Phoenix Business Journal: Racism, Elitism and Anti-Semitism All In 156 Words

by

Posted by Bob Lord

Hats off to Mike Sunnucks of the Phoenix Business Journal. In a 156 word post last night, Gallego Routs, Pastor Edges in Phoenix Council Races, Sunnucks unwittingly revealed his perception of race, class and religion. It's kind of racism, elitism and anti-semitism all rolled into one. 

It was an easy enough assignment, reporting on the outcome of the two Phoenix City Council runoffs. And Sunnucks did ok for 29 words. Then he steps into it here:

Gallego was favored to win the seat which had been represented by an African-American for more than four decades.

The district is now majority Latino. Gallego, who is Jewish, is the wife of State Rep.Ruben Gallego, D-Phoenix. Stewart is black.

Excuse me, but what the hell does Gallego being Jewish have to do with the racial composition of the district? Does Sunnucks believe that if you're Jewish you can't be Black or Latino as well? Why on earth in that passage did Sunnucks not describe Gallego as White? Heck, even the Stewart campaign limited its message to Gallego's whiteness and left her Jewishness alone.

Then, a mere 49 words later, Sunnucks delivers this gem as his closer:

The central Phoenix [district] also
somewhat split on racial lines. Pastor is Hispanic and enjoyed support from
labor unions. Johnson is white and was supported by business and real estate
groups including the Greater Phoenix
Chamber of Commerce.

Wow! Get that? Union member = hispanic; Business or real estate group member = white. 

Well, at least he was succinct.

3 thoughts on “Phoenix Business Journal: Racism, Elitism and Anti-Semitism All In 156 Words”

  1. This coulda been written by Doug Macachern of the Republic. Quite a number of albinosaurs still behind the word processors in this state.

  2. What an idiot. I’m surprised he didn’t say anything about Gallego’s gender. He is saying exactly what business and political leaders here think. So small-time, stuck in the past, afraid of and contemptible toward the “other.”

    Look no further than this article if you want to know why high-paying jobs won’t come here and young, educated people wouldn’t stay here if you paid them.

  3. Sunnucks forgot to mention that the name “Gallego” is from a Spanish word for “Celtic.” This little detail may be irrelevant, but does relevance really matter in this context?

Comments are closed.