If I were still a resident of Chattanooga and were participating in the vote for the runoff election for mayor, I wouldn't be able to allow myself to consider Tim Kelly for mayor, simply on the general principle that Chattanooga doesn't need its "66th" consecutive white male mayor. This glaring statistic, in the year 2021 no less, is not a good look for Chattanooga to the outside world. This city, my beloved hometown, for all the positive things that are happening there, gets a "zero" in diversity for local government leadership.
When the mayoral contest began I was so hopeful that Chattanooga would finally join other major metropolitan southern and Tennessee peer cities by having either their first African American or female mayor. There is still hope for that if the very capable leader Kim White wins in the runoff and finally puts Chattanooga on the diversity scoreboard. She would become Chattanooga's first non-white male mayor "ever". This would end an eye-popping "181-year" dominance of white male leadership of the local government. That is not a misprint. For 181 consecutive years, Chattanooga has been run entirely by white males.
What this statistic says to the outside world "subliminally" is "We the people of Chattanooga, collectively believe women and people of color do not have the intelligence, the character, the leadership ability, nor the wherewithal, to lead our city. As such, in any and every circumstance, we shall all elect via our votes (or not participating in voting), a white male to lead us."
I and others completely reject that fundamental premise; however, that is the message Chattanooga has sent to the outer world for 181 years. It is also the same message we send to the children of Chattanooga. Why would a little girl or brown or black child think they could be mayor of Chattanooga? No evidence exists that it is even possible in this lifetime or well into the future. Can you imagine putting up a picture of every mayor of Chattanooga in a public place like a library, a museum, or a school? What story would that display of pictures tell about our city? Would little girls or children of color see themselves in Chattanooga's history or future? Probably not.
In this runoff, the challenges that women and minorities face every day when competing against white male counterparts for jobs are clearly evident. African Americans have always known "you have to have twice the credentials and twice the experience of your white male counterparts just to be considered even with them" our parents have taught us this. The same rationale holds true for most women who also have the "double credentials and experience needed just to be even" conundrum.Women hold the additional burden of being victims of various biases that I will not experience as a man (most especially women of color but that is an entirely different post).
Case in point. When I surveyed my friends and asked them why Kim White wasn't faring better among some in the black community I was told because she was in a picture with an elected official that some did not like. I thought to myself, Kim White's life, character, her abilities, her accomplishments, what she has to offer her community is defined by who she is in a picture with? That is the most ridiculous and absurd thing I have ever heard as a criterion to evaluate someone for public office. It is almost as ridiculous as what got the last female candidate for mayor defeated from years back, Ann Coulter. She, after having the lead, heading into the run-off was defeated because of a rumor about her lack of church affiliation. This rumor later morphed into her being an atheist. Sadly for her "whisper campaigns" are the high blood pressure of political campaigns "a silent killer".
I have studied a lot of politics in my lifetime and I have never heard of deciding how you want to vote based on who the candidate took a photograph with. That is too trivial and silly to even consider when the stakes are so high for a city coming out of a pandemic. If it is something to consider, then ask for all Mr. Kelly's pictures to see if he took pictures with people you don't like...that at least would be equity.
In this 2021 mayoral contest minority and female candidates had some of the best candidates Chattanooga has ever put forth to seek the office of mayor. Among them were the following: two African American "sitting councilmen'', a former city attorney that is African American (knows all the city's legal affairs/best mayor Nashville ever had was also a city attorney), a now historical black figure, the first African-American graduate of Baylor who was also a graduate of Harvard, along with being the first person of color to be endorsed by the paper for mayor, and finally Ms. White, an intelligent, well regarded civic leader, that knows all the details of anything that has to do with land use, zoning, affordable housing, an ideal resume for mayor. Ms. White is easily one of the sharpest civic leaders in Chattanooga.
All of those people mentioned, combined, could not beat Mr. Kelly " a car salesman by vocation"? Seriously? All of these most qualified candidates, via resume, and background could not beat a white male car salesman that has no traditionally relevant history or background to be mayor? On some level that is hard to process. Alas, all of those people had to have double the credentials and experience, and yet were still not "even" with Mr. Kelly.
Mr. Kelly didn't even bother with raising money, a traditional benchmark of community and political support for a candidate for any public office. He just wrote himself a check to his own campaign. Mike Bloomberg did that too and was a mere "flash in the pan" in the Democratic primary. However, with a white male's 181-year dominance of the mayoral contest, Mr. Kelly finished in "first place" without raising any money or very little. That is astonishing to political campaign nerds like myself. However, his feat was uneventful in Chattanooga mayoral politics where his "181-year advantage" supersedes all political norms.
I do not write this post to bash white males. I have many white male friends, a lot of them politically conservative, some as close as brothers that I have known for many years. This post is about being truthful about Chattanooga politics and the harm of only having one race/gender as mayor for close to "200 years". An absolutely astonishing number that does my beloved hometown a great disservice. Chattanooga, like every organized government, needs diversity in leadership (at least occasionally) to have a different perspective on the city's challenges and offer a more inclusive vision for the city's future. You need diversity in life experiences too; it helps you better understand the struggles of the people you are going to serve and lead. In short," diversity in leadership matters".
I close with this. On Jan.1, 2020, at the famous Dillard's New Year day sale, I had a chance to meet with an old political rival and now good friend. A well-known Chattanoogan and a white male. He was desperately seeking a black candidate to run for mayor. He understood as a civic leader that Chattanooga needed to keep up with the times and have someone other than a white male as mayor. In short, it is an embarrassment for a city that has produced "many" stellar African-American leaders, and female leaders, to not have, in 181 years, a person of color or woman to become mayor. It seems like everybody wants to talk about diversity until it is actually time to "be" about diversity.
It is time for Chattanooga to be brave and be bold. It is time to put points on the diversity scoreboard (after 181 years) and vote for Kim White as the next mayor of Chattanooga. Fortunately, she is an excellent choice for mayor. She has performed excellently in the debates, she knows the critical issues, she has well thought out plans to address the city's pandemic economic challenges. At age 60, she brings a certain level of poise and maturity. What I like the most about her is she has that "Chattanooga toughness and competitiveness". She is the type of person you want on your side in a fight. Lord knows we all can use that in our leaders. I also really doubt that at age "68" she would be all fired up for higher office after being a two-term mayor. A vote for Ms. White is actually the most progressive thing Chattanooga voters can do at this hour.
Vote for Ms. White for mayor and let's finally get on the diversity scoreboard.
Scott B. Lindsey
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I believe Kim White is the best choice for mayor of Chattanooga.
We need a change of direction. Her opponent has been promoted as being another Andy Berke. Do we need another four years of what we have seen in the last eight years?
Chattanooga needs a mayor that has the best interest of all citizens at heart, regardless of race or gender. We need a mayor that cares about outlying communities, not just downtown. I think Kim understands that all lives matter, and is not willing to promise or compromise leadership jobs or positions in city government when she is elected.
Positions within city government have been promised by her opponent for votes and support. I think she feels as if the best qualified person should be placed in these positions after she is elected.
I certainly do not see her celebrating the death of someone that has died from cancer. Her opponent said he made a mistake in doing that. Im a firm believer that what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart. To me, that so-called mistake just showed his true character.
As a Kim White supporter, I urge you to take a good look at both candidates. Look at their character and intentions. Look at what is best for this city, yourself, and all citizens. Kim White by far is the most qualified candidate for mayor.
Jerry Walls
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The only "scoreboard" that matters is if our city is truly moving forward and leveling-up for all who live here. Diversity does matter. Should you elect a candidate for the visuals or for outcomes?
I am responding to the scenario that the previous contributor posed "Can you imagine putting up a picture of every mayor of Chattanooga in a public place like a library, a museum or a school? What story would that display of pictures tell about our city?" Without context, stories are often left up to the viewer to interpret from their own perspective (or those who would like to spin a story of their own). The contributor admits that they no longer live in their "beloved hometown" so I believe their view is being filtered through their perspective and are making assumptions as to how others will view Chattanooga if we do not elect a woman. To describe Tim Kelly only as "a car salesman by vocation" is someone that doesn't have all the facts.
I encourage all who care about the future of the city of Chattanooga, first take a deeper dive into each of the candidates in this run-off; and vote. Both candidates have robust websites.
In my opinion (and the opinions of the majority of the diverse candidates that didn't make the runoff that have publicaly endorsed him), Tim Kelly will bring new thought leadership, genuine common purpose, draft and manage a strong team to ensure that Chattanooga (with all of its people and resources) moves forward. I'd highly recommend watching one or more of Tim Kelly's "Common Purpose" podcasts too as an example of his leadership style - brings together experts, asks questions, listens, then acts.
Keeli CreweSmall business owner, downtown Chattanooga
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Diversity Matters, Vote For Kim White - And Response (2) - The Chattanoogan