Detroit City Council President Monica Conyers was quoted as saying her racist comment to a union worker at a recent meeting was not racist at all. No, she was just simply stating the truth so that was okay.
Wow. How is this woman an elected official?
Here's some background on the situation. During a Council meeting where Conyers and her backers were trashing a proposed Cobo deal that would GIVE Detroit $288 million as being an attempt by the suburbs (white people) to take away something from the city, a white union rep said the deal would provide jobs. Conyers said the jobs would be for people that looked like him (white) and not her (black).
Technically, she was correct. She was stating a fact; the two do not look the same. She could have stated other facts like, "You are wearing shoes" or "You have two arms, two legs and one nose" or "We're at a meeting" and been "accurate."
Conyers may have a technicality on her side but her intent was to make it clear she wants jobs to go to black people. (I guess she doesn't realize there are white people, Chinese people, Arabs, and all sorts of other people in the city.)
There is nothing wrong in defining a difference between two individuals. The problem comes when those differences cause you to deny someone an opportunity. That is the textbook definition of racism. If a white mayor or council president said that, he or she would be out of office the next day.
So Conyers walks away from another verbal blunder that would have doomed most any other politicians career. She also told the union man he could say President Obama's name during the meeting. I guess in conyers' eyes white people have no right to speak about a successful person of color.
So much for Obama bringing us together.
It is another example of the Clown School atmosphere of the Detroit City Council.
Until next time, enjoy Michigan and keep an eye on Conyers.
