Vote
Menino for mayor
Citizens who vote for mayor of Boston on Tuesday,
November 8, will have to choose between the incumbent, Tom Menino,
and City Councilor Maura Hennigan. When one considers the qualifications
of the candidates the choice is obvious — Tom Menino for Mayor.
The skills needed to be an effective mayor are substantially different
from those needed to be a member of the city council. A mayor must
have a visionary plan for his or her administration, the political
skills to implement it and the courage to endure the political risks
imposed by his opponents.
Under the system of government in Boston, the role of the city councilor
is limited. Power rests with the mayor. City councilors are like
populist backbenchers who challenge the leaders and provide political
services to their constituents. While these are important political
functions they do not readily translate into skills for the mayor’s
office.
While she is a very likeable person, Maura Hennigan has not been
able to amass a significant record even though she was first elected
councilor-at-large in 1981. On the other hand, after 12 years in
office, Tom Menino has been able to prove himself to be one of Boston’s
outstanding mayors in recent history.
Health care. When confronted with the possibility that citizens
with modest means would be unable to afford health care, he guided
the merger of Boston City Hospital with Boston University Hospital.
Now the Boston Medical Center is the largest safety net hospital
in the state.
Neighborhood revitalization. Menino’s Main Streets Program
has enabled businesses in 19 neighborhoods to modernize their stores
and become more competitive.
Education. Under the leadership of Superintendent Thomas Payzant,
the school system has introduced new programs, including the Efficacy
Project, to improve students’ performance, and Menino has
constructed three new schools.
In the areas of affordable housing and public safety, Menino’s
programs have improved conditions in Boston. It is clear that Menino
knows what the city needs. Citizens should vote for Menino and let
him finish the job.
An
historic breakthrough
For diehard Red Sox fans it is a disappointment that
the team is not in the World Series this year. But for African Americans
there is a consolation. The emergence of the Chicago White Sox has
broken another barrier. It is the first time in Major League Baseball
that both the manager and the general manager are black. Ken Williams
is the only African American manager in Major League Baseball and
Ozzie Guillen is one of only two Latino managers.
During the administration of Kenesaw Mountain Landis as baseball
commissioner from 1920 until his death in 1944, blacks were never
permitted to play in the big leagues. Landis dismissed the issue
with the simple statement blacks were “just not good enough”.
Within three years of Landis’ death, Jackie Robinson was signed
by the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Despite being excluded from the major leagues, baseball was still
very popular with African Americans. In 1944, the All-Star game
of the Negro Leagues drew an audience of 46,247 compared with only
29,589 for the Major Leagues’ All-Star game.
The next barrier to making the racial merger complete is for African
Americans to participate as owners of major league teams.
|
Melvin B. Miller
Editor & Publisher
Bay State Banner |
