Skip to main content
:
The above disclaimer is made for the benefit of Robert Williams, who took Avel Gordly out to the woodshed last week.
You see last week, Gordly, who is a Democratic state senator from Portland, did something outrageous and traitorous: She endorsed Gordon Smith, the Republican United States senator from Pendleton.
Avel obviously doesn't know her place, and Mr. Williams, who is chair of the Democratic Party of Oregon Black Caucus, was more than happy to help her find it.
"I feel that I have a responsibility to comment on state Senator Avel Gordly's announcement," Williams wrote in response to Gordly's endorsement. "Avel Gordly does not speak for the entire black community. The black community consists of all African Americans in the state of Oregon and represents a tremendous diversity of opinion. I would like to ask Sen. Gordly how many people in the community were asked their opinion before this announcement was made?
"The fact is Gordon Smith is no friend of Blacks in Oregon," Williams wrote. "He shows up for the pictures, uses the community, and then walks away."
Whoa, big fella.
Now, the Nose has no interest in debating the merits of Gordon Smith's service to blacks. But he does find terribly amusing the idea that Gordly, according to Williams' view of things, lacks the right to express her opinion.
When Gordly endorsed Smith, she didn't suggest that she was speaking on behalf of all blacks or even any blacks. She was simply supporting an elected official she has come to trust.
Gordly isn't the first donkey in Oregon to line up behind an elephant. There's a long tradition of Oregon Democrats endorsing moderate Republicans. A quarter-century ago Democratic state Sen. Ted Hallock was so frustrated with his party's incumbent governor, Bob Straub, that he urged Republican Tom McCall to challenge him. Twelve years ago, then-city Commissioner Earl Blumenauer and a number of other Democrats backed the reelection of Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield.
In fact, last fall a similar group formed to support Gordon Smith. Democrats for Smith includes Beaverton Mayor Rob Drake and big-time demo donors Harold and Arlene Schnitzer.
That group drew a bit of media attention, but as far as the Nose can tell, no one sent out press releases pointing out that Drake didn't speak for the entire suburban, SUV-driving, Dockers-wearing white-guy community. And no one whined about the Schnitzers not representing the entire Jews-with-lots-of-money community.
Yet Williams felt the need to give a verbal whuppin' to Gordly (who has always displayed an independent streak).
Jeez, could it be that she is being treated differently not because the content of her character, but because of the color of her skin?
Seems like someone once dreamed that we'd get past that.
POSTSCRIPT:
The Nose has learned that his column two weeks ago, casting grave doubt on the suitability of Anthony Amato for the Portland Schools top job, had quite an effect. In particular, it raised hackles over at the local Chamber of Commerce. In a widely distributed email, Chamber president Don McClave has said that the Nose incorrectly asserted that the Chamber "endorsed" school superintendent candidate Anthony Amato in a March 20 column. In fact, the Nose never used the word "endorsed," nor did the Nose say there was an official position. He said the chamber "lined up behind Amato," based on conversations with half a dozen sources who believed then--and now--that the Chamber officers who interviewed Amato favored his candidacy.
WWeek 2015