There has always been a clash of sorts between those who do things they way they have already been done and those who want to do things differently. The desire to affect change is what draws many activists to a cause, whether it be political, social or economic. But change rarely happens overnight.
Many have pointed to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 as a completion of the conservative movement’s rise, which can be pegged to Barry Goldwater’s presidential run in 1964, some 16 years earlier. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled on the Brown case in 1954, yet Virginia’s schools weren’t really integrated until 1969, a span of 15 years. I’d venture to say that the election of Barack Obama in 2008 would not have been possible without the election of Jimmy Carter in 1976.
For many activists, the pace of change is far too slow. They get frustrated and quit, which, in my opinion, just slows down the pace even more. But some stick around, stay involved, and learn to work within the system to effect change.
Which brings me to the race for 1st Vice President of the Democratic Party of Virginia.
I doubt anyone who has observed the DPVA over the years, either from the outside or the inside, would say that the organization has been quick to embrace change. Part of the reason for this is that the structure of the DPVA is rooted in local committees. Some of the committees are forward-thinking, while others are – well, let’s just say, not. As many an activist across the state has observed, some are inclusive while others are exclusive. This ends up being reflected in the district committee members, who make up the State Central Committee – those who will cast their votes for the person who will be the #2 in the party structure.
So change, if it is to take place within the DPVA, has to start at the bottom, an argument that I make regularly when it comes to politics in general. Change at the top ends up being ineffective, purely because of the resistance it meets at the lower levels. It is why the grassroots even exists. Don’t believe me? Talk to just about any OFA member, an organization originally created specifically to support President Obama’s run for the presidency because of the national party structure.
I am convinced that Jimmy Carter was an ineffective president because he got to Washington and didn’t know how to work the system. I am equally convinced that electing a person to the #2 position in the DPVA who is not a part of the party structure will be as disastrous. This is not to say that anyone should “wait their turn,” because I simply do not believe in that. It is to say that we need someone in that position who is not only familiar with the grassroots but the grasstops.
Any discussion of change has to take a look at the issue of race. The tradition of having the #2 person in the DPVA (and the vice mayor of Norfolk, I might add) being black is troublesome to me on many levels. On the one hand, it says that blacks will always be second-best, not good enough to be #1. That hurts more than any non-black person can imagine.
On the other hand, it is a recognition of how far blacks in Virginia have come and how much we are valued by the party and not just as a reliable voting bloc. Somewhere, some new activist in the party can look to the#2 person in the party and find someone that looks like them.
Do I wish race weren’t an issue? You betcha 😉 But that’s like wishing race wasn’t an issue in almost everything. I do, but it is.
To be honest, I don’t know why Don McEachin didn’t move up, or why people like Viola Baskerville didn’t step up. These two are representative of the giants in the black community that are already a part of the party structure, people who would bring instant credibility, people who know how the system works and how to work the system. But they didn’t so we are left with those who have stepped up.
At the end of the day, I am most interested in moving the pile forward, as a friend of mine is fond of saying. To that end, and for what it’s worth, I believe Gaylene Kanoyton to be the best choice.
UPDATE: Paradox13VA has his thoughts up on this as well.
UPDATE 2: For those who don’t know, the “You betcha 🙂 ” is a reference to Sarah Palin.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Don for Chair! I think the things he has said and done over the past couple of years have been exemplars of what it means to be a Virginia Democrat.
Gaylene should be 1st vice chair, not for her race but for what she has done for Democrats at the LOCAL level. That is true grassroots.
Linda has it absolutely right. Gaylene started at the grassroots and has retained her focus there, even while taking on larger responsibilities at higher levels. She is an outstanding choice.
Never said she should be chosen for race. In fact, that’s just a bonus. The person should be chosen because they have demonstrated the ability to work both inside and outside of the party structure. I believe Gaylene has done that – and done so effectively.
Nice writing, Vivian- great lead-in.