action, is enough to tell me that Una is again running things with her usual heavy hand and pugnacious demeanor. It is time for Yvette to tell the woman she loves so much (her mom) to chill out. Una may have taken her this far with a piggy-back, but it time now for Yvette to be a woman and politically stand on her own two feet. Calls like this one -denying Felder speaking time- have a way of coming back to nip you in the ass. Be careful.
Stay tuned-in folks; and as I said before: politics is the only game in town.