We're not stupid Chris, we're aware of your antics!
Dear Councilmen Chris Williams and Louis Benjamin, what is your problem?
12-21-2005
When a citizen of this city or parish of Lafayette is rebuked by his own elected official because of a difference in political "opinion" something is wrong; someone has the wrong idea of how government is supposed to work. This is an instance of the tail wagging the dog. In this case, it's Chris Williams and Louis Benjamin who are way out of line.
When someone disagrees with Councilmen Williams and Benjamin they risk having their character assassinated and are called insulting names. This is immature behavior for two adult men. When a black person disagrees with Williams and Benjamin, they are labeled a “spook next to the door” or traitor sent by the white man to spy and cause disruption. If a white person disagrees with Williams and Benjamin, they are called racist, condemning them and all their white ancestors. It is this type of delirious thinking that obstructs racial tolerance, personal growth and community empowerment.
Williams and Benjamin are not
ignorant, just "stuck on stupid". Their unorthodox behavior at Council meetings is
not spontaneous but instead calculated and premeditated. They are on a mission to produce
as many "seven -- two" votes (seven white, two black) in Council
meetings as
possible. According to Williams and Benjamin these seven to two votes are
evidence of a racist Council and shows an inequitable distribution of parish
resources. Therefore, they find it necessary to confront the Parish
Council (white Councilmen) each meeting in an effort to make life miserable for
them.
Williams and Benjamin have established a pattern of protests against white Parish Councilmen that they say will continue indefinitely. And when asked about what they are trying to accomplish their answer is always the same…" we want to show the white Councilmen that they can’t take us for granted."
Benjamin
and Williams are strange political bedfellows. For the last ten
years Benjamin and Williams have been
opponents of each other on the Parish Council. Their relationship
was so
poor that Williams actively campaigned against
Benjamin in Benjamin's first re-election campaign, asking voters not to
vote for Benjamin.
Williams was actively involved in his own re-election campaign at the
time but found time to
attack and discredit Benjamin. This effort was a pay-back from
Williams for Benjamin's persistent vote against
issues Williams supported during their first four year term. For
years, this has motivated Benjamin to be wary of Mr.
Williams as a threat. Williams and Benjamin tangled again over the
location of
the Clifton Chenier Center. Williams wanted it located at the
corner of
Congress St. and St. John St. while Benjamin chose the present
location. Even more recently, Benjamin and Williams were on
opposite sides
on the "Fiber To The Home issue". And there are many other examples of
Benjamin and Williams voting on opposite sides. Ten years worth of
examples!
But now, after ten years of disagreeing with one another and
not working together, Benjamin and Williams have decided to spend their last two
years in office working together to defame and malign the character of white
Councilmen. I don't believe this is in the job description of a Parish
Councilman. While Williams and Benjamin are warring with white Councilmen,
who is serving the interest of their constituents? Who is watching the
store? What progress are Benjamin and Williams achieving for the people in
their Districts? The answer is... ?
Williams and Benjamin have grossly underestimated the intelligence and political consciousness of our black community members and diminished our trust in them. They have alienated the white community members by irresponsibly playing the race card repeatedly. Their separatist philosophy suggest that they are "stuck in time"... unable to change and progress along with the rest of the world; unable to understand and accept new ideas and political strategies; unable to toss political baggage aside and win new gains for the Districts they represent.
Constituents did not instruct them to cause chaos and confusion on the Council, but that's exactly what they are doing. We did not tell them to build barriers and racially polarize our community but that's exactly what they are doing.
Need we remind Mr. Williams that everyone is aware of and have tolerated his status as a Blanco connection to the black community in Lafayette for many years? Mr. Williams has a long history of catering to the political interest of ULL and its political leaders. But none of us are perfect.
Let's be honest, Williams has been used to keep black
voters in line with the Blanco Political Camp for many years. The Blanco's
control of Williams was most recently seen when Mr. Williams was ordered to
break his relationship with Senator Don Cravins and support Cravins opponent
Willie Mount for the U.S. House Seat election in 2004. It didn't matter that
Cravins helped Williams land a $93K job with Louisiana Technical College,
Acadiana Area District IV, as Assistant Chancellor.
When Williams got his orders to dump Cravins he quietly obeyed Blanco like a
good little boy and told Cravins good bye. Obviously, friendship and
loyalty mean little to Williams. How can Williams condemn others when he is
guilty of his own allegations...serving
his own white political handler?
He has
served almost three terms on the Parish Council as a "contrarian" masquerading as a black
populist. Sorry Chris, the jig is up!
This one example alone should deter Williams from name-calling and labeling others but instead, Mr. Williams has the audacity to continue judging and labeling other people with the intention of demeaning their character and causing them embarrassment.
Repeatedly playing the race card has reduced the effectiveness of Williams and Benjamin as representatives of District three and four. Direct confrontation appears to be the only method of politics these gentlemen know or care to use.
It's time
"we the people" now direct Mr. Williams
and Mr. Benjamin to curtail their combative practices at Council meetings
immediately. We urge them to stop and think about
the people who live in the Districts they represent and how they are hurt
by your antics. Williams and Benjamin
claim to stand for black pride and dignity but they demonstrate only how
to be unprofessional, undiplomatic and how to cause chaos and
confusion. This is not a good example for our children. Their current inefficiency and inability to
negotiate gains for their Districts is obvious
to everyone. Because of "Term Limits" neither Chris Williams nor Louis
Benjamin can
run for Parish Councilmen in the next election. Because of this they believe
they are no longer accountable to voters of their Districts. In other
words. they don't
need our votes anymore.
Parish Councilmen Chris Williams and Louis Benjamin may need to be reminded that their constituents own the Districts represented by them. We put them in office and we can take them out of office. I thank God we live in a democracy where the will of the people supersede the will of politicians.
Finally, Mr. Williams and Mr. Benjamin, we advise that you cease interfering in our Community Ministerial Alliance’s effort to rename Willow St. to ML King Dr. Your earlier support is appreciated but your current hostility toward other Councilmen is making our efforts more difficult.
Fred Prejean
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