Did
Michael Berry pimp Black voters?
Although a malicious letter questioning Mayor Lee P. Brown's
professional integrity and personal character hadn't become news at the time a copy was
sent to me by a City Hall insider, African-American News&Issues would be remiss (as
Black Houston's watcher on the wall and strongest editorial voice), to not analyze the
content of the missive for our readers who have inquiring minds and want to know.
Perhaps, we should cut to the chase and share the letter for your edification before
putting our Black perspective spin on it. The letter to Mayor Brown, dated April 22, 2002,
allege as follows: "Dear Mayor Brown: We are appealing to you as a leader, a man of
great integrity and as a defender of civil rights. We are respectfully requesting that you
issue a public statement that you hope Barry Smitherman was not fired by Bank One because
of his participation in an editorial opinion letter that appeared n the Chronicle four
days before his termination.
"We are not accusing you of having urged the termination of Mr. Smitherman. While it
is possible that you may not have appreciated the content of the editorial, it is
altogether likely that upon reading it you did not disapprove of the suggestions stated
therein. Indeed, you have dealt with much tougher arguments than that in your tenure as
Mayor. We have been advised, though, that a high ranking official with Bank One called Mr.
Smitherman's boss in Chicago and told her that the Mayor of the City of Houston was mad at
Bank One and that he was afraid this would hurt their business. Regardless of the title of
the person placing the call, and regardless of your position in the matter, it appears
that the implication was made that your administration was angry with Bank One over the
issue.
"Mayor Brown, even if someone called and represented that you were unhappy--- and
even if you were unhappy-we would hope you would not want a man's livelihood taken away
for expressing his First Amendment right of free speech. Yet, that is exactly what has
happened. But we don't think it is too late. We are calling on you, as a favor to us to
please consider issuing a public statement declaring that you are not angry with Bank One
and would not wish for someone to be fired because of the aforementioned article. We are
very grateful for your consideration of this matter and we only hope and pray that Bank
One will be brave enough to do the right thing and reinstate Mr. Smitherman. We look
forward to your response. Respectfully yours."
Most grassroots African-Americans after reading the foregoing letter probably thought of
it being what the old folks use to call "a nice- nasty" insult. Nevertheless,
what really got my attention was that City Councilmembers Bert Keller, Mark Ellis and
Michael Berry only signed the letter. Yes, "our" Michael Berry, who literally
charmed the Black voters to the point of being playfully called a "brother"
during a post election guest appearance on KCOH's Person-to-Person talk show.
It's certainly understandable why one could mistake Berry as being Black like us, insofar
as when Rep. Sylvester Turner introduced him at a post-election Acres Home Citizens
Chamber of Commerce network/luncheon, he definitely gave us the impression that he
identified with the Black community. And for that reason, I was surprised to see Berry's
name on a letter demeaning Mayor Brown (mailed to all Council Members and City Controller
Sylvia Garcia), along with Houston's first Black mayor's avowed adversaries.
Insofar as Turner plans to run for mayor again, it suddenly occurred to me that Berry just
might not be a friend he needs. Then again, maybe Berry, who won his At-Large #4 seat in
the December 1, 2001 runoff, is new to politics and is making the same youthful mistakes
(of trying to run with the foxes and hunt with the dogs), as Councilmember Carroll
Robinson made during his first term. If so, AAN&I will give him the same warning to
the wise that we gave Robinson: Watch the company you keep, because birds of a feather
flock together.
We are hoping that Berry wasn't pimping the Black community by claiming to be Rep.
Turner's pal. If so, he should be forewarned that he already has two strikes against him.
Berry, without hesitation voted against Brown on the Pleasant Hill Community Development
Corpora-tion's $90 million dollar deal, but the Chronicle's intimidating (anti-PHCDC)
articles could have had something to do with that. We hope that's the case, because
nothing turns Black voters off more than to be chumped out by a White politician who pimps
our community. |
