Two Afro-Americans Win City Council Seats...

http://www.pe.com/articles/burke-755365-rabb-city.html

This recent change in seats on a tired, career politicians council was huge, but pleasant surprise for everyone, including me, because this has been my hometown of 20 years.

Although I was sad to see two council members leave, because they were both approachable and responsive to my needs and suggestions over the years, they shared their role on the council, it was great to watch two, young upstart Afro-Americans be elected. This council was made up of five folks that for years became stale and set in their ways, holding the city and progress back!

So the addition of these two new members will mean the city which has demographics of 65% Hispanics, can begin implementing fresh new ideas to point it towards growth.

:applause: I applaud Ms. Burke and Mr. Rabb for breaking the long-time color barrier of this council. It should serve as a strong testimony to other black citizens that they too can reach for the stars and make it happen! :applause:

The only other persons of color were a lady who has been on the council for 20 years, and if not for her son taking the blame for an arrest of the both them 15 years back, for making and selling meth at a home just outside the city limits; she'd have had as short a tenure on the council as the young Hispanic that won last year, and now faces recall for selling heroin from a hotel room in the city limits. His arrest was a huge disappointment for the Hispanic community of Perris, because he was the first Hispanic on the council in decades!

Note to young blacks in America, if you think, you can't break into politics, think again. These two young folks made it, in fact, they ousted two fine men who between them had more than 40 years of combined service between them! So this election says the city is finally ready for change, and I believe the future looks bright for Perris because of Burke and Rabb.

Burke and Rabb show me, and I hope they show you that color barriers in America are not what some would want you to believe,especially in light of Ferguson!

So what say you? Does this show that skin color is not as big a problem as some think? as America made progress? IMHO, it is evident that in small town America, it has grown beyond what it was before MLK made a difference!

 

I know the town quite well, and believe if the mayor (been mayor for more than 25 years) is ousted in 2016 by a Hispanic, will in fact do well in meeting the diversity of the citizens.

You need to remember, that this particular community, while made up of 65% Hispanic, about half are illegals, and that makes a difference in who has a voice and who doesn't.

There is one Hispanic on the council facing recall for the drug sales and use, and for having sexual liasons with other men (he is a male too) in that same hotel, and there are two HIspanics running to take his seat should the recall pass.

So, I have high hopes this city will be productive and progressive for years to come. When I moved here, it was traditionally a good mix of white, blacks and Hispanics. With illegal immigration running high, a lot of illegals located here, and I know this to be a fact, as my street alone, had nine homes vacated by whites and rented by undocumented immigrants. So you can see why I am so charged up about the illegal immigration issues!

Let's hope your initial views are not prophetic and come to pass. This community of 70,000, deserves the chances to spread its wings and go places that the old council was holding it back from.