This month marks one year since the leaked audio in which four prominent Latino politicians from Los Angeles, Nury Martínez, Ron Herrera, Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo were involved in a scandal of such magnitude that two of them almost had to resign. immediately.
These Latinos made a mistake by participating in a conversation where offensive comments were expressed, and they have acknowledged it and apologized countless times.
However, some people and groups were so hurt that their apologies are not accepted to this day.
The worst part has been borne by Nury Martínez, whom many, as if they were gods, do not want to forgive, which shows that with women we are implacable, intolerant of dying.
What is the moral of this story? While everyone has the right to privacy, public officials must learn not to say in private what they could never say in public.
We must take into account that in general, we have high expectations about the behavior of elected officials, which does not mean that they are human and can make blunders.
However, we must also recognize that the recording of a private conversation and its subsequent leak, weeks before a crucial election, was part of a campaign to primarily remove Nury Martinez from the Los Angeles Council Presidency; and to Herrera, who had his own haters in the Los Angeles County Federation of Unions.
Someone or some thought that with the scandal, they would have more votes in the election.
Nury’s leadership style shocked some of his colleagues. Maybe perhaps his direct and flowery way of saying things; and maybe they never wanted her there.
The suspension of Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas increased the list of Nury’s enemies, because the followers of the considered godfather of the African-American political class became furious, since it was she who proposed her to the Council.
We do not know who is responsible for the leak of the audio, but it is clear that it was a great effort to remove the former president of the Los Angeles Council from the game; and at the same time, take three others, whom he already wanted.
The political opportunists had a field day, officials for whom the audio scandal was very good because they filled the void of their lack of work in the community with their incessant statements in the media; and that allowed them to empower themselves and position themselves on the public stage.
The audio put on the table that we Latinos need to work on the use of our language and on correcting the pejorative terms that we use on many occasions without realizing it, but the campaign to demand the resignation of the four Latinos was so aggressive and bordered on moments in the harassment that more than one of the community, it is not explained how none of them has not fallen into a mental asylum, prey to a nervous breakdown.
The thing is that there is a double standard particularly in the Cabildo because in other serious cases where there are serious crimes involved, some councilors do turn a blind eye, no problem!
We wonder if one day we will know who the authors of the James Bond-style recording made in the Federation were; and if there will be arrests. Let’s not forget that under California law, recording a person without their consent is a serious crime, which in English is known as criminal.
And the rest of the politicians who have torn their clothes loudly calling for the dismissal of the four Latinos, should put their beards to soak, because who doesn’t tell us that there isn’t another audio or several out there, ready to be brought to public light? in the next election.
It is time for the Latino and African American leadership to begin a process of reconciliation, leaving behind quarrels and accusations. Only by being truly united will the two communities move forward. Otherwise, we will continue in the hole.