Mr. Mayor and Honorable Members of City Council:
In the twenty-four years I have lived in Portsmouth, city council has selected a vice mayor in accordance with certain unwritten rules. All else being equal, a tradition of fostering a sense of unity through representational diversity has evolved. Consequently, when the mayor has been an African American, a European American would be selected as vice mayor and vice versa. This has not been an ironclad practice but rather a general tendency.
Perhaps, with the makeup of the new council being five African Americans, one of whom is mayor, and one European American, some might argue for selecting the sole European American to be vice mayor as a demonstration of racial amity. I would recommend not doing so, however. In the course of his twenty-two-and-a-half-year tenure on council, the member in question has on many occasions taken positions that promoted division along racial lines to appeal to his political base. In my view, that neither constitutes leadership in the best sense of the word nor concern for the best interests of our community. I encourage you instead to choose an experienced member of council who will focus on bringing us together as neighbors.
In that context, I believe the vice mayoral choice council made two years ago is still a good one. Despite our differences on a number of issues, I view Council Member Lisa Lucas-Burke as a public official who works for all of us. Her strong showing in precincts citywide this past November suggests I’m not alone in that opinion. Additionally, as the sole female member of council, she adds an important element of diversity to the leadership team. I urge you, therefore, to return her to the vice mayoral position, assuming she is still interested in holding it.
Please let me know if you need additional information.
Yours truly,
Mark Geduldig-Yatrofsky
Your position here is outrageous. When you talk of Mr. Moody (let’s not mince words, since you have no problem in mentioning the Vice Mayor by name.) and note that he has played to his base, your remarks smack of hypocrisy.
This last election was the most racially divided that I have witnessed in forty-plus years in Portsmouth. I predicted it would be! That’s the way elections in Portsmouth play out. But that division is being driven primarily by the NAACP and Sen. Lucas and her followers. That was particularly manifested in Sen. Lucas’s performance with the BLM, the New Black Panther Party, the NAACP, and a cadre of supporters pushing their black agenda on the steps of the City Hall this summer. Certainly, the Governor, the Lt. Governor, and Rep. Scott have also contributed to racial division and polarity throughout the state and their statements in support of the Portsmouth 18 have exacerbated a huge racist divide, not only in Portsmouth but throughout the Commonwealth. Every one of these individuals and in particular the new Mayor and our Vice Mayor and one of our School Board members has slandered Confederate Veterans, both white and black, but encouraged or participated in State and/or Federal felonies by inciting a riot, destruction of property, desecration of a veterans memorial, and broadcasting incitement to riot and commit criminal acts over the airways. The fact that a Richmond judge dismissed the case against them because the police encouraged such behavior by doing nothing does not absolve the fact that they were all involved in a hate crime of great disparagement to Virginia, its veterans, and to property and have certainly committed felonies in the eyes of the public. What happened on the 10th of June was a disgrace to America, our history, heritage, and to civility. It was promoted for racist motivation and led by our new Mayor, our Vice Mayor, and the President Pro Temp of the Senate, our Third District Senator. Above all the Portsmouth President of the NAACP was most instrumental in the incitement of this criminality and orchestrated, encouraged, and whipped up the mob with racist vitriol. I witnessed his diatribes of racism.
To single out Councilman Moody and define him as an instigator of racial division in the City is an outrage, in light of the aforementioned incident and those that participated in this matter, particularly the Vice Mayor and Mayor. Lastly, there is no one in political power, in recent memory who has been more blatant in his racial vitriol and the promotion of black racism than re-elected, and convicted felon, Councilman Whitaker. Both Mr. Whitker and Mr. Boyde mince no words in promoting the new black majority in Portsmouth and the fact that their race is in control and that this control is going to lean towards the black man and black business. So be it. But, that is black racism, and racism is racism.
I am stunned by your remarks! Quite frankly, I don’t think it matters who the replacement councilman is. It will be a thankless job that will bear no fruit, that I would not wish on a dog.