by Elizabeth Bauchner

On November 15, New York Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D-125^th) held a listening session in the Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) after comments made in a pre-election letter to Democrats stirred strong emotions and accusations of racism.

In the letter, Lifton stated that she supported Democrat Pete Meskill for Sheriff over Democrat Tim Little. She went on to explain that Meskill is committed to diversity in the Sheriff's office, and that she is also committed to diversity in politics.

Then she wrote that the "danger in this race is that a vote for Tim Little—which some may consider as a way to show their commitment to equal opportunity and diversity—will split the Democratic and progressive vote."

The letter offended many people in the community, who believed Lifton should have known better than to assume that her constituents would vote for someone based solely on that person's race.

While Lifton offered a couple of reasons for supporting Meskill, she did not elaborate on what specifically she did not support about Little, except to say that he has less experience than Meskill.

Soon after the letter was mailed, Lifton admitted she didn't understand why it was so offensive, eventually offering an apology and holding the "listening session." The evening at GIAC became an opportunity for Lifton's constituents to air their grievances with her.

I showed up at the forum about a half hour into it, so I missed Lifton's remarks early in the evening.

Marcia Fort, Executive Director of GIAC, and Audrey Cooper of the Multicultural Resource Center, were facilitating the forum. About fifty people were at the event, including many local politicians.

The facilitators had outlined some of the community's concerns regarding the letter, which included the notion that apologies aren't enough, that this was a symptom and not an isolated incident, and that white folks should acknowledge privilege.

Carla Vargas, from Ithaca, said she "doesn't care about apologies anymore." She said she feels that democrats have taken advantage of "not having a third party" and just assume that people of color will always vote democrat. 

Vargas went on to say that deeper questions need to be answered, pointing out that intentions don't matter; it's action that counts.

Howard Boucher spoke up and said he didn't understand why the letter was offensive either, because he felt that people would vote for Little because he is black, perhaps thinking that trying to diversify the Sheriff's Office is a good idea, and pointing out that a black sheriff may be one way of combating racism in the police force.

Another participant said that would have been fair enough, but that Lifton didn't present the letter in that way.

Others expressed frustration at too many public meetings, and not enough action. Audrey Cooper said that she knew many people of color who didn't attend the forum because they're tired of having to educate white people all the time at why their remarks are offensive.

Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, a Tompkins County Legislator, said she didn't know how to react to the letter at first. "I just felt very sad because I know [Barbara]. Many of us just thought, 'Whoa! She can do this?' There are a lot of assumptions in that letter."

Robert Lofthouse, from Ithaca, spoke eloquently on ingrained racism, and shared how he's still working on his own assumptions and stereotypes of people of color. He said "We must have forums for people to work on their own racism."

Others seconded that idea, and Nathan Shinagawa, another Tompkins County Legislator, said we need more white leaders to point out instances of racism and not just wait for voices of people of color.

At the end of the forum, Cooper announced that the Multicultural Resource Center has secured funding to provide an anti-racism study circle in the spring, and invited the politicians present to participate. Study Circles are basically anti-racism curricula designed for people to understand systemic racism as well as their own biases, and to work together for positive change.
 
CORRECTION NOVEMBER 29, 2006: ICN just heard from Sheriff Pete Meskill that Tim Little is not a Democrat. He ran on the Independent party line. --Ed