Bill deBlasio has given Black people in New York City their own feelings of pride and victory with his mayoral win. Mr. deBlasio won this election by a landslide. According to the New York Times, virtually every vote cast by Black New Yorkers — 96 percent — went his way. Mr. deBlasio scored a bigger number of Black votes than New York City’s first Black mayor in 1989, David N. Dinkins.
I remember making a joke about it a few months back. Oh, deBlasio has a Black former lesbian wife? One of his kids rocks an Afro envied by #TeamNatural members everywhere? I’m sure Black people are in love! Does he play the saxophone? Bill deBlasio reminded me of Bill Clinton. You know that brand of White bread politics that someone gains just enough flavor to be happily digested by Blacks.
Former mayor, Michael Bloomberg wasn’t the best ally for Blacks, especially when he tried his best to slap us all in the face with his racist tactic to “protect” the city–stop-and-frisk. So Mr. deBlasio was a nice departure, with his progressive facade making Black New Yorkers feel like things are going to change for the better for us in this metropolis. It’s being reported that in postelection interviews, dozens of Black New Yorkers said that Mr. de Blasio’s personal touch, his biracial family and his pledge to help the working-class and poor had affected them deeply. And of course deBlasio’s comfort in calling many supporters, “brother and sister” couldn’t hurt.
To many Blacks, deBlasio will become our voice in the City Hall, but common sense comes into play here when we all notice he’s not had the chance to actually do anything except visit a plethora of Black churches, repeatedly speak on the effect of stop-and-frisk tactics on young Black men and of course, show us his Black wife and beautiful brown children over and over again.
I don’t want to discredit deBlasio’s experience in working with urban culture, beyond who he’s married to. In the 90′s, deBlasio worked as a federal housing administrator, working with poor and working-class New Yorkers struggling to afford their homes. deBlasio has always had his finger on the pulse of the Black community, so it’s no surprise that he’s been fully embraced by us. But are we embracing him based on the surface?
Black people’s blind judgment of deBlasio somehow being a great White hope solidifies our often misguided look at politics. When something is dressed up in a nice package, we tend to flock to it, putting all our hopes into it. It reminds me of the “How He’s Doing” skit from Kerry Washington’s appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” displaying no matter what President Obama does or doesn’t do, he’s always got the support of Blacks. Funny, real and exactly what I believe we’re going to be experiencing with Mayor deBlasio.
What do you think about Bill deBlasio being the savior for Black people? Let’s chat @Rhapsodani.
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