An Open Letter to My City Councilman

Tuesday, four members of the Memphis City Council walked out in protest after another brazen display of bullshit from the City Council Chair and the Council’s 5 white members.

This led District 5 City Councilman to resort to an open letter to them in hopes ending the walkout over the District 1 appointment. Apparently, the lines of communication are so strained that this is the only way Worth Morgan can fully fully exercise the privilege he enjoys.

So, I thought I’d send an open letter to Councilman Morgan.

Open Letter to Worth Morgan

Hi Worth,

I don’t think we’ve ever formally met. You knocked on my door once a few years ago. I had an arm full of groceries and couldn’t talk. Honestly, by then I’d already decided I wasn’t voting for you, so, it saved us both some time.

Let me introduce myself. My name is Steve Ross. I’m a father, husband, and a sometimes blogger these days.  Once upon a time I would live tweet City Council meetings before a series of unfortunate casting decisions made me lose interest.

Honestly, the recast left Council hobbled.  Now its like Facts of Life without Jo, Tootie, or Ms. Garrett. Hardly “must see TV” IMHO.

However, this new drama of appointing 3 new members shows some real promise for the series going forward, so maybe I’ll start tuning in again.

I read your letter yesterday with some interest.

Its a very interesting tactic, though totally understandable with all the regulation you have to suffer. I mean, open meetings requirements at cocktail parties with two or more members, and all those open records request opportunities. The burden is just too much to bear.

Communication is key to any relationship. I believe your efforts just may bear some fruit…though I’m not sure you intended to come away as bananas.

I’m no negotiation expert, but your open letter reads like the kind of sanctimonious finger wagging that is sure to have your colleagues scampering back to the Council Chambers.

I mean, finding a way to both paint yourself and the remaining members as the victim while finding a kinder, gentler way to invoke “uppity” to four African American Council Members is a sure-fire way to increase collegiality on the council.

Bravo sir. You’ve achieved Junior Deputy Mitch McConnell status. Your decoder ring is in the mail (4-6 weeks for delivery unless the Congress privatizes the USPS, then it’ll be longer).

I admire your tone deafness. Seriously, you used the full might of your privilege to flip the script on your colleagues in a way that would make Tom Delay and Newt Gingrich proud.

The mental gymnastics you went through to write this letter must have been daunting. All the flips, twists and turns makes Simone Biles look like a gymnastics novice.

So kudos to you sir for once again revealing yourself for who you are: a rich white guy who will never have to personally suffer the financial consequences of his own hubris.

While you’re waiting for your colleagues to come rushing back, perhaps you should cozy up to some good reading. I’m sure your well-worn copy of Atlas Shrugged will give you comfort, and help feed the petulant pseudo-intellectual babble that has become your hallmark.

Thanks for the laughs! I’ll be tuning in on the 18th.

Sincerely,

Steve Ross

All kidding Aside

I’m not sure if Morgan’s tone deafness represents the rest of the remaining Council Members, but his unwillingness to cop to his role in exacerbating the issue is telling.

There’s something about this iteration of the Council in particular that is maddening in its willingness to go full “fact-free”. What’s more maddening is all local media seem to eat it up like pixie sticks in the hands of a 5 year old.

We should recall, that Morgan and the remaining four white members of the Council helped create this issue by consistently either passing or voting for a guy who literally moved here 5 months ago over 100 times.

In the wake of that marathon, rather than actually…you know, compromise…or even succumb to the will of the majority (the vote all night was 6-4 for Logan), if for no other reason than to acknowledge the upcoming challenges facing the body…rather than allowing the majority to have its say, Chairman Boyd adjourned, effectively pushing the issue to a meeting where the voting would most certainly be 4-4.

This power play by the white members and the Chair is the crux of the current protest effort. Boyd, Morgan and the other white members of the Council are the minority, but by waiting this out, they effectively enabled a more evenly distributed stalemate.

Treadaway has now withdrawn from consideration.  So maybe the choices are more clear.

Maybe not.

Conclusion

I’m not sure how the rest of this will play out. Chairman Boyd has shown himself ineffective at mending fences, finding compromise, or even managing the Council. The African American members who walked out are rightly pissed. The shenanigans and bold-faced history re-write this Chair and many of the white council members have engaged in is stunning.

All that said, I’m not sure how this gets resolved without someone blinking.

I do know one thing: This Council needs a high colonic. Its so full of shit now, it couldn’t pass gas, much less appoint nearly a quarter of its members.

October 2019 is coming. Its high time for some serious change in the Memphis City Council.