We live in one of the most segregated communitiesin America. It is ironic becausewe also live in one of the most politicallyliberal communities in America. In CommunityBoard 2, which goes from 14thStreet to Canal Street, Hudson River toFourth Avenue/Bowery, only 2% of theresidents are Black. Other than a little partof Chinatown, we live in a Caucasian enclavewhich would give the most raciallysegregated areas of the South a run fortheir money.
I raise this because it is striking thateven in our liberal-minded city, raceplays a major role in how New Yorkersview the world. And if events of the recentmonths teach us anything, it is thatthe racial legacy of the United States,the fact that we were a nation built onthe trade of African slaves, continues tohaunt us and remains the Number Onesocial problem of our time. And that is150 years since the Emancipation Proclamation.
We began 2015 in the midst of one ofthe most troubling public fights our cityhas ever seen. We have all seen the videoof Eric Garner, a large Black man, beingchoked to death by a cop, and we all knowthat a politically motivated DA refused tolead a Grand Jury into an indictment. Wesaw weeks of large, somewhat anarchistic,marches of angry protesters around theCity chanting “I can’t breathe,” blockingtraffic, bridges and tunnels, and even doinga die-in at City Hall (including our CityCouncil member Corey Johnson).
And we saw a Mayor who tolerated theprotests in a way his predecessors Bloombergand Giuliani never would, a Mayorwho met with protest leaders, and a Mayorwho spoke publicly about having a Blackson, and having to teach his son about howto be careful around police. And then twocops were shot, and the opportunist headof the PBAS, Patrick Lynch, stated that deBlasio “has blood on his hands,” and organizeddisplays of disrespect, and a call forthe Mayor to step down.
One of the dispiriting aspects of BarakObama’s election and re-election as Presidenthas been the fact that a majority ofWhite voters did not vote for him, andthat among those who did disillusionmentfollowed quickly for many. (Yes, it is a factthat if only Whites had voted, we wouldhave a President McCain and/or a PresidentRomney.) The big money behindthe Republican Party has appealed tothe simple mistrust many Whites haveof a Black President, and built the TeaParty around many of the code-wordsof racial prejudice. Last summer JamesLincoln Collier discussed this issue inthe Westview News setting off a firestormof debate.
Unfortunately the same is runningtrue for Mayor de Blasio. New Yorkersare sharply divided by race in their approvalratings of Mayor Bill de Blasio,with blacks overwhelmingly supportiveof the Mayor’s work and whites barelyshowing support, according to poll resultsreleased on January 15.
While 78 percent of black polledvoters approved of the job de Blasio isdoing, white respondents disapprovedalmost two-to-one, according to theQuinnipiac University Poll. Slightlymore than half of Hispanics approvedof de Blasio. Overall, 48 percent of votersapproved of the way de Blasio ishandling relations between blacks andwhites, compared to 42 percent whodisapproved. Overall, 49 percent of NewYork City voters supported the mayor.
What drives these numbers? In myopinion it has a lot to do with thefact that while de Blasio is White, heis married to a Black woman, and hastwo Black children. He is perceived bytoo many in the White community astoo close to Blacks. His wife ,ChirlaneMcCray, has angered many by servingbasically as an unpaid Deputy Mayor.She clearly has ties to outspoken leadersin the Black Community. So whilewe do not have a Black Mayor, in theeyes of many—including a PBA Presidentwho is try trying to divide NewYorkers—de Blasio is so deeply entangledwith the Black community that heis to be distrusted, almost as though hewas Black himself.
And why am I saying this? Becausethe calumny of the last month has beendisturbing, and it is important to showthings as they are. My inspiration?Thebrave staff of Charlie Hebdo.Je SuisChalie! I want my fellow New Yorkersto think about their feelings aboutMayor de Blasio and try to understandwhy the Black and White communitiessee this deep thinking man, who is consciousof the racial divide in this City,so differently.
Arthur Schwartz is the Village MaleDistrict Leader and the President of thePublic Interest Law Foundation knownas Advocates for Justice
