First published on Robert D. Skeels for School Board on November 28, 2012.
For many years the people of Los Angeles City Council District 9 (CD9) have not been represented. Instead, deep pocketed developers have had virtually unfettered influence and access, and we've seen tragedies like the razing of the South Central Farm, the victimization of the homeless under Safer Cities Initiative, and intentional blight to displace low income families of color to make way for gentrification and development greed. Indeed the past dozen years have seen the residents of CD9 subjected to all manners of indignities, exploitations, and oppressions, including environmental racism.
Community members and groups asked long time community activist Ron Gochez to run for the CD9 seat. While Ron has never had aspirations of running for political office, he has always been responsive to the needs of his community. He is backed by a diverse, multiracial, multi-ethnic coalition of working class peoples, many of whom are immigrants, who are tired of their voices being utterly ignored on City Council.
I've known Ron for many years. He is a man of conviction, principle, and integrity. He has spent countless hours in selfless service to his community, and most importantly, to those who are the most vulnerable in our society. He is never afraid to speak truth to power, and he alone is the only candidate for CD9 that will represent the families and working peoples of such an underserved and exploited community.
Ron is a social justice educator both professionally in his role as a teacher, and in his every interaction with his community. We need more people of conscience to take a stand like Ron has. His campaign is known as the "People’s Campaign," and that is truly what it is. That is why I have contributed to his campaign and wholeheartedly endorse Ron Gochez for Los Angeles City Council District 9.
Robert D. Skeels
Education writer, social justice activist, and District 2 candidate for the LAUSD School Board
2 comments:
B’nai B’rith International is deeply disappointed that United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA)—one of the largest labor unions in Los Angeles, representing more than 35,000 teachers—has endorsed Ron Gochez for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council.
Gochez is known for spreading hate, including making anti-Semitic statements and taunting Cuban-Americans with images of Che Guevara.
In 2002, Gochez wrote a letter to the San Diego State University student newspaper asserting, “The Jewish-owned media continue to blind the masses with propaganda to keep them in fear.” He has also lamented that no current city council members are “pro-Palestine.” Gochez has used his Facebook page to demonize and delegitimize the Jewish state by comparing it to apartheid South Africa, encouraging divestment from Israel’s economy and referring to the country as “occupied Palestine (AKA Israel).”
UTLA’s decision to endorse a purveyor of hate speech for public office threatens to stoke ethnic tensions in Los Angeles and legitimize his extremist and hateful views. We call on the UTLA to withdraw its endorsement of Gochez and hope voters will consider his record of inciteful statements when voting for city council.
I'm deeply disappointed that any time someone acknowledges that Palestinians are human beings, they are immediately tarred as being anti-semitic.
Ron Gochez is a fine young man who stands up for all the working class people in his community, including those of the Jewish faith. He will be an excellent representative of D9.
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