Here is what did not happen last night. The Long Beach City Council did not present Juana Melara a proclamation congratulating her on being one of Time Magazine’s Person of the Year. You might wonder why, let me answer with her quote from the speaker’s podium:
“Being #TIME’s person of the year is an honor that should be shared by the entire city, we shouldn’t be ignored and voted down by the city council” -Juana Melara
That’s right. On September 19th, the council voted 5 – 4 against protecting the city’s hospitality workers, both on workload and assault protections. There were many reasons, not the least of which was, ….well… Grand Prix. I mean no one wants to see a sign in the hotel lobby that there is zero tolerance for sexual harassment and assault. It would be a total buzz kill.
When Agenda #20 came up for consideration and comment, several people from Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, LAANE and BHC lined up to speak. As I told the council, item #20 would be a fine recommendation if this was 1999; a thought validated by the New York Times article this morning, (Sexual Harassment Training Doesn’t Work. But Some Things Do).
One of the council women proudly announced that the answer is training women to defend themselves and that many hotels offer the very course taught to the police. The assumption that a woman can even breathe through an assault in a closed hotel room while a man twice her size corners her or ties her up with the vacuum cord is outrageous. It is immoral.
The public commenters began, mostly women. The last woman talked about her deep emotional response to the fact that her personal assault testimony on September 19th had zero impact on the council. In this context both Councilwoman Pearce and Councilwoman Gonzalez said the same thing. As is mostly the case, two men spoke last. One was concerned that with all these, “new genders,” he hoped this was not just about women. The last speaker said he was particularly interested that we did not dismiss Police Chief Luna’s testimony that there have only been 1 or 2 reports of such workplace assaults in 5 years.
Councilwoman Price took the floor. She began discussing bullying. She accused the public speakers of bullying the council and that it is time for women to stand together.
To break this down a bit,
BULLYING occurs when a person ridicules another, which may or may not result in the bullied person being thrown in emotional or physical danger, certainly made afraid. Let me assure you, the commenters were not bullying the council.
Speaking for myself, I was doing precisely what my social justice mentors taught me. Alice Paul, Rosa Parks, Grace Lee Boggs, Ella Baker all taught us to EMBARRASS those in power by making the power differential clear. Nothing could be further from bullying. In fact, the bullying was in the opposite direction, as we were supposed to crawl away thinking that we better not offer proud and clear voices again.
Several of us begin speaking truth to power in the ‘60’s. I began with George Wallace and my most recent was Barack Obama. Frankly, the Vietnam war ended and DADT was reversed, the little pebble I offered in these massive mosaics validated my mentors’ methods.
Secondly, Councilwoman Price made a plea for unity among women. Don’t ask me to unify with those who are bullying me. I would ask you to unify with me in standing in front of a hotel with a picket sign in solidarity with the Housekeepers. Unity begins with supporting those who have the least power. You have the direction in reverse. Please bring your privilege and power to them, proclaim them the real heroines in the #metoo movement and join with Time Magazine in congratulating them on breaking the silence. Bring them their City Proclamation.
Finally, when the council chamber was almost empty, 15 or so people lined up with little pink signs to demand the recall of Councilwoman Pearce. 90% men listed their bullish reasons to demand this recall. No one is fooled by this. Silence. Grave, deafening silence. Where was the unity between women? Was there too much to risk? This was the time for women to unite.
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