Political Gumbo: Photographic Memories

I’d imagine some people will have a lot to say about taking down portraits at City Hall, and plaques for that matter, of former Mayors and others that engaged in racist behavior in days gone by.

I’m not really sure where I come down on this one.

So here’s the story.

A.I. Stewart, who sat in the big chair for a few years in the early 1940s, wanted to keep Black people, and others, from owning homes in Pasadena.

The Pasadena Improvement Association led a campaign on real estate covenants that pretty much called for white people to sell their homes only to other white people.

Despicable to say the least.

On Tuesday, a City Commission discussed sending a recommendation to the City Council supporting the removal of anyone that previously engaged in a racist campaign.

I can dig that.

But truth to tell, I don’t give a damn what A.I. Stewart thought. 

My parents purchased a beautiful home in Altadena in 1969 when many of these covenants were active.

Our accomplishments outweigh the past. 

Yes, redlining and those handshake deals may have stopped some people, but it didn’t stop the integration of Altadena and Pasadena.

Still if you want to take his photo down, I won’t lose any sleep over it. 

But the question is, how far does this go. 

Based on the nation’s attitudes during that time, I am sure we could find a reason to remove the photo of everyone who served as mayor before Stewart.

And probably some of the ones that came later. 

Atheists?

Tax cheats?

Philanderers?

Cool, I didn’t describe the Village People this time. 

You get the point. They all did something society frowned on. Yes society changes, yesterday’s sin, is tomorrow’s cause.

Well, not every mayor. I was checking out one cat’s photo on that wall and I am certain he was Black and passing for white.  

Then again, I guess some would say that’s a reason his photo has to go too. 

Not even sure a photo of yours truly would last on the wall too long. Then again I know it wouldn’t. 

Remind me to tell you about a weekend I had in Atlanta.  

Wait, did I say Atlanta? Um, yeah I’ve never been there. 

Umm let’s get back on point and forget about ALABAMA.

What do we have after we take down the photograph?

An empty wall and an undefined history of hateful acts that will be forgotten.

Maybe we shouldn’t forget. 

Maybe we need to remember what was done in the past to learn from history and to make sure it is never repeated.

But let’s not embrace it. The rush to build moments to flawed men leads to trouble, even if it’s a Hall of Mayors.  

Local schools were named after Woodrow Wilson, Teddy Roosevelt and others who supported eugenics along with FDR who cut deals to pass his landmark New Deal legislation that guaranteed he would look the other way while Jim Crow continued in the South.

Yes, I graduated from John Muir High School and his words have been well documented, but again I don’t give a damn. I’m a Mustang in spite of racism, not because of it. 

Yeah, we’ve been over that before. 

It’s not the photograph that’s the problem. 

It’s the moment in time it captures, and that’s what we have to remember and vow to never repeat or celebrate.

Keep it up, take it down — but practice brotherhood.