From Ruby Holland, District 3 resident
I’m neither for or against the Sawant Recall. That’s not what this article is about. As a long term, Black, CD Homeowner she neither represents nor protects my interests. It’s always up to District 3 Voters to determine if Sawant represents them. They do need to quickly decide if they still feel represented or betrayed by Sawant regarding the recall.
My problem with Sawant is about her values and integrity. Let’s first be clear. BLM does not need Sawant. Sawant needs BLM! As one who is always concerned with building a “movement”, she witnessed the HUGE BLM movement with support from all over the world after the murder of George Floyd. This was the movement she’d been waiting for, and she quickly jumped on board. The only problem was, this was Black Lives Matter’s movement, focused on BLM issues and not Sawant’s. An attempt to hijack the message to one of Tax Amazon fell thru, I heard. Nevertheless she repeatedly and intentionally brings BLM into her conversations, not concerned that BLM as a group, is very private, or that the message of BLM gets muddled when Sawant’s name is in the mix.
It was Sawant’s idea to defund Carmen Best. Of all the many employees in SPD, Sawant went straight for the Black one. She attempted to cut her pay but still wanted Best to help restructure SPD, once defunded. then got angry when Chief Best fired back by quitting. It was Sawant’s intention that Chief Best would be both the problem and the solution. So now Sawant shamelessly blamed, who else but BLM, stating something to the effect of “ Chief Best doesn’t like BLM”. That attempt at divide and conquer was disingenuous. No Sawant, Chief Best didn’t like you for disrespecting her!
Now Sawant blames the recall on BLM. “They don’t like me because I stand in Solidarity with BLM”. No, Sawant, the recall people hated you well before you attached yourself onto BLM. Sawant blames all of her current problems on BLM, which I find disingenuous, disrespectful, and infusing negative energy into the BLM movement. If Sawant truly cared for Black Lives she would allow Black people to be heard on the issues important to Black People and not enmesh herself and her own agenda and problems into the BLM brand. Apparently that Is the only hope she has in surviving the recall, a recall she brought on herself by doing stupid stuff, and, of course which she also blamed BLM for.
In full disclosure, I have not discussed my displeasure with Sawant with anyone involved with BLM. The opinions here are my own. What I do know is that BLM does not give interviews, nor do they appear on talk shows so Sawant takes full advantage of that fact. I’m sure they don’t want the negative publicity that Sawant brings their way. It’s shameful, it’s appalling and oh so slick. Don’t be fooled by It.
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Kind of a hit piece disguised as unbiased. Not into it.
You must be a white woke Sawant supporter…. if so, it’s time to sit down and let Black Lives Matter speak!
It’s a community post which means it’s someone from the community expressing an opinion, it doesn’t claim to be unbiased. I’m beginning to think you are an intentionally dense troll.
Ok there’s a bit to unpack here….
First:
What I do know is that BLM does not give interviews, nor do they appear on talk shows so Sawant takes full advantage of that fact.
Reply:
I really hope everyone here realizes that BLM is a DENCENTRALIZED organization with no leaders. So they wouldn’t be giving TV interviews…
Second:
This was the movement she’d been waiting for, and she quickly jumped on board. The only problem was, this was Black Lives Matter’s movement, focused on BLM issues and not Sawant’s. An attempt to hijack the message to one of Tax Amazon fell thru
Reply:
Yes this did happen and the current organizers asked her to stop which she has to some degree
Third:
It was Sawant’s idea to defund Carmen Best. Of all the many employees in SPD, Sawant went straight for the Black one. She attempted to cut her pay but still wanted Best to help restructure SPD, once defunded. then got angry when Chief Best fired back by quitting. It was Sawant’s intention that Chief Best would be both the problem and the solution. So now Sawant shamelessly blamed, who else but BLM, stating something to the effect of “ Chief Best doesn’t like BLM”. That attempt at divide and conquer was disingenuous. No Sawant, Chief Best didn’t like you for disrespecting her!
Reply:
As a resident who got gassed by SPD after Best came out and took a knee with us. IDGAF. Chef best lied during her application process for Chief and making her police Chief was a mistake. SPD should and needs to be defunded. That wasn’t Sawant’s idea. That was the idea of the people. Especially the protestors who marched everyday demanding it.
Fourth:
I’m sure they don’t want the negative publicity that Sawant brings their way.
Reply:
As someone who’s been out nearly daily asking for the police to be defunded. I really don’t care, having an ally is nice though.
Full disclosure:
I voted for Sawant in all of her elections. I also helped with the recall Durkan campaign. Finally, there are things to not Sawant for. But this one is pretty far reaching. Also Sawant earned my undying respect after getting gassed with me by the Western Barricade.
You stated…”Chef (should be Chief) best (it’s Best) lied.. blah blah blah blah…”
LIE:
(repeated ad nauseam for the last year)
ADMISSION OF LIE:
What say you? Nevermind, because you will just say a lot of this and that and justify her actions (or should I say inactions).
Just know one thing: Sawant is a liar! She ADMITTED it and SIGNED it! if you want to hold others to the truth, then you should hold the Queen of Lies to the same standard.
What are the things to not want Sawant for?
Well, all 3 of the specific charges are valid, as determined by our state Supreme Court. And the fact, often mentioned on this blog, that Sawant is totally unresponsive to her constitutents in D3. And, her fealty to her socialist movement above all else. And, her arrogant and divisive style. And…..on and on.
i appreciate she trolls all the pro business losers that obviously have the run of the place. most people just complain about her because their misogynist and can’t stand anyone that takes a hammer to their childhood american dream fantasy.
When people are unable to dispute the facts of the case, they resort to ad hominem attacks. It’s very transparent. According to the Sawant camp those who support the recall are “millionaires, republicans, racists, misogynists etc”.
Many of us keep saying actually “We’re gay, we’re lifelong leftists, we’re feminists, we’re working class etc.” but the Sawant camp keeps going with their false narrative and attacks because that’s all they have. The reason is clear, she can’t defend her actions. There is no excuse for abusing power and unethical behavior.
Thank you, Ms. Holland, for writing this. Good to hear your perspective.
I appreciate Ruby’s contribution and her perspective on Councilmember Sawant’s interaction with BLM. Whether or not she co-opted the BLM message though is immaterial to the recall election. While her actions may be distasteful for members of the BIPOC community and BLM, co-opting movements for political gain is not a valid reason to recall someone. That is standard political practice. Much like the post from Eva Metz in defense of Councilmember Sawant it doesn’t address the actual charges against her, all of which are true and continue to be uncontested.
Did she misuse her office in violation of city ethics codes? YES. Did she violate the governors public safety order and endanger lives? YES. Did she divulge confidential information that she has access to as a city employee and risk the safety of the mayor and her family? YES.
Has she owed up to any of this and shown one bit of contrition or acknowledge her actions were wrong? NO.
In her statement to her supporters when she settled the ethics charges she continues to cast blame at shadow conspiracies and provide what about reasoning related to past council members. She states “it should be said that others with more knowledge of the law and Seattle ethics code than myself were taken aback. In their view, the idea that I had crossed some sort of line in the ethics code was highly questionable at best in the case of a non-existent ballot initiative.”
Do these “people” she is asking have more knowledge than the entire Supreme Court of WA state? It’s ridiculous and goes on to demonstrate her complete inability to take responsibility or accountability for any of her actions. I encourage residents of D3 to weight these charges carefully and decide for yourself if you think having a politician in office who believes the ends justify the means is the right fit for this city and what she will takeaway from this experience should she hold onto her seat.
If her ethics remain AWOL, you should vote to recall!
Very sound statement! Sawant hasn’t shown any remorse for her constant lies about the charges. She will never be authentic with an apology and she will never do what’s best for the City of Seattle or her own district… resign!”
“My problem with Sawant is about her values and integrity.” Thank you Ms. Holland for your comments. I agree 100%!!! I too am a District 3 voter and a FORMER Sawant supporter.
Have you signed the petition to recall her? Email [email protected]
i vote sawant but i saw her speak at cal anderson during CHOP and it was kinda weird and an obvious attempt to coop.. but that’s literally what politicians do *shrugs
Revolutionaries lie. They do not intend the Old Order to exist in the future, so lying to the dinosaurs — or breaking existing laws the dinosaurs live by — hurts no one that matters. BLM can be subservient to her revolution, or just another dinosaur to Sawant.
Ms. Holland, Thanks for your views re Sawant. I’m a District 3 resident and also feel that Sawant represents neither my interests nor those of the District. It seems her primary goal as Councilmember is having a ready platform to promote her party’s agenda. I hope you’ll add your signature to the “Recall Sawant” petition if you decide that you’d like the community to have different choice.
You are not active in and did not speak to any BLM activists or supporters, yet you wrote an article on why Sawant is co-opting the BLM movement. So, would it be right to say that you are co-opting the BLM movement to support your own political agenda? Isn’t that a touch hypocritical? At least Sawant shows up, and is the only council member who voted down the terrible police contract Durkan pushed.
As for “ It was Sawant’s idea to defund Carmen Best”, that statement is simply laughable. Defunding SPD was a widely advocated for protest demand. The rest of the council supported it. Best was not singled out, she was not “defunded”, and she quit rather than take a minor pay cut in the middle of a pandemic and budget crisis in which her organization was facing immense public criticism for actions she defended.
This piece is completely devoid of facts.
Too bad you can’t post your real name and identity, instead you hide behind two letters. Why do you think you can question a black woman about co-opting a movement she is a part of? I sure hope you aren’t a woke white man or woman who feels it’s ok to talk over a black life. Sit down!
Hey whitest of white dudes employed by the Republican supported Recall campaign… you said exactly nothing to refute anything I said, merely tried to change the subject and silence me.
Also, how dare YOU claim to speak for a Black woman? How ignorant are you to not know to capitalize Black? Completely disrespectful and clueless. Quit trying to weaponize identity, your cis-white male Republican coddling ass has no business telling other people to “sit down” while running a campaign to recall an immigrant woman of color.
You have the support of Billionaires, Breitbart, Fox, Talk Radio, and every other right-wing institution that has come out for your shameful racist recall effort. You sought out the support of SPOG to pad your sad rally for fucks sake. The same Seattle Police Department that despises and attacks BLM at any opportunity, murders Black and Indigenous people at alarming rates, and has a long history of racist and violent policing.
Do you feel any shame at all for working with homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, and transphobic right-wing institutions? Even the whitest, least intersectional of gays have some sense of a nagging conscious when their views are so strongly aligned with such purveyors of hate.
Thank you “HJBRIDGERII” for your informed opinion on connecting Internet posts to verified identities.
This “I’m neither for or against the Sawant Recall.” is dumb as shit. Openly acknowledging you don’t have an opinion on an issue you are aware isn’t nuanced, it’s idiocy.
Kshama is an opportunist. Won’t argue with that, but she has been one of the only council members to vote consistently for defunding police, a central demand of the movement for Black lives.
But where you really lose me is when you frame cutting Best’s salary as somehow an attack on all Black people.
Under her watch, SPD maintained its massive racial disparities in use of force (30% of UoF is against Black people, 7% of the population). She also oversaw the overwhelming display of force (gassing, beatings, blast balls pepper spray) against BLM protesters.
And of course, she personally intervened to save the job of Franklin Poblocki, a white officer who stalked and harassed a Black man at his job.
Just having a Black woman at the head of an institution designed to oppress and do violence against Black people isn’t progress.