African American Ministers Endorse for Mayor
The endorsement of Mayor Tom Menino by a group of African American ministers last weekend is an indicator of the Mayor’s strong support among some in that community.
However, the Flaherty campaign says they have their own group of ministers set to endorse their candidate in the coming days. This week, we’re going to look at the role these endorsements play in city politics. Comment here, and join us Friday at 1 for Radio Boston.
Comments
Leave a Reply
I think endorsements will be endorsements and yes, it’s true that both sides will get them.
However, looking more closely at the underlying issue of how people of color vote in the city of Boston you have to acknowledge that in 10 years of being a city councilor, Michael Flaherty has done nothing for people of color in Boston. He voted against tenants’ rights, has not been a champion of any development (such as the new police commission in Dudley), and never came to the communities of color…in 10 years! He visited Villa Victoria once, came to JP only a handful of times, and last Sunday was the first time he had visited a Black Church in Dorchester.
He has not supported people and communities of color in Boston and has only begun to visit them for votes. He comes into our communities acting like a ‘white savior’ and expects people of color to bow down to him and give over the pulpit.
People of color in Boston don’t need some hoax of a white knight in shining armor. We have a Mayor who, from DAY 1, has fought for and supported people of color and underserved Bostonians. Menino has taken the time and employed people from the communities so that there is an open dialogue between people and government to foster a better understanding of the issues facing these communities.
Nonsense!
Yes, Menino has indeed been far more attentive to communities of color than PAST/PREVIOUS politicians. He made a genuine effort. BUT 16 years is enough. The administration has run out of steam.
The concentration of power in ONE MAN, the paranoid and defensive tone of everyone from the Mayor down to middle managers, has exacted a heavy toll. We’re stuck. The people who ignore the virtual dictatorship and only talk about Menino’s “accomplishments” are NO different than the apologists for Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez. You know, they said the same things about Curley – he was “dedicated to the people” despite his machine and ethical issues.
Flaherty was 5 during busing. Your attempt to lump him with the past is crass. Flaherty has never claimed to be a “white savior” – just the opposite, he has actively sought the advice and partnership of Sam Yoon, Mel King and many other less famous names of color. Tony Henriquez – who’s running a valiant campaign against Chuck Turner, was on Flaherty’s Council staff, amongst others.
Flaherty supported Obama early while savior-Menino supported Clinton. Flaherty supported Deval while Menino supported Reilly. Flaherty was instrumental to Ralph Martin’s first election. Flaherty got rid of one of the last of the anti-busing pols – Dapper O’Neill, a guy who was also “unbeatable” btw. Flaherty was ADA at Roxbury District Court. And so on.
Perhaps you should go school Mel King on his endorsement of Flaherty/Yoon. I lived through busing and the Flynn/Mel unified endorsement was a beautiful thing.
I’ve listed Michael’s site b/c I am a volunteer on the campaign.
Michael Flaherty got off to a good start with Ralph Martin, I agree. But he blew it. He’s been a no-show in our communities and he’s going to lose 3-1 in Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan, just like he and Yoon lost there in September. Flaherty lost this community six years ago when he tried to sandbag Charles Yancey. He called Yancey- his city council colleague!- a “fraud” in the Boston Globe during a tough election fight in which Ego Ezedi- publicly backed by Flaherty- tried to take Yancey out. Maybe that’s the reason Yancey is sitting on his hands in this fight- because he’s hardly a fan of the mayor’s but he’s never, ever going to support Flaherty. Neither will Turner, another councillor targeted by Flaherty’s folks with no success. The rest of the electeds are all with the mayor too because they know their constituents and how its going to go.
One of the guests may not respect ” the white founding fathers” concerning separation of church and state. However, I suggest he may want to respect the Internal Revenue Code as much of what was said certainly endangers the tax exempt status of the churches where these pastor/leaders are addressing voters.
PLEASE COMMENT ON THOSE THAT DO NOT RELATE TO A “CHRISTIAN” MORAL AUTHORITY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. AND THOSE THAT ARE ATHEISTIC, NON-THEISTIC, AND THOSE WHO THE CHURCH SEEMS TO SHUN SUCH AS THE HOMOSEXUAL.
[...] the divisions within the African American churches in Boston and their role in the mayoral race on Radio Boston’s web site. WBUR Topics: Boston · Boston Mayoral Race · Politics Have something to say? [...]
What I found most curious about this report was the complete lack of questioning by WBUR about why political endorsements from religious practitioners were not being scruitinized for being in violation of their tax exempt status as religious organizations. Don’t we have a U.S. Constitution that separates church from state? Shouldn’t WBUR be questioning that more instead of endorsing the political endorsements of ministers?