Guest Opinion | Dale Gronemeier: Michelle Richardson Bailey’s False Claim of Racism is a Disservice to the Fight for Racial Justice

There are few greater disservices to the fight for racial justice than false claims of racism. For example, the Jussie Smollet hoax that he was a victim of a hate crime advanced the right-wing racist narrative that claims of racial injustice in America are meritless and that those who claim racial injustices are just “playing the race card.”

PUSD Board Member Michelle Richardson Bailey put out a press release last Thursday accusing Pat Amsbry, the opponent in her quest for reelection, of racism for his mailer titled “Before you vote compare the candidates for Pasadena Unified School Board.” Her press release makes a false claim of racism that undermines the struggle for racial justice. 

I scrutinized Ms. Richardson Bailey’s press release for any support for her claim of racism, but the only thing in it that arguably supports the claim is her assertion that “Amsbry singles out the ONLY African American on the PUSD Board.” I don’t know what universe Ms. Richardson Bailey’s head is in if she thinks it is racist simply because her opponent criticizes her. An opposing candidate always “singles out” his or her opponent for criticism. Does Ms. Richardson Bailey seriously think it is racist for Mr. Amsbry to single her out? The only thing arguably racist in her “singling out” phrase is the claim that it is racist for Pat Amsbry to criticize her record as a PUSD Board member. 

Ms. Richardson Bailey’s press release asserts there are “racist undertones” to Mr. Amsbry’s mailer. The front page of the mailer does two things. First, it emphasizes that Mr. Amsbry is endorsed by the PUSD teachers union and reemphasizes that Ms. Richardson Bailey is “NOT endorsed by United Teachers of Pasadena.” Ms. Richardson Bailey is undoubtedly distressed that PUSD’s teachers oppose her reelection, but Mr. Amsbry calling attention to that fact is not arguably infected with “racist undertones.” Second, it set out Mr. Amsbry’s qualifications and alleges that Ms. Richardson Bailey is an “incumbent and part of status quo,” “out of touch,” “refuses to address gun safety,” and is a “rubber stamp for the failing superintendent’s $265,000 salary.” While all of these criticisms may be stressful to Ms. Richardson Bailey, they are garden-variety political arguments concerning which no reasonable person could conclude are infected with “racist undertones.” 

The backside of Mr. Amsbry’s mailer shows at the top a picture of Mr. Amsbry on one side vs. Mr. Richardson Bailey on the other side. Below Mr. Amsbry’s picture is text which elaborates on his qualifications. Below Ms. Richardson Bailey’s picture are three arguments that she is “failing to deliver for students” because she “puts politics before kids,” “refuses to

address gun safety,” and “approved excessive raise for failing superintendent.” Nothing in the text of either side is there any language or contention which any reasonable person could conclude is infected with “racist undertones.” 

After Ms. Richardson Bailey’s charge of racism was made and readers other than myself pushed back that there was nothing racist in Mr. Ambry’s mailer, Ms. Richardson Bailey has publicly made the fanciful assertion that is that her picture on the mailer is racist because it looks like a mug shot and was altered. Ms. Bailey Richardson’s face is not altered in the mailer; anyone googling her online can confirm that her face has not been altered. 

Moreover, her picture on the mailer does not look like a mug shot as she asserts. Her face in the mailer is in color; mug shots are characteristically in black and white. Ms. Richardson Bailey is smiling in the mailer; persons subjected to mug shots don’t smile. The picture presents Ms. Richardson Bailey well; the only thing arguably negative about the picture is that Ms. Richardson Bailey presents as slightly smug. But no reasonable person could conclude that there are “racist undertones” to the picture.  

Detailed objective examination of Mr. Amsbry’s mailer thus shows that the racism charge is completely baseless. My good friend Anthony Portantino has unfortunately joined the chorus of Ms. Bailey’s supported who have complained about Mr. Amsbry’s mailer, citing Michelle Obama’s “When they go low, we go high.” Exactly the opposite is true in this case. Ms. Richardson Bailey has played the race card and falsely smeared Mr. Amsbry with her charge of racism. In doing so, she has shown herself to be no better than Jussie Smollet. 

When Ms. Richardson Bailey ran for office four years ago, my $500 contribution and my endorsement were the first contribution and first endorsement she received. I now recognize that I made a mistake. Today, I stand with PUSD’s teachers and give my $500 and my endorsement to Pat Amsbry. 

Dale Gronemeier is a civil rights lawyer whose office is in Pasadena. 

If you are unfamiliar with the Jussie Smollett hate crime hoax, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jussie_Smollett_hate_crime_hoax