Posted on 09/20/2010 4:44:45 PM PDT by jazusamo
Few things have captured in microcosm what has gone so painfully wrong, where racial issues are concerned, as the recent election for mayor of Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, under whom the murder rate has gone down and school children's test scores have gone up, was resoundingly defeated for re-election.
Nor was Mayor Fenty simply a passive beneficiary of the rising test scores and falling murder rates. He appointed Michelle Rhee as head of the school system and backed her as she fought the teachers' union and fired large numbers of ineffective teachers — something considered impossible in most cities across the country.
Fenty also appointed the city's chief of police, Cathy Lanier, who has cracked down on hoodlumism, as well as crime.
Either one of these achievements would have made mayors local heroes in most other cities. Why then was he clobbered in the election?
One key fact tells much of the story: Fenty received more than 70% of the white vote in Washington. His opponent received more than 80% of the black vote. Both men are black. But the head of the school system that he appointed is Asian and the chief of police is a white woman. More than that, most of the teachers who were fired were black.
There were also bitter complaints that black contractors did not get as many of the contracts for doing business with the city as they expected. In short, the mayor appointed the best people he could find, instead of running a racial patronage system, as a black mayor of a city with a black majority is apparently expected to. He also didn't spend as much time schmoozing with the folks as was expected.
So what if he gave their children a better education and gave everybody a lower likelihood...
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
Just more *world upside-downism*.
As always another awesome column by the great Thomas Sowell
You have a whole culture of people in D.C. who, even though they have the physical characteristics of adults, are really children, in mental, psychological, and emotional terms. They are very easily led into self-destructive behavior patterns by cynical individuals. They can be counted on to do the wrong thing, and, as at any point in history, we have no shortage of mis-leaders who benefit from the electorate being convinced to “do the wrong thing.” It’s sad. It’s nothing new though.
Excellent post and you summed it up nicely, it is very sad.
Those inner city DC folks vote tribally. Power and virtue is measured by what the chief can take for himself and what he can do for the sub-chiefs.
These are the same people who kept bringing back Marion Barry.
Mediocrity hates excellence !
He exceeded that standards of mediocrity which is not tolerated by the leftists.
The District of Columbia is a federal enclave. It exists solely to support the seat-of-government.
Governing the District of Columbia is a function of Congress. The District has no right to an elected government.
With the demonstrated failure of District of Columbia “Home Rule”, it is time for Congress to rescind DC local government elections and resume running the District as they are required to do.
Then We, The People can hold Congress responsible for the state of DC as we are required to do.
I’m certain everybody knows it’s the road to “H” that’s so well paved with good intentions. Especially by wide eyed, dipscoot, empty headed Liberals, and their schemes resulting predictably in the category of unintended consequences.
I believe there was an old comedy show with a couple of hearts in the title back in the ‘50’s that was somewhat like the Liberal mind in its hilarious content.
Unfortunately Liberals are no longer entertaining.
Thanks for the ping jaz.
Lanier is retarded tho...
Another excellent Sowell article.
Thanks
Thank you for the ping.
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