Whose Team are You On?
- By Jolanda Jones
- Published 07/14/2009
- Political
- Unrated
A lot has happened on City Council, especially recently, that makes me ask the question, “Hey colleagues, whose team are you on—the People’s or the Establishment’s?” During this, my first term on council, I have dealt with the definition of team more than I expected to. Because of the way the establishment is normally run, elected officials have to decide whose team they’re on.
I choose the People’s. I played varsity basketball at Elsik High School for four years. Likewise, I was an All State Cross-Country runner at Elsik and I also ran track, which some people swear is an individual sport notwithstanding the Elsik Girls’ Track Team won the 1984 State Track & Field Team Title.
To any one who has played on a successful team, you know there are different roles to be played by each member. Back then, I was the pusher, the motivator. In other words, I pushed our team to run our “suicides” on the basketball court fast and “to leave it on the floor” because I knew we would need that extra push during our “full court press,” “at crunch time” and/or at the end of the game when the other teams were running on empty.
I stood at the baseline and screamed for my teammates to push it. During cross country and track, I would stand at the finish line motivating my teammates to push through the pain and lactic acid—we would need that extra kick at the end of the race. Perhaps I got good training as a young athlete.
Little did I know that that would be my role on City Council for our team—the People. I know full well what it means to be on a team and play a part in its success.
I just never expected to have this notion of team to be such a seemingly big part of being an elected official. I thought that my obligation was to fight for and move forward whatever the citizens of Houston wanted. Then I got elected.
I was constantly accused of not being a team player. It came up any time I fought for what constituents asked me to fight for and it was not what the establishment or some colleagues wanted, then I was accused of not being a part of the team. Various attempts to marginalize my fights for the team were everywhere.
I was written about in the daily newspaper for wasting tax payers’ money for having a “Pepto Bismol pink office” and chairs; for cutting my hair because I wanted to be like Demi Moore in G.I. Jane; for wearing full length leather coats so I could be like the Matrix. Those were all lies. To tell you the truth, I was confused.
Being a part of the establishment’s team when the people didn’t want what the establishment wanted was an interesting concept for me. For example, stakeholders affected by proposed rail lines were very displeased with the manner in which METRO dealt with them from not including them meaningfully in decisions regarding the rail line alignments; to improper use of eminent domain to giving more amenities; to certain parts of town that weren’t as affluent as other parts of town, etc.
Insiders, those who know the inner workings of government, accused me of not being a part of the team because I voted “no” on the METRO contract. METRO’S refusal to budge, at the time of the vote on the contract, related to these matters guaranteed my “No” vote for our team. It should be noted, that eventually, METRO moved the Wheeler Line alignment to reflect the neighborhood’s sentiments and I then worked with METRO on that issue. At least on that issue, we ended up being teammates.
Insiders didn’t get it but the people appreciated it. The same thing happened when I began the fight for working air conditioners at fire stations based on complaints by some fire fighters. I heard every excuse in the book about why it was okay or understandable that the General Services sometimes took years to adequately repair broken air conditioning units.
I was not a part of the team because I was embarrassing that department’s director. Either the fire stations or I were not following proper protocol and if we did, General Services would expeditiously repair the air conditioning. Let’s just say, we all ended up on the same team.
The fire stations’ air conditioning issues are now handled in a better manner. Another example is the current racist and sexist issues at the Fire Department. I’m supposedly not a team player because I am not letting the investigation run its course and may somehow jeopardize it.
Wrong answer. I would never jeopardize this investigation. I just want to facilitate the truth coming out.
There is an attempt to paint anyone who is not about silencing the two women who were victims of hostile words and actions as “reckless stereotyping of the men and women of all races of the HFD by opportunist activists and self-appointed ‘labor’ organizations that inflame emotions but rarely offer solutions.” The establishment is trying to twist the people’s valid concerns into some sinister attempt to vilify all the men and women of the Fire Department.
Don’t be fooled. Trying to fix hostile working environments at certain fire stations during certain shifts, is akin to disciplining or chastising your child to know the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong. It is not an indictment of the entire HFD.
I hope eventually we all end up on the same team in this fight—the People’s fight, to protect the rights of all fire fighters and citizens to be treated fairly regardless of race and/or gender, etc. The team I choose to be on is the one that fights for the People, not the team that’s trying to keep the truth from being told. End, Part 1.
Jolanda “Jo” Jones is a member of the Houston City Council, At Large Position 5.
I choose the People’s. I played varsity basketball at Elsik High School for four years. Likewise, I was an All State Cross-Country runner at Elsik and I also ran track, which some people swear is an individual sport notwithstanding the Elsik Girls’ Track Team won the 1984 State Track & Field Team Title.
To any one who has played on a successful team, you know there are different roles to be played by each member. Back then, I was the pusher, the motivator. In other words, I pushed our team to run our “suicides” on the basketball court fast and “to leave it on the floor” because I knew we would need that extra push during our “full court press,” “at crunch time” and/or at the end of the game when the other teams were running on empty.
I stood at the baseline and screamed for my teammates to push it. During cross country and track, I would stand at the finish line motivating my teammates to push through the pain and lactic acid—we would need that extra kick at the end of the race. Perhaps I got good training as a young athlete.
Little did I know that that would be my role on City Council for our team—the People. I know full well what it means to be on a team and play a part in its success.
I just never expected to have this notion of team to be such a seemingly big part of being an elected official. I thought that my obligation was to fight for and move forward whatever the citizens of Houston wanted. Then I got elected.
I was constantly accused of not being a team player. It came up any time I fought for what constituents asked me to fight for and it was not what the establishment or some colleagues wanted, then I was accused of not being a part of the team. Various attempts to marginalize my fights for the team were everywhere.
I was written about in the daily newspaper for wasting tax payers’ money for having a “Pepto Bismol pink office” and chairs; for cutting my hair because I wanted to be like Demi Moore in G.I. Jane; for wearing full length leather coats so I could be like the Matrix. Those were all lies. To tell you the truth, I was confused.
Being a part of the establishment’s team when the people didn’t want what the establishment wanted was an interesting concept for me. For example, stakeholders affected by proposed rail lines were very displeased with the manner in which METRO dealt with them from not including them meaningfully in decisions regarding the rail line alignments; to improper use of eminent domain to giving more amenities; to certain parts of town that weren’t as affluent as other parts of town, etc.
Insiders, those who know the inner workings of government, accused me of not being a part of the team because I voted “no” on the METRO contract. METRO’S refusal to budge, at the time of the vote on the contract, related to these matters guaranteed my “No” vote for our team. It should be noted, that eventually, METRO moved the Wheeler Line alignment to reflect the neighborhood’s sentiments and I then worked with METRO on that issue. At least on that issue, we ended up being teammates.
Insiders didn’t get it but the people appreciated it. The same thing happened when I began the fight for working air conditioners at fire stations based on complaints by some fire fighters. I heard every excuse in the book about why it was okay or understandable that the General Services sometimes took years to adequately repair broken air conditioning units.
I was not a part of the team because I was embarrassing that department’s director. Either the fire stations or I were not following proper protocol and if we did, General Services would expeditiously repair the air conditioning. Let’s just say, we all ended up on the same team.
The fire stations’ air conditioning issues are now handled in a better manner. Another example is the current racist and sexist issues at the Fire Department. I’m supposedly not a team player because I am not letting the investigation run its course and may somehow jeopardize it.
Wrong answer. I would never jeopardize this investigation. I just want to facilitate the truth coming out.
There is an attempt to paint anyone who is not about silencing the two women who were victims of hostile words and actions as “reckless stereotyping of the men and women of all races of the HFD by opportunist activists and self-appointed ‘labor’ organizations that inflame emotions but rarely offer solutions.” The establishment is trying to twist the people’s valid concerns into some sinister attempt to vilify all the men and women of the Fire Department.
Don’t be fooled. Trying to fix hostile working environments at certain fire stations during certain shifts, is akin to disciplining or chastising your child to know the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong. It is not an indictment of the entire HFD.
I hope eventually we all end up on the same team in this fight—the People’s fight, to protect the rights of all fire fighters and citizens to be treated fairly regardless of race and/or gender, etc. The team I choose to be on is the one that fights for the People, not the team that’s trying to keep the truth from being told. End, Part 1.
Jolanda “Jo” Jones is a member of the Houston City Council, At Large Position 5.