I want to be the first Oakland blogger to affirm Chip Johnson's article today charging favoritism in the City of Oakland. My response is that it doesn't start or stop at the CAO's office or with Deborah Edgerly herself, and a really complete look should go back 10 years, not just 2004.
Look, I was treated so terribly by the City of Oakland when I was trying to bring the Super Bowl here, that my own mother -- who's still cancer-free by the way -- observed that "Between Blacks who are jealous of you and Whites who think someone White should be doing what you're doing, you're going through a terrible place."
She was right.
Oakland's government has a long history of hating well-educated Black men who don't follow the normal ethnic stereotypes. I remember 1998, when all of us from Elihu Harris' office -- I was economic advisor -- were being placed in various departments of the City of Oakland after Jerry Brown won a landslide victory to become Oakland's next mayor.
I wanted to run the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Complex, and I had good reason for my desire. I already had good relationships with all of the sports tenants. I knew the Coliseum budget very well. I knew the legal contracts behind the Raiders Deal so well I could recall them from memory, and in most cases still can. I also knew the business plan for the Coliseum that was written by now former Deputy City Manager Ezra Rapport chapter-and-verse.
So Elihu Harris went to Council President Ignacio De La Fuente, who also then as now serves as Chairman of the Coliseum Joint Powers Authority (JPA). Now, let me preface what I'm about to write with how I currently feel and have personally felt about Ignacio. I think he's a great person. I've always enjoyed our personal talks together, and I still do. I know one of his long time aides was upset that I interviewed his challenger Mario Juarez, but that's news and he called me. I have said to Ignacio the invitations open and heck, I've written about him tons of times if you go back to my Montclarion years.
But the truth remains that Ignacio did not want me to run the Coliseum. Period. I think he was still smarting from how I worked to block his attempt to annouce a naming rights deal between UMAX and the Oakland Coliseum while Elihu was out of town and the Raiders had not approved the deal. But the bottom line was that I had to protect my boss, the Mayor, and that's what I did. Period. End of story.
But he wasn't happy about that.
So then-Oakland City Manager Robert Bobb asked me to meet with then-Economic Development head Bill Claggett regarding working over there. So I did have lunch with Bill. It was weird. Basically, Bill said that he thought I talked liked I thought I knew everything and my response was that I talked in plain English, was supposed to sound professional, and I was that way since I was six years old. I felt that Bill wasn't used to well-educated Black men; he was intimidated by me for really no good reason.
So I went to tell Robert Bobb what happened and his response was "You do talk like you think you know everything. You. You're young. Black. Smart. You're a threat. Oakland's a crab-barrel town. They pull you down here."
I was shocked and also pleased that "Mr. Bobb" saw what I was dealing with, because until he said that, I was ready to leave Oakland. I remained because of Robert Bobb. I went over to work for Claggett in Economic Development and wound up heading the effort to bring the Super Bowl here.
But don't think for a moment they made it comfortable for me. It was a constant battle between me, certain execs who thought they should be heading the effort, and also those who perceived me as "White" and not "one of them" and thus created all kinds of stupid and sinister road blocks for me. Some really terrible stuff was done to me that on more than one occasion just privately brought me to tears.
For example, my mail started containing a magazine called "Honey" that I never even purchased or heard of and threw away and complained to the mail staff, then it came again. I went to investigate who did this, and the magpublisher said it was someone with a City of Oakland credit card! Now they did that as a pretty fucked up way of telling me I should date Black women -- it was none of their fucking business who I dated outside of my work hours. But they had a perception and allowed their insecurities to run amok.
That I will not forgive the City for anytime soon, unless they want to give me a long overdue key to the City for my Super Bowl work. Ignacio himself said then -- in fact on October 26, 2000 -- that my work "Was the only positive news the Oakland Coliseum had at the time." He said that after my meeting with the Coliseum JPA (joint powers authority) where they took the action of "no action" on the Oakland Super Bowl Bid.
No kiddding.
I resolved to basically fight the system of the City of Oakland by bringing the Super Bowl here. Every day was a practice in anger, determination, focus, and pressure and I got no help from the City of Oakland even though I worked for them. I had to do everything, from run the Oakland-Alameda County Sports Commission (which I created from scratch even as then-City Attorney Jane Williams said I would need two years to get approval -- I got it in two months) to answer the phones to make copies of docs, to negotiating contracts with the NFL to carrying 32 boxes of Palm Computers and Bid Books (for each of the team owners) down to a Fed Ex Truck that arrived late and in the pouring rain.
Even with that, I almost succeeded by getting Oakland to one of three finalists for the right to host the Super Bowl, losing to Jacksonville for the 2005 game. What I went through to get that far will make a good book and a great movie.
Don't think that favoritism starts with Deborah Edgerly. It's part of the organizational DNA of Oakland and has been practiced by everyone from then-Mayor Jerry Brown on down. In fact, it was widely known that Jerry didn't want Deborah Edgerly as his first choice for Chief Administrative Officer; he wanted the stiletto and ankle-bracelet-wearing Dolores Blanchard (who was White, not Black as an FYI) to be the one, but she lived in Danville, not Oakland.
Favoritism is in Oakland's genetic makeup. It's time for some genetic engineering.
Look, I was treated so terribly by the City of Oakland when I was trying to bring the Super Bowl here, that my own mother -- who's still cancer-free by the way -- observed that "Between Blacks who are jealous of you and Whites who think someone White should be doing what you're doing, you're going through a terrible place."
She was right.
Oakland's government has a long history of hating well-educated Black men who don't follow the normal ethnic stereotypes. I remember 1998, when all of us from Elihu Harris' office -- I was economic advisor -- were being placed in various departments of the City of Oakland after Jerry Brown won a landslide victory to become Oakland's next mayor.
I wanted to run the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Complex, and I had good reason for my desire. I already had good relationships with all of the sports tenants. I knew the Coliseum budget very well. I knew the legal contracts behind the Raiders Deal so well I could recall them from memory, and in most cases still can. I also knew the business plan for the Coliseum that was written by now former Deputy City Manager Ezra Rapport chapter-and-verse.
So Elihu Harris went to Council President Ignacio De La Fuente, who also then as now serves as Chairman of the Coliseum Joint Powers Authority (JPA). Now, let me preface what I'm about to write with how I currently feel and have personally felt about Ignacio. I think he's a great person. I've always enjoyed our personal talks together, and I still do. I know one of his long time aides was upset that I interviewed his challenger Mario Juarez, but that's news and he called me. I have said to Ignacio the invitations open and heck, I've written about him tons of times if you go back to my Montclarion years.
But the truth remains that Ignacio did not want me to run the Coliseum. Period. I think he was still smarting from how I worked to block his attempt to annouce a naming rights deal between UMAX and the Oakland Coliseum while Elihu was out of town and the Raiders had not approved the deal. But the bottom line was that I had to protect my boss, the Mayor, and that's what I did. Period. End of story.
But he wasn't happy about that.
So then-Oakland City Manager Robert Bobb asked me to meet with then-Economic Development head Bill Claggett regarding working over there. So I did have lunch with Bill. It was weird. Basically, Bill said that he thought I talked liked I thought I knew everything and my response was that I talked in plain English, was supposed to sound professional, and I was that way since I was six years old. I felt that Bill wasn't used to well-educated Black men; he was intimidated by me for really no good reason.
So I went to tell Robert Bobb what happened and his response was "You do talk like you think you know everything. You. You're young. Black. Smart. You're a threat. Oakland's a crab-barrel town. They pull you down here."
I was shocked and also pleased that "Mr. Bobb" saw what I was dealing with, because until he said that, I was ready to leave Oakland. I remained because of Robert Bobb. I went over to work for Claggett in Economic Development and wound up heading the effort to bring the Super Bowl here.
But don't think for a moment they made it comfortable for me. It was a constant battle between me, certain execs who thought they should be heading the effort, and also those who perceived me as "White" and not "one of them" and thus created all kinds of stupid and sinister road blocks for me. Some really terrible stuff was done to me that on more than one occasion just privately brought me to tears.
For example, my mail started containing a magazine called "Honey" that I never even purchased or heard of and threw away and complained to the mail staff, then it came again. I went to investigate who did this, and the magpublisher said it was someone with a City of Oakland credit card! Now they did that as a pretty fucked up way of telling me I should date Black women -- it was none of their fucking business who I dated outside of my work hours. But they had a perception and allowed their insecurities to run amok.
That I will not forgive the City for anytime soon, unless they want to give me a long overdue key to the City for my Super Bowl work. Ignacio himself said then -- in fact on October 26, 2000 -- that my work "Was the only positive news the Oakland Coliseum had at the time." He said that after my meeting with the Coliseum JPA (joint powers authority) where they took the action of "no action" on the Oakland Super Bowl Bid.
No kiddding.
I resolved to basically fight the system of the City of Oakland by bringing the Super Bowl here. Every day was a practice in anger, determination, focus, and pressure and I got no help from the City of Oakland even though I worked for them. I had to do everything, from run the Oakland-Alameda County Sports Commission (which I created from scratch even as then-City Attorney Jane Williams said I would need two years to get approval -- I got it in two months) to answer the phones to make copies of docs, to negotiating contracts with the NFL to carrying 32 boxes of Palm Computers and Bid Books (for each of the team owners) down to a Fed Ex Truck that arrived late and in the pouring rain.
Even with that, I almost succeeded by getting Oakland to one of three finalists for the right to host the Super Bowl, losing to Jacksonville for the 2005 game. What I went through to get that far will make a good book and a great movie.
Don't think that favoritism starts with Deborah Edgerly. It's part of the organizational DNA of Oakland and has been practiced by everyone from then-Mayor Jerry Brown on down. In fact, it was widely known that Jerry didn't want Deborah Edgerly as his first choice for Chief Administrative Officer; he wanted the stiletto and ankle-bracelet-wearing Dolores Blanchard (who was White, not Black as an FYI) to be the one, but she lived in Danville, not Oakland.
Favoritism is in Oakland's genetic makeup. It's time for some genetic engineering.
Comments
I enjoy the insight and learning more about the in's & out's of this City. I'm white and *I* feel discriminated against in this City, especially by certain folks at City Hall. Even my own council member, who happens to be white doesn't care about me. (no, I don't need any cheese to go with my wine)
I'm curious as to what you think about recalling Dellums. I had voted for him, but now regret that vote. For a while I was just annoyed, but now I feel like he's gone from DoNothingDellums to DamagingDellums, case in point the Edgerly situation. Because no matter whether she is innocent or guilty, he should have immediately put her on administrative leave and there certainly shouldn't be these continuing discussions. It should have been swift and smooth. Instead, it's been protracted.
I was on several task forces and never felt that the work being done was going to make any difference. Now I look back to the process and shake my head in dismay. It was an interesting idea, but not properly organized. I dare to criticize the process, even if I can't immediately come up with a better idea for how it should have gone.
I'd like to see Oakland move forward, but I think we need help from the FBI to figure out what's what at City Hall and we need to get some new leadership to shake things up. Oh wait, I forgot that we had the chance to mix things up and the incumbants were all voted back in. Sigh.
It's supremely frustrating...
Also, don't think some of the same people didn't go gunning for Greg early on. But he had the full backing of Robert Bobb, having worked for him in Richmond, VA.
Also I'm curious Shopgirl how or why you feel discriminated against? you point out that you are white, so are you saying that you have been discriminated against by some in City Hall because you are white? If so, did you feel like that when Jerry Brown was in office also? Maybe you should read Zennie's previous post regarding some of the favoritism Jerry Brown espoused to when he was office. It certainly made Zennie feel as if he was discriminated against also.
As a matter of fact I did feel discriminated against even in the JB days.
I went to the Planning Dept for a permit to change my address and got a huge run-around. In the end I drew a doghouse plan (as a joke) and it was accepted as the plan for the building where I was changing the address. But only after more frustration. The eight African Americans behind me were helped right away with zero rolling of the eyes.
Case #2 - Mingles cabaret license hearing number 2. I was threatened on my way out of the meeting, specifically because I am white - "You watch HBO and read books on a Friday night. We like to kick it." Actually, worse, I don't have HBO so more often I find myself catching up on KTOP and reading staff reports. Other African Americans that felt the same as I did about the situation refused to testify because they didn't want to go against their "brothers".
I've watched how many (NOT all!) parking enforcement officers treat people. It is very different based on the races involved. That's not acceptable!
There are so many more situations that I have come up against... but let's just say that in the South where I grew up, the racial tension seemed to be considerably less.
I remember the coliseum issue and yes, you should have gotten the job. There was way too much pork being handed out, and too many pigs at the trough, expecting the non existent big payoffs from the Raider debacle. As one of two citizens who spoke against the Raiders the night the city council voted, I was vindicated but am just angry over the issue.
Anyway. Robert Bobb was the best City Manager Oakland ever had, and he was an educated black male. Henry Gardner was NOT, and he was NOT respected and admired, you must be too young to remember the citizen outrage at his blatant favoritism.
Sex and race have nothing to do with the Edgerly issue. She was one of the worst city managers, and her nepotism leaves a stain on the city. The fact that she is black and female means nothing. A turnip is a turnip. The fact that you got screwed does not mean Edgerly has ANY status at all. You got screwed, Edgerly screwed us.
Also, shopgirl you have your experience about racism and Zennie, myself and others can you tell you stories about blatant racism in regards to African Americans at the City as well. So it goes both ways. In the example you gave,it sounds like if anything, you were just dealing with some not so kind people and unprofessional staff. I have yet to meet a parking attendant that gives tickets with a smile, and I'm African America.
There is no better or worse when it comes to racism.
Racism is sometimes defined as only applying to minorities. That is, if you are in the minority, any behavior toward the "oppresive majority" is deemed ok and not racist. That is more victimhood twaddle.
Of course there is racism in Oakland. There always has been, there probably always will be. That does not make it ok, and does not excuse it from ANYONE.
Edgerly used her office to hire and help family. Bobb did not. Bobb was willing to take on the establishment and try and control city employee abuses. Bobb was an outsider and that gave him the strength to make changes.
Tired of Smears:
Edgerly did NOTHING to "balance the budget" other than sleight of hand and misdirection. That fact that bond rating agencies are stupid enough to rate Oakland bonds well is due to their industry standards. One look at the subprime explosion will tell you what ratings are worth. Oakland is in dire financial straits. That is not Edgerly's fault, but please don't make her out to be a genius.