In 2007 I wrote an email to the city attorney’s office in San Diego. The subject line of the email reads: "Representation and Institutional Racism"
I was concerned about what appeared to be a then in place and apparently structurally supported conditions of institutionalized racism existing in City Council District 4 if not the whole of San Diego City and County. It seems to me, that the talented less than 1% (a play on WEB Dubois’ talented 10 percent) which seemed to hold the super-majority of political, city governmental, and economy/social capital in that city county district were not only contributing to oppressive conditions to the majority of the working class populations of these area; but by seemingly insuring that only members (or in majority mainly members) of a narrowly defined group the talented less than 1% of the group these people seems to be re-presented as representing.
The topic was never, to the best of my knowledge, discussed in a public forum, nor was I contacted as to why the conditions either existed or did not exist, nor was the seeming pervasive existence of these oppressive and exclusionary conditions, to the best of my knowledge, ever corrected so that they meet city policies as I understand them.
From that time, many things have been written about Jim Crow in San Diego California. Some by the mainstream authorized scholars of local universities staffers, but still the political leadership of all colors and religions – seems to reject any notion of correcting these repressive or exclusive conditions in our shared human environment.
*
I am interested in having you three weigh-in on the topic of representation and what constitutes ‘real efforts to insure representation’ as seems to be mandated by ordinance as well as City Council policies (including but not limited to those few listed below.) This is my effort to gain some understanding as to why it appears we still have a grossly under-represented/unrepresentative group (representation not reflective of demographic data) of our local citizens (the Latinos) in so many of our city departments, City Council District 4, CCDC/SEDC board and senior staffing, and the Encanto Community Planning Group. As well, if By-Laws of any Community Planning Group (or any like group,) can excluded efforts, direction or intentions of any real efforts…, so that the of under-representation / non-represented group (unequal suffrage) is allowed to continue to exist - apparently un-addressed.
During an Encanto Community Planning Group meeting I brought up that it was my understanding that we were to make firm and real attempts to assure demographically-reflective representation and inclusion in the composition of, not only the Encanto Community Planning Group, but also in all groups and departments in the City of San Diego.
Below*, I believe you will find, a few sections of council policies and ordinances which direct such efforts should (perhaps must) be made to have representative inclusion in the Encanto Community Planning Group as well as all City Departments, Boards, Committees…, or Community Planning Groups.
It is my feeling that in supporting groups which are exclusive / have minority population over-representation gives those who presently hold the majority of civic and governmental power - the rights and ability to insure and maintain exclusion, marginalization or the repression of large segments of our diverse population are insured. I believe that such conditions may represent what could be defined as ‘institutional racism’ - perhaps similar to that of “Poll Tax‘ and ‘Jim Crow Laws’ of post-civil war era, or representative levels lower than the ‘1/3 representation law’ allowed for slaves of the pre-civil war era in certain regions of the United States of America. I believe we should all make efforts that such conditions are not allowed to exist today - anywhere in our City, State, or Nation.
Please respond with the planning department’s / City of San Diego’s position as to the direction, meaning, and application of these council police and ordinances* (as well as other mandates for equal right and representation issued or directed by the State and National governments as they apply to the City of San Diego’s governmental structure) so that I may understand what seems to be an unwillingness or inability to support these council polices and ordinances.
If I am wrong and there is no under-representation of any population or group in the city of San Diego in any board, committee, council, department, or other set however it may be defined - then I offer my most sincerely apologies for my misunderstanding. But if such is the case, that my understanding is in error, I would ask that data supporting claims of “reflective-representation” (such as made in City Council Chambers) be made available to me -- in a way that will allow for me to correct what I believe I have found in my own research and observations.
*(including but not limited to)
Please see #2 under the whereas items.
The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: http://docs.sandiego.gov/council_reso_ordinance/rao1988/O-88-185.pdf
Please see #7
The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: http://docs.sandiego.gov/councilpolicies/cpd_300-10.pdf
Here's the policy authority for the Diamond BID, which requires equal opportunity.
The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: http://docs.sandiego.gov/councilpolicies/cpd_900-07.pdf
See article II, section 5.
The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: http://docs.sandiego.gov/council_reso_ordinance/rao1988/O-88-185.pdf
I was concerned about what appeared to be a then in place and apparently structurally supported conditions of institutionalized racism existing in City Council District 4 if not the whole of San Diego City and County. It seems to me, that the talented less than 1% (a play on WEB Dubois’ talented 10 percent) which seemed to hold the super-majority of political, city governmental, and economy/social capital in that city county district were not only contributing to oppressive conditions to the majority of the working class populations of these area; but by seemingly insuring that only members (or in majority mainly members) of a narrowly defined group the talented less than 1% of the group these people seems to be re-presented as representing.
The topic was never, to the best of my knowledge, discussed in a public forum, nor was I contacted as to why the conditions either existed or did not exist, nor was the seeming pervasive existence of these oppressive and exclusionary conditions, to the best of my knowledge, ever corrected so that they meet city policies as I understand them.
From that time, many things have been written about Jim Crow in San Diego California. Some by the mainstream authorized scholars of local universities staffers, but still the political leadership of all colors and religions – seems to reject any notion of correcting these repressive or exclusive conditions in our shared human environment.
*
I am interested in having you three weigh-in on the topic of representation and what constitutes ‘real efforts to insure representation’ as seems to be mandated by ordinance as well as City Council policies (including but not limited to those few listed below.) This is my effort to gain some understanding as to why it appears we still have a grossly under-represented/unrepresentative group (representation not reflective of demographic data) of our local citizens (the Latinos) in so many of our city departments, City Council District 4, CCDC/SEDC board and senior staffing, and the Encanto Community Planning Group. As well, if By-Laws of any Community Planning Group (or any like group,) can excluded efforts, direction or intentions of any real efforts…, so that the of under-representation / non-represented group (unequal suffrage) is allowed to continue to exist - apparently un-addressed.
During an Encanto Community Planning Group meeting I brought up that it was my understanding that we were to make firm and real attempts to assure demographically-reflective representation and inclusion in the composition of, not only the Encanto Community Planning Group, but also in all groups and departments in the City of San Diego.
Below*, I believe you will find, a few sections of council policies and ordinances which direct such efforts should (perhaps must) be made to have representative inclusion in the Encanto Community Planning Group as well as all City Departments, Boards, Committees…, or Community Planning Groups.
It is my feeling that in supporting groups which are exclusive / have minority population over-representation gives those who presently hold the majority of civic and governmental power - the rights and ability to insure and maintain exclusion, marginalization or the repression of large segments of our diverse population are insured. I believe that such conditions may represent what could be defined as ‘institutional racism’ - perhaps similar to that of “Poll Tax‘ and ‘Jim Crow Laws’ of post-civil war era, or representative levels lower than the ‘1/3 representation law’ allowed for slaves of the pre-civil war era in certain regions of the United States of America. I believe we should all make efforts that such conditions are not allowed to exist today - anywhere in our City, State, or Nation.
Please respond with the planning department’s / City of San Diego’s position as to the direction, meaning, and application of these council police and ordinances* (as well as other mandates for equal right and representation issued or directed by the State and National governments as they apply to the City of San Diego’s governmental structure) so that I may understand what seems to be an unwillingness or inability to support these council polices and ordinances.
If I am wrong and there is no under-representation of any population or group in the city of San Diego in any board, committee, council, department, or other set however it may be defined - then I offer my most sincerely apologies for my misunderstanding. But if such is the case, that my understanding is in error, I would ask that data supporting claims of “reflective-representation” (such as made in City Council Chambers) be made available to me -- in a way that will allow for me to correct what I believe I have found in my own research and observations.
*(including but not limited to)
Please see #2 under the whereas items.
The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: http://docs.sandiego.gov/council_reso_ordinance/rao1988/O-88-185.pdf
Please see #7
The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: http://docs.sandiego.gov/councilpolicies/cpd_300-10.pdf
Here's the policy authority for the Diamond BID, which requires equal opportunity.
The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: http://docs.sandiego.gov/councilpolicies/cpd_900-07.pdf
See article II, section 5.
The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: http://docs.sandiego.gov/council_reso_ordinance/rao1988/O-88-185.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment