A ‘crime’ that imposes its own punishment — at the polls
June 19th, 2008 by Vicki ViottiStupid is as stupid does. Didn’t Forrest Gump say that?
It’s doubtful he had City Councilman Rod Tam in mind, though.
In all the storm swirling around Tam’s use of an epithet that’s offensive to Hispanics — and I won’t repeat it here, because you’ve all heard it, right? — there’s debate over whether it’s a racial slur or simply an insult, and over whether Tam was being hostile or merely thoughtless.
Nobody is debating the simple fact that it’s plain dumb for anyone to use such words, especially someone who depends on the goodwill of the electorate for his job..
Tam has apologized, the council has censured him. That seems about right.
Some in the community are calling for his ouster, and they may get their wish — ultimately.
There are times to give elected officials the boot immediately, but a rude comment, even one this rude, doesn’t quite rise to that level. If every politician got the boot for doing something witless, there’d be winds whistling through the empty government offices statewide.
Those who want Tam out should throw their support behind one worthy candidate seeking to replace him in 2010, and one more to run against him if he does go for the lieutenant governor’s post in 2010.
Yes, that’s a long way down the road. But something tells me Tam’s new opponents won’t forget the stupidity.
– Vicki Viotti
