White Privilege and the 2015 Charlotte Mayor's Race

Did you see it?

It was hard to miss if you were paying attention. I believe white privilege is a major factor in the 2015 Charlotte Mayoral race. If you're in tune to matters of racial inequality and trying to find ways to eradicate it within our community, I trust you understand what I'm talking about. Read on. 

White privilege is a set of advantages and/or immunities that white people benefit from on a daily basis beyond those common to all others.White privilege can exist without white people's conscious knowledge of its presence and it helps to maintain the racial hierarchy in this country.May 10, 2003

White privilege - Mount Holyoke College

https://www.mtholyoke.edu/org/wsar/intro.htm

White privilege was served up to the black community on a silver platter during the 2015 Charlotte Mayoral Primary. I have no doubt it will continue. It was truly heartbreaking to witness such a willingness to receive every word. It was stunning, actually. It seemed as if the black community was in a fog or a trance, or a pied piper was playing. In a city where African-Americans make up 64 percent of the vote, the 2 white candidates carried many of the city's black precincts. Basically flipped them from 2013. Read on. You'll understand why I'm so stunned. 

They did so by getting a free pass, IMO, despite misrepresenting themselves and even lying to the citizens of Charlotte. Harsh, but true. Let me explain. 

In the past 18 months, we've been in a hypersensitive season in Charlotte politics, where ETHICS and ACCOUNTABILITY have been central to leadership. The City Council's Code of Ethics was revised in response to the former Mayor's (a BLACK man) unethical choices, which led to federal corruption charges & a prison sentence. Granted, the current mayoral candidates' behavior is nowhere near as severe as our former mayor's, HOWEVER, our leaders must be above reproach and carry themselves with the highest degree of character & integrity, ESPECIALLY when we're just emerging from one of the darkest times in Charlotte politics.  Being THE ONE appointed to the seat vacated due to corruption & ethics, one would think that a candidate for Mayor would thoughtfully consider their actions in every way, even in the smallest way. 

However, this was not the case, and we have a candidate (a WHITE man)

who said he would NOT run, (the media & his colleagues can bear witness to this agreement,) and yet he profusely denies he ever said any such thing. And he is now engrossed in the primary runoff. And no one is really saying anything about it or holding him accountable. Free pass.

As Deray McKesson says, "Watch whiteness work." 

The same can be said of the other candidate (a WHITE woman) in the mayoral runoff. She has consistently misrepresented herself and any authority she would have as mayor. She made promises in the black community (and the entire city for that matter) on which she has very little (and in some cases, NO) ability to follow through because the Mayor's office has limited power. But many voters don't know. Her campaign continues to run a false ad on TV; she has been called out about it as false. She has even corrected herself about it in public. But she still runs it. I read one local journalist say she knew how to 'exploit' the African American demographic. That she did. Free pass. 

Watch whiteness work. 

I'm watching this all play out with my own eyes, and I can't believe it. But at the same time, I can. I'm not hating on white people. I am white people. I am simply calling for accountability in our leaders. Like my Dad always said, "I call 'em like I see 'em." I'm sure neither are necessarily bad people. They know how whiteness works. 

The one LEGIT candidate in the race (a BLACK man), who ran clean, governed with clean hands, has done the work for his constituents and the city consistently with grit, humility & professionalism, has the experience, and can show you the results of his 10 years of work on the council, came in dead last. Why? Because there was a fear stoked: 'what if having another BLACK man in the mayor's office brings more corruption?' 

When the former mayor was arrested, WHO stepped in and held the city together, kept city services operating, spoke to the international media, and calmed everyone's fear about what was happening in our city? The LEGIT One. Who has continued moving the city forward consistently, bringing jobs and development, with integrity, great character and grace under incredible circumstances? The LEGIT One. 

In 2013, the LEGIT One carried 126 of the 166 total precincts. 

But now, he is done. 

Fear is a MF. 

Watch whiteness work.

*All views are my own.