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Editorial

Chico Campaign Insults Voters Of Both Genders With Sexist Appeal For Votes


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(April 11, 2015, 2:55 p.m.) -- In our opinion, Herlinda Chico's campaign has hurt itself by descending to what we consider a sexist attempt to install her on the Long Beach City Council. It sent a letter, apparently targeting female voters, which arrived in at least some 4th Council district mailboxes on Friday April 10, using the campaign device of a note from Ms. Chico's mother but in small print acknowledging it was sent by the Chico campaign itself. It includes the following:

[Boldface emphasis in original] "Herlinda's election would create the FIRST FEMALE MAJORITY on the City Council in the history of Long Beach. But that amazing accomplishment will only become reality if you cast your ballot..." [Link to full text below.]

Just imagine what would happen if candidate Daryl Supernaw had sent a mailing targeting male registered voters that said, "Help me keep a male majority on the City Council."

[Scroll down for further]

We believe Long Beach is better than this. We don't believe intelligent Long Beach voters want anyone in office who seeks power by (a) asserting superiority over another candidate based on gender, race or other immutable characteristics or (b) targeting a class of voters based on a prejudicial presumption that they will vote as a class based on gender, race or other immutable characteristics. By our standards, the Chico campaign's letter effectively does both.

We are frankly surprised that Ms. Chico, who impressed us as a thoughtful articulate candidate, would adopt a campaign tactic that effectively objectifies her along with other women and men. In our opinion, what the Chico campaign advocates is a contemporary version of gender portrayals of the past that treated women as if they were torsos instead of thinking persons deserving respect as equals. It relies on prejudice and gender stereotypes to try and discredit male opponents based on their anatomy. We expect mothers and fathers throughout the 4th district will grasp how insulting this is to them personally and what a poisonous message it sends to their daughters and their sons.

In our view, this is not a road that should lead to political rewards. At minimum, Council incumbents Lena Gonzalez, Suja Lowenthal and Suzie Price [Stacy Mungo wasn't listed, presumably because she hasn't endorsed anyone in the race] ought to publicly disassociate themselves from the Chico campaign's inclusion of their names as part of its letter's message. In our view, it deserves a public rebuke from those holding leadership positions in America's most diverse city.

Elections matter. In our opinion, what should matter in this election is whether LB's next Councilmember will provide a check and balance to what Ms. Chico's seven Council incumbent endorsers have done since mid-July 2014. Ms. Chico's incumbent Council endorsers -- of both genders -- voted (Sept. 2014 FY15 budget vote) to eliminate funding for LB's field anti-gang unit. They voted to leave three fire stations without fire engines (which left a Los Altos house to burn across from Fire Station 17 until a more distant engine arrived.) They voted (Jan-Feb. 2015) to triple their officeholder slush funds (Price and Mungo dissenting, proposed on initial vote to double the sums, then dissented with Austin on final enacting vote.)

And in what we consider the Outrage of the Year 2014, Ms. Chico's incumbent Council endorsers -- of both genders -- voted to dragoon LB taxpayers into a developer-coddling deal to rebuild LB's Civic Center that evaded a vote of the people and failed to seek businesslike bids that could have shown a City Hall seismic retrofit cost significantly less than city management claimed.

We haven't heard or seen Ms. Chico disagree with any of the foregoing actions. Not too long ago, the LB City Council had female members -- Rae Gabelich and Gerrie Schipske -- who didn't defer to bullying Mayor Bob Foster. We didn't see or hear Ms. Chico support them either. What a contrast with today's deferential incumbents -- of both genders -- who've endorsed her...and have voted for what we consider the anti-taxpayer, politically self-serving actions cited above.

The Long Beach Business Journal says Ms. Chico indicated to them [paraphrase] that she is amenable to putting a utility tax hike on the ballot (a position she has since tried to fog.) Her campaign is propelled by the polluting influence of big money from big labor and Sac'to politicians. And unlike the Business Journal, we see serious potential risks in allowing a federal customs facility at LB Airport, which couldn't be restricted to one operator and we believe could invite dangerous unintended consequences. Ms. Chico has offered the routine cliche about supporting the Airport ordinance while Mr. Supernaw has a history of having actively done so. The Council's decision on this fateful matter awaits 4th district voters' choice in the coming days.

In the face of substantive issues, the Chico campaign now relies on gender. Beyond a few campaign cliches, its letter seeks votes based basically on anatomy. To view its full text (addressee and signature redacted), click here.

The entire city was already watching this race...and now for more reasons.


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