OTHER COMMENTARY : A Sentence to Back Benches

I really feel that Proposition 140 was a referendum on (Assembly Speaker) Willie Brown. It was kind of the Willie Horton thing by (Los Angeles County Supervisor Pete) Schabarum, and even by Pete Wilson, who endorsed it.

It had a lot to do with the fact that Willie Brown has remained in power for so long. And he has held his position longer than any Anglo who preceded him.

What many blacks will see (when Proposition 140 takes effect) is the forcible removal of a strong black man from power--not in spite of but because of his competence. There was no quota that put Willie Brown where he is or kept Willie Brown in the seat of power. Democracy did that. And it took demagoguery by Pete Schabarum to bring him down.

We stay on the back benches of the Legislature for years before we’re trusted enough to fill a leadership position, then in one stroke what we’ve earned is lost. It took years before I was appointed chair of Health and Human Services Committee. My community would only be fooling themselves if they think that if I leave that there will be another black woman who will be appointed chair.

For the small number of minorities in the (Legislature), it will be a long and hard fight to compete with everybody else for those powerful positions.