I just got back from the press conference against the Minutemen. It's gonna be all over the news tonight. If you see a guy wearing a brown pancho and a sombrero while giving the camera the bird, THAT'S ME!!!
Anyway, Latinos from all walks of life came out against the appointment of one of the Minutemen to the Parks Board. My favorite statement was from Lali Garcia, she's 80 years old, she has worked tirelessly in her community for DECADES and she even helped to get Funkhouser elected as the defacto prez of La Raza political club . . . She didn't speak too long but her words held a lot of meaning, she strongly opposed the appointment of this Ms. Semler and she stood united with a group of folks arguing the same position. Seeing an old lady like that stand up for something she believed in so strongly was truly inspiring.
Additionally, just for today and maybe until Funkhouser eventually caves . . . Beth Gottstein is the best City Council person around and I guess she is a "Hispanic Advocate" after all. She started her statements boldly saying that she was a grandchild of immigrants.
John Sharp was pretty impressive as well and Cindy Baker Circo stood with the group too.
The final City Council person to speak was Terry Riley who said that there would be a resolution calling for Ms. Semler's resignation.
Word is that Funkhouser is sticking to his guns on this one and I don't know why, the group today was pretty quick at battling media
All things considered it was pretty amazing and a clear sign that Mayor Funkhouser shouldn't play the efforts of these folks off as a joke and should ask the Minuteman member of the Parks Board to resign.
More importantly, new Parks Board member Aggie Stackhaus could totally redeem herself in my eyes by calling for a repeal to the KC ban of the 40oz . . . Which is the probably the issue TKC cares about the most!!!
We all have our causes . . . Speaking of, I just got word that the Mayor has a press conference of his own planned with new Parks Board President John Fiero . . . I'm kinda curious as to what's gonna happen and I don't wanna speculate but I am SURE there is pressure on Fiero to support the Mayor. Thing is, what I saw today was the leadership of the entire LATINO COMMUNITY COME OUT AGAINST THE MINUTEMEN backed up by LEADERS FROM THROUGHOUT KANSAS CITY and that's way more important that one one person's statement . . . Except for TKC, of course.
UPDATE: John Fiero sold out the entire Latino Community on this issue and stood up for the Mayor saying that "he could work with" the member of a hate group . . . Still, it's another example that no single voice represents that Latino Community . . . People from several Latino organizations across the city spoke out against the action while just one guy that the Mayor appointed begrudgingly wanted to just move on and I'm guessing the media will report them as equal contingents - NOT TRUE but we'll see.
Also, the council voted 9-2 in favor of a resolution regarding getting Semler off the Parks Board . . . Again, the Mayor stuck to his guns and IGNORED a bunch of folks getting together to ask him to hear their voices . . . TKC's only question: How is this responsible and responsive City government? Seems just like the same old kind of political maneuvering.