Ignacio De La Fuente: Gilda Gonzales, Jose Duenas, Dan Boggan, Carl Chan, and Others Condem Racist Attack On Council President - Tribune
City leaders condemn remarks to De La Fuente
Some say inauguration incident shows tension between Latino, African-American communities too seldom discussed
By Heather MacDonald, STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE
Article Last Updated: 01/12/2007 03:15:50 AM PST
OAKLAND — About a dozen community and civic leaders gathered Thursday to denounce the treatment of Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente at Monday's public inauguration of Mayor Ron Dellums, saying that racism has no place in Oakland.
Gilda Gonzales, CEO of the Unity Council, called what happened when De La Fuente beat back a challenge from occasional ally Councilmember Larry Reid (Elmhurst-East Oakland) "shameful and damaging.
"This level of racism hurts us all," Gonzales said, adding that it is unacceptable for the city's highest-ranking Latino elected official to be shown disrespect and verbally assaulted.
The crowd at the Paramount Theatre erupted in jeers when De La Fuente won a 6-2 victory over Reid to be renamed council president. Some in the crowd made racialslurs and mocked De La Fuente's Mexican accent, urging him to return to his native land.
De La Fuente said he felt racially attacked.
Before taking the oath of office, Dellums stepped to the podium and calmed the crowd, exhorting them to discuss political differences with mutual respect to set a good example for Oakland's children.
On Thursday, Dellums said bigotry has no place in Oakland, which he has vowed to turn into a model city.
Dan Boggan, his chief of staff, attended the news conference and pledged that the mayor would raise the level of public discourse in Oakland.
While some at the City Hall news conference called what happened an isolated incident, others said racial tension, especially between the African-American and Latino communities, has long been the "white elephant" in the room, always present but rarely discussed.
"This has been under the rug too long," said Frank Rose, a resident of East Oakland.
Oaklanders often point with pride to the city's multicultural, multiracial, multiethnic diversity, and Dellums has often said it is the source of the city's greatest strength.
Gonzales urged Dellums and the council to lead a rigorous, ongoing discussion about race in an effort to expose the source of the anger that shocked and alarmed so many people Monday.
Others said the actions of a few individuals should not divide Oakland along racial and ethnic lines and distract from the real issues confronting Oakland.
"What happened does not reflect the African-American community in Oakland," said Brenda Crawford, a longtime community activist. "It is not Oakland."
Several of the speakers said they were ashamed of what happened.
Carl Chan, a member of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, said several members of his community left the ceremony early because they felt threatened and were concerned that a "riot" could break out.
Jose Duenas, president of the Bay Area World Trade Center, said he was embarrassed that several foreign dignitaries he invited to the ceremony had to witness the uproar.
"I had to explain to them that this wasn't representative of Oakland," Duenas said.
David Kakishiba, president of the Oakland school board, said he was shocked by the rancor and hostility displayed Monday, and was most disturbed that some are writing it off as another example of Oakland's no-holds-barred politics.
"How we treat each other is at the center of the model city," Kakishiba said.
Some say inauguration incident shows tension between Latino, African-American communities too seldom discussed
By Heather MacDonald, STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE
Article Last Updated: 01/12/2007 03:15:50 AM PST
OAKLAND — About a dozen community and civic leaders gathered Thursday to denounce the treatment of Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente at Monday's public inauguration of Mayor Ron Dellums, saying that racism has no place in Oakland.
Gilda Gonzales, CEO of the Unity Council, called what happened when De La Fuente beat back a challenge from occasional ally Councilmember Larry Reid (Elmhurst-East Oakland) "shameful and damaging.
"This level of racism hurts us all," Gonzales said, adding that it is unacceptable for the city's highest-ranking Latino elected official to be shown disrespect and verbally assaulted.
The crowd at the Paramount Theatre erupted in jeers when De La Fuente won a 6-2 victory over Reid to be renamed council president. Some in the crowd made racialslurs and mocked De La Fuente's Mexican accent, urging him to return to his native land.
De La Fuente said he felt racially attacked.
Before taking the oath of office, Dellums stepped to the podium and calmed the crowd, exhorting them to discuss political differences with mutual respect to set a good example for Oakland's children.
On Thursday, Dellums said bigotry has no place in Oakland, which he has vowed to turn into a model city.
Dan Boggan, his chief of staff, attended the news conference and pledged that the mayor would raise the level of public discourse in Oakland.
While some at the City Hall news conference called what happened an isolated incident, others said racial tension, especially between the African-American and Latino communities, has long been the "white elephant" in the room, always present but rarely discussed.
"This has been under the rug too long," said Frank Rose, a resident of East Oakland.
Oaklanders often point with pride to the city's multicultural, multiracial, multiethnic diversity, and Dellums has often said it is the source of the city's greatest strength.
Gonzales urged Dellums and the council to lead a rigorous, ongoing discussion about race in an effort to expose the source of the anger that shocked and alarmed so many people Monday.
Others said the actions of a few individuals should not divide Oakland along racial and ethnic lines and distract from the real issues confronting Oakland.
"What happened does not reflect the African-American community in Oakland," said Brenda Crawford, a longtime community activist. "It is not Oakland."
Several of the speakers said they were ashamed of what happened.
Carl Chan, a member of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, said several members of his community left the ceremony early because they felt threatened and were concerned that a "riot" could break out.
Jose Duenas, president of the Bay Area World Trade Center, said he was embarrassed that several foreign dignitaries he invited to the ceremony had to witness the uproar.
"I had to explain to them that this wasn't representative of Oakland," Duenas said.
David Kakishiba, president of the Oakland school board, said he was shocked by the rancor and hostility displayed Monday, and was most disturbed that some are writing it off as another example of Oakland's no-holds-barred politics.
"How we treat each other is at the center of the model city," Kakishiba said.
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