We’re sure politically-astute Houstonians know that the headline isn’t actually what Houston’s City Council said about reparations. We all know that politicians never say what they mean. But, as our common sense elders use to say when we were Negroes: “Actions speak louder than words.” And no matter how eloquently eight Councilmembers explained why they voted against a proposed resolution to support reparations, in essence they said “the hell” with reparations.
Listen closer and you’ll hear them say that the reparations issue was not only a waste of time, but a nuisance they don’t want to be bothered with. Councilmember Addie Wiseman said as much. She didn’t straight up say that the Council has too much important business to be bothered by foolish Black people, on a fool’s quest, but our elders taught us to read between the lines. Wiseman and/or those who think like her should take lessons from Councilman Gordon Quan. Personally, Quan opposes the reparations concept, but he still respected us as citizens. We mention Quan, in particular, because he demonstrated the kind of respect for all citizens that elected or appointed officials should have.

On the flip side, Bert Keller’s statement qualified him to be clueless elected officials’ poster boy. “I wish it (the proposal) wasn’t on the agenda. It’s not healthy for the city government to get involved in national politics when it can become unconstructive,” Keller reasoned. Somebody should tell Keller, Wiseman, et al, that anything that concerns citizens should concern them. One only has to realize who votes for the politicians that voted against the proposal to quickly realize that Houston is a racially divisive city. Truthfully, Council members representing conservative Republicans weren’t about to vote for a pro-Black issue.

In essence, their vote said that they don’t need our votes. Why should they take a chance on angering bigots, who never have and never will respect African-Americans? We Must Understand, although Houston is the fourth largest city in the nation, racism is alive and well in 2002 America. Gutless politicians (dependent on racists’ votes) dare not show the slightest hint of respect for African-Americans, when they represent a constituency that disrespects us. The hell with political correctness, we might as well tell it like it is. The truth is, in spite of having Black faces in high places, including a Black chief executive and Black police chief, there are many spineless White people who still fear being branded “a nigger lover.”

And that’s the flat out truth, no matter how relentless Mayor Lee Brown tries to promote the city’s diversity and racial climate that makes it the best city in the nation for African-Americans. With that said, let’s discuss our good friend Michael Berry, who courted the Black vote shamelessly to fill an At- Large City Council seat.

He misrepresented himself as a politician of the future that will truly make Houston a racially diverse Mecca. It’s understandable why Quannel X went off on him with the warning, “Don’t come into our community anymore, you are not welcome!” Naturally we applaud Quannel, but he shouldn’t have stopped at Berry. We Must Understand, Berry couldn’t have found his way to the Black community without the help of State Rep. Sylvester Turner and Carl Davis, the former vice chairman of Harris County Democratic Party who now works in Berry’s office.

It’s too bad Turner has not learned by now that a snake will bite you sooner or later and that goes for white and black snakes. In Turner’s case, it’s sooner now that Berry has decided that he would make a better mayor for Houston than a supposedly veteran politician who allowed himself to be pimped by a rookie. Perhaps pimped is too strong of a word to describe Turner, who could’ve actually been trying to build a bridge across Houston’s bi-partisan divide. Turner is like a son to me, but as the Bible says “spare the rod spoil the child.” On the other hand, when it comes to Davis, the word pimped is too mild to describe a turncoat that sells his people out for 30 pieces of silver. The name Judas quickly comes to mind.

Needless to say, we will be watching those who support Berry closer than we watch him. Especially Black politicians and leaders. We will have zero tolerance for Black people who support Berry in the future. Then again, we are not without fault ourselves. African-American leaders who endorsed bond elections and convinced us to vote for downtown stadiums and basketball arenas have pimped us before.

Even so, our stupidity or political naivete has nothing to do with eight members of our diverse city’s City Council saying “the hell with reparations.” There is something seriously wrong in Houston, Texas, when a majority of its City Council refuses to give what amounts to a feel good vote. What possible harm could it do for a supposedly progressive, all-inclusive city to send the world the message that a people that had suffered cruel and inhuman slavery for centuries deserves to be allowed to at least discuss reparations? Human decency dictates that descendants of slaves are due some kind of reparations.

But, the question is: are Michael Berry, Bert Keller, Gabriel Vasquez, Addie Wiseman, Bruce Tatro, Shelly Sekula-Gibbs, Mark Ellis and Mark Goldberg decent human beings? Yes, we heard the explanations why reparations for descendants of slaves are unrealistic. We’ve heard them for years. We’ll even concede that some of the arguments make sense. Nonetheless, we have yet to hear a good reason why America shouldn’t at least discuss the issue. In fact, we don’t think there is a good reason why reparations for descendants of slaves shouldn’t at least be discussed. But apparently the majority of Houston’s City Councilmembers had a reason that was good enough for them to vote against the proposal.

Could the reason be that Houston is being run by public officials who have “us against them” mentalities and aren’t about to do anything to help us? As scary as that is, it’s good to know how our city feels about us. It’s important to know that what’s important to us, isn’t exactly important to all of Houston-- the next time all of Houston need our vote. In fact, since our city says “the hell with reparations,” we definitely should say “the hell with HISD’s bond” that will be on the Nov. 5, 2002 ballot.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION must be taken by African-Americans to seek retribution against public officials who oppose reparations.