It was a dramatic scene just weeks ago when Alderwoman Sharon Tyus shut down the Board of Aldermen with her tribute to Black Lives Matter. And even more dramatic at the end when alderpersons, black and white, stood up holding Black Lives Matter signs. They each took turns speaking, stating their commitment to changing a persistent culture of institutionalized racism.
Among those participating were Lyda Krewson, Christine Ingrassia and Shane Cohn. That was then. This is now.
Those three turned tail. They let down those they had stood with and symbolically committed to protect. Like so many (too many) “white allies,” they stood down when it was for real – when it was time to cast a meaningful vote.
Friday, February 13 was their opportunity to vote to move forward the bill for civilian oversight of the St. Louis police. It was a straightforward vote on a bill they had studied and whose language had remained essentially the same since they had signed on as co-sponsors. It was time to say if they stood with the folks they said they would stand with.
All three voted no.
To be sure, they came up with reasons. They had heard the sponsor might put forward some new amendments. They hadn’t been consulted. The bill needed more deliberation.
But when they were enlightened that the rumors of “new amendments” were untrue, they stuck with their “no.” No matter that they had had months to bring up issues with the bill. No matter that there was nothing to know that they didn’t know or couldn’t have learned with little effort. No matter that Black Lives Matter.
Truth is, all three fell victim to the logic of their institution, where ego, petty personal issues, and the voice of the police union whispering rationales in their ear meant more to them than creating ground-breaking policy.
When people are in the streets crying out for justice, does it really matter if you like the sponsor of the bill? Is your confusion over procedural tactics so self-justifying that you can’t walk across the aldermanic chamber and seek clarity? Is your fear of the threat of a police slowdown in your ward more important than the fear of our black brothers and sisters every time police look their way?
Please spare us the complaint that you only wanted a better bill. We all want a better bill, but this one has been carefully negotiated into a delicate balance. You are the ones now carelessly threatening to derail the process – you, who are white, protected and privileged enough to find justification for standing down.
There are ways we can “spend” our privilege, by taking on some discomfort ourselves to fight with others who have no choice but to fight. But there are ways our privilege can be sadly misspent – when we forget what really matters and hide behind whiteness as a shield. These three spent like drunken sailors on Friday.
John Chasnoff is a member of the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression.
