At last night’s City Council meeting, Nat Bates tried to add an amendment to the RPOA condemnation that would censure me for an alleged racial comment, to which he alluded but did not express. Bates’ move went nowhere, if for no other reason, because it wasn’t on the agenda.

Several people have asked me what he was talking about. Here’s the story:

On July 17, when the City Council adopted the infamous secretly negotiated Community Benefit Agreement, I didn’t even stay to vote on it because I knew the fix was in, and it was about 2:00 o’clock in the morning. I was right.

The next day, I responded to an email sent the previous day by Dan Doellstedt, pleading for the City Council to compel Chevron to help fund construction of the Bay Trail across I-580. Dan was severely injured, and his friend was killed using the existing bike trail that provides access to Point Molate.

I told Dan, “Too late, Dan. The City Council sold you out last night. No money for Bay Trail design or construction,” and I copied my response to the entire City Council.

John Marquez responded to me, “Please tell the truth. You left before the vote was taken.”

I replied, “So, what did I miss?”

Marquez: “Your courage to vote up or down!”

Then I wrote the following to Marquez: “John, my vote no longer counts. Had I voted “no,” it would have made no difference. It’s like going to a football game and seeing the home team losing 101 to 6 with a minute left to play in the fourth quarter. I could stay to the bitter end (Yogi Berra: “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over”), or I could try to beat the crowd out of the stands and get home before the traffic jam starts. Maria has the four of you so completely under her power (and she under Chevron’s power) that the people of Richmond no longer have voice. I hope the coming election will change all that by sending the three of you back to where you belong. “

Sometime later, Marquez remarked to me that he was concerned about the phrase in my email “…sending the three of you back to where you belong.”

He said it was being interpreted by some as racist and asked me what I meant by it.

I told him that I didn’t really mean anything by it. As far as belonging somewhere, I told him I didn’t have a particular location in mind but that I thought that Bates, Sandhu and he belonged anywhere but on the Richmond City Council. When I emailed him, I was still furious at what had gone down with respect to the Chevron vote, and I had resolved to do all I could to see the three them removed from the City Council in the November election.

In all fairness to John, and perhaps I my own lack of race-baiting experience, it dawned on me that perhaps the phrase “…back where you belong ,” has been used pejoratively by others with respect to immigrants, and in fact it has. I have never used it in such a context, but I could see how this might have been misinterpreted.

I think John knew I didn’t intend it as a racial slur, and we never discussed it again. Incidentally, John and I came from the same place. We were both born in New Mexico – and proud of it.

Although the “..back to where you belong,” phrase has been misused by bigots, it is also a common one that is widely, innocently and legitimately used, such as in the Beatles tune “Get Back:”

Jojo was a man who thought he was a loner
But he knew it couldn't last
Jojo left his home in Tucson, Arizona
For some California grass

Get back, get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back, get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back, Jojo
Go home

Or in the Nancy Sinatra song, “So Long Babe.”

I know you're leavin' babe,
Goodbye, so long.
Pick up the pieces
And go back where you belong.
You gave them all you had
And what did they give you?
Well they gave you nothin' babe
So give 'em nothin' too.

And Lee Hazelwoood’s song of the same name:

I know you're leavin' babe goodbye and so long
I hope someday somebody listens to your song
Those bright lights never ever spell your name it's true
Maybe a change it seem would be the best for you
Ah so long babe so long babe so long babe so long babe so long babe

I know you're leavin' babe goodbye and so long
Pick up the pieces and go back where you belong
You gave 'em all you had what did they give you
They gave you nothin' babe so give 'em nothin' too ah so long babe

At any rate, I had no xenophobic intent when I suggested my opponents should go back to where they belong. As I have said before, they are all honorable individuals who have given of their time for years of public service, and I respect that. We have collaborated on many worthwhile projects in the past and agreed with and supported one another many times. On the other hand, I believe they have finally deviated from the most enlightened path, and it is time for them to go – somewhere besides the Richmond City Council.

Goodbye and so long (hopefully).

The entire email string follows if you want to read it.

From: Butt, Tom
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 7:29 PM
To: Marquez, John
Subject: RE: Please Uphold Bay Trail Conditions For Chevron

John, my vote no longer counts. Had I voted “no,” it would have made no difference. It’s like going to a football game and seeing the home team losing 101 to 6 with a minute left to play in the fourth quarter. I could stay to the bitter end (Yogi Berra: “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over”), or I could try to beat the crowd out of the stands and get home before the traffic jam starts. Maria has the four of you so completely under her power (and she under Chevron’s power) that the people of Richmond no longer have voice. I hope the coming election will change all that by sending the three of you back to where you belong.

Take Care

This email is being sent from my home computer.