[Publib] Anti-Diversity, et cetera

[Backwage at aol.com]

I on the other hand am happy to find myself endorsed by  Mr. McClay, who 
states:
 
"Michael McGrorty - I know him personally, disagree with  him politically (he’
s on Twit List II) but he focuses most of his energy on the  issues of 
salaries. He’s my token liberal vote."
 
McClay is wrong about liberalism--I'm a socialist--but I do try to spend a  
good deal of time on salary issues.  Mind you, I am myself a Spectrum  Scholar, 
and being of Mexican, German and Irish extraction (and an illegal  immigrant 
on two sides) rather, let us say, diverse myself.
 
I happen to oppose Mr. McClay on nearly every issue of substance except  
perhaps as to the hour Council should adjourn.  On the other hand, I am one  of 
his admirers, for the following reason:  Unlike many of my own people,  he 
participates.  When you go to Council sessions, he will be  there, sitting in the 
back of the room, taking notes and talking to Councilors  who head back for 
coffee.  He is involved.  He spends his own money to  get to Annual and 
Midwinter, even though he holds no post or position.  He  runs for Council; he's 
running again, even though he lost by a wide margin last  time around.  Would you do 
that?
 
McClay is an easy target to attack; in many ways he presents himself as the  
caricature of the right-winger that my fellow lefties adore--the one they  can 
knock down easily.  I would suggest that we, that is, those of us  in the 
very predominant liberal-left wing of the library and its main  association, 
consider another target:  ourselves.  Our own  constituency has very little to do 
with our proceedings.  They don't show  up; they leave it to us.  It is not so 
much a matter of trust as  lassitude.
 
As to McClay, I would have a dozen more like him if I could.  If he is  as 
wrong as we think, then we have the obligation to prove that to him and to  the 
constituency he claims to represent.  May our galleries be filled with  our 
opponents, and for that matter, with voices on every side.  And one  other 
thing:  If Mr. McClay is elected to Council, we will have the  opportunity to 
debate him, and he us.  That would certainly go a long way  toward dispelling the 
image of Council as a rubber stamp for liberal  issues.
 
Michael McGrorty





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