Felix & Sam

Felix and Sam are having a BBQ at Jim spencer's near the orient heights T Stop of the Blue Line.

(Will Sam be wearing his Labor for Menino pin?)

When I decided to run for office in January, I called up Felix Arroyo's office because he was the councilor I most admired and whom I had met when he first ran 4 years ago at the nearby intersection of Mass Ave and Columbus. I wanted to ask for his advice, as a constituent who had voted for him twice about how to run a campaign, etc. and how I could go about running without taking anything away from his progressive agenda. His staff said he was very busy and couldn't meet anytime soon, and I said fine whenever you can get me 15 minutes or 1/2 an hour. They scheduled me for about 6 weeks later. Then on the friday before the monday meeting, they called me and said that the councilor had decided not to meet with any candidates so as not to show favoritism.

Fair enough. Although I am a constituent wanting to get involved in the government process, you'd think that would warrant at least a few minutes. Even Paul Scappiccio and Mike Ross took time out to meet me and offer their advice.

The other chink in the armor is that it has subsequently been said by Sam that he met with Felix to get his advice, etc.

Perhaps it is as Sam said at the Ward 9 committee: "and you know, we minorities tend to stick together" to the almost all black group. Frankly, I'm offended by this playing of the race card. How is this any different from all Italians or all Hispanics or being lumped together as if people have no individual differences? I remember the first time I read about Sam last year, the Globe quoted a chinese man as saying something the effect of "well, we're glad he's asian but we wish he was chinese." A true progressive would speak out that this is just stereotyping and typecasting. We need to get away from judging someone by the color of their skin or the clothes they wear, that is what I'm about.

A question for Sam: I know that I am white so I don't make the cut for sticking together. But my fiance is hispanic. If we have kids and my child is half hispanic will they be minority enough for you?