Classless councilmember takes on the doctor (part two)
Several months ago, councilwoman Carol Alvarado called doctor-councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs a profane name during a meeting. Alvarado's breach of decorum provided fodder for bloggers, radio talkers, and journalists for a short time, until Alvarado's inept management of the Mayor Pro Tem's office overshadowed her lack of grace and manners.
The lack of grace and manners made a return today during a contentious debate over municipal funding for a day-labor site, according to Chronicle reporter Alexis Grant:
The national debate over border security fueled a fight at City Hall today when a council member seeking a Republican congressional nomination charged that city funding for a day labor site encouraged illegal immigration.
Supporters of the funding accused Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs of flip-flopping on the issue to gain conservative voter support for the nomination to succeed U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay of Sugar Land.
"Some people will do or say anything in order to sway with that political climate," said Councilwoman Carol Alvarado, who has a history of squabbling with Sekula-Gibbs. "It's almost like changing your name during an election to gain support from a certain community," she added, sparking gasps and chatter in the Council chambers.
The tactless councilmember was surely pleased with herself afterwards, but her comments really didn't contribute much to the debate.
UPDATE (05-18-2006): The Chronicle posts a longer story today about some of the emotional outbursts that took place during yesterday's Council meeting. Councilmember Ada Edwards joins the fun:
[Sekula=Gibbs'] comments provoked an animated discussion — not typical at weekly City Council meetings — including a tirade by Councilwoman Ada Edwards, who said discriminating against laborers was "the closest thing to fascism I've seen since I've been on the council."
"I am not going to be in the same league as a Hitler or Franco going around telling the big lies, folks, so that I can get my economic and my social agenda passed," said Edwards. "It's demonization of a people and we need to stop it."
Comparing the doctor-councilwoman to Hitler and Franco didn't add much to the debate of a legitimate policy issue. Then again, this is the same member of Council who compared Chief Hurtt's recent efforts to deal with HPD's significant manpower shortage to the establishment of a police state.
Some members of council were able to debate Sekula-Gibbs reasonably:
Councilwoman Sue Lovell criticized Sekula-Gibbs' assumption that workers who use the day-labor site are illegal immigrants.
"It's a really unfair leap by the councilwoman to say because you go there seeking work that, first, you're an immigrant and, second, that you're illegal," she said.
It's not so hard to keep the debate about issues, instead of name-calling and insults. Kudos to those councilmembers who conducted themselves with decorum on this contentious issue.
BLOGVERSATION: TBIFOC, Isolated Desolation.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/17/06 10:34 PM | Print |
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