Columnist Jamala Rogers
The latest blow up in the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus is sure to produce fallout that will prohibit a unified plan going into the state’s 2006 General Assembly.
As with any split of this nature, getting through the innuendoes and accusations to the source of conflict may be difficult. That’s because people’s relationship to the problem or the problem person gives them a certain perspective.
The issue now is what can be salvaged and how will the group (whichever one stabilizes the quickest) effectively prepare for the legislative battles ahead.
Meanwhile, I hope someone is helping the junior legislators to sum up the lessons from such discord.
I hope someone is telling the newly elected African-American public servants that it’s high time to break the mold of decision-making historically used that favors male domination and power-grabbing.
I want someone to tell them that there are models for power-sharing that are culturally and socially more compatible for our people. The most-used model is the capitalist one which says whoever has the most wins. It undermines any serious attempts to create or strengthen a democratic process and to share power. This model uses divide-and-conquer as a way to keep those genuinely struggling for power fighting one another while the power broker is busy collecting more power for himself
Someone needs to tell the new lawmakers that there are two pools in Jefferson City. One is the cesspool where lawmakers spend precious time conniving, deceiving and misleading each other as well as their constituents. Legislators wade through excrement to swim around in blood from all the back-stabbing. They dodge body parts and broken careers trying to avoid the lethal harpoon of a competitor. The waters are murky, and you have no idea who’s in there with you or what they’re doing. Too many have adapted to the conditions of this pool and believe that there is no other way. They’re stuck.
The other pool is a mirror pool. It’s the opposite of the cesspool. First of all, the water is clear and reflects all that is around it. You can see that the folks swimming with you have shared goals and values. Most of the time there’s harmony in the pool because of the transparency. When conflicts are brewing, it’s easy to see them as well and be proactive in addressing the resolutions.
I think someone should tell those new folks, who are enthusiastic and vulnerable, that they will observe bad political habits in the capitol. These have more to do with ego and posturing than with serving the people.
The African-American community has seen its fair share of good people being elected and then has had to watch a strange changes in their behavior. It is a sad thing indeed.
I have worked with everyone from the eastern side of the state in the Legislative Black Caucus. Most are decent and intelligent people.
The question is: Can they pull it together enough to carry out our important agenda?
Maybe marking those doors to the pools would help guide them in the right direction.