SOUTH LA - Welcome to the Los Angeles City Council, where followership is poorly disguised as leadership. Followership reared its ugly head again yesterday when residents of our city came to voice their disapproval to the redistricting plan only to be silenced by a herd of 13 councilmembers.
600 people came to testify against the maps in March. And, some took time out of their busy schedules again yesterday. But without warning, 13 councilmembers told them that they had heard enough and that no further comment was needed.
It was a slap in the face to these constituents, who might have been better off barking, simply to ensure that they would be treated as fairly as the dogs adopted in council on any given Friday.
After observing the goings-on yesterday and the entire redistricting process as a whole, it is no surprise why a University of Illinois study recently declared Los Angeles number two on the list of sleaziest cities in the nation.
Given our current situation, my biggest fear is that we will be grabbing the number one spot real soon. Well, at least we'll lead the country in something.
All of this should not discourage us.
Although I, like many others, have learned not to expect much from the mayor, this fight will live on long after this plan is signed in his office. I am very proud of the coalition that has formed between South LA, Koreatown, Little Tokyo, an assortment of Neighborhood Councils and others around the city.
As my colleague Councilmember Jan Perry said, "It's not the end. It's the beginning!"
(Barnard C. Parks is Councilman for Los Angeles’ 8th District. Contact him at: www.bernardparks.com or twitter@BernardCParks and on Facebook at Facebook.com/CouncilmemberParks)
-cw
Tags: Bernard Parks, Councilman Parks, Jan Perry, City Council, LA Redistricting, redistricting, maps
CityWatch
Vol 10 Issue 50
Pub: June 22, 2012