Courtland Milloy's post-election column on the political come-uppance of just-ousted D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty cannot accurately be described as an "endzone dance," given that the NFL banned histrionics like these years ago. It's more akin to professional wrestling, or, well, just read it:
Fenty boasted of being a hard-charging, can-do mayor. But he couldn't find time to meet with 98-year-old Dorothy Height and 82-year-old Maya Angelou. Respect for elders—that's too old school for Fenty. Dis the sistas—his supporters will understand.
Watch them at the chic new eateries, Fenty's hip newly arrived "creative class" firing up their "social media" networks whenever he's under attack: Why should the mayor have to stop his work just to meet with some old biddies, they tweet. Who cares if the mayor is arrogant as long as he gets the job done?
Myopic little twits.
And lordy don't complain about [D.C. schools chief Michelle] Rhee.
She's creating a "world-class school system," they text. As for you blacks: Don't you, like, even know what's good for you? So what if Fenty reneged on his promise to strengthen the city from the inside by helping the working poor move into the middle class. Nobody cares that he has opted to import a middle class, mostly young whites who can afford to pay high rent for condos that replaced affordable apartments.
Don't ask Fenty or Rhee whom this world-class school system will serve if low-income black residents are being evicted from his world-class city in droves.
You blacks, always playing the race card.
I guess we can't all just get along.
If Milloy thinks that the influx of white-collar professionals into D.C. is a mayor-driven phenomenon, he's as stupid as he is intolerant. And he is surely bound to be disappointed when, even after the removal of the "friendly fascism" of the "dictator"-like "Napoleon wannabe," the District continues replacing pawn shops with Bang & Olufsens.
