Wilmot Collins, a Liberian refugee, was just elected mayor of Helena, Montana. I looked him up, sort of thinking that I might find something interesting he had said to feature here. But so far as I can tell he is one of the most normal, unexciting, undramatic people in the whole country, and one of the least likely to toss off a memorable line. From his campaign's
Facebook page:
My family and I have lived and worked in the Helena community for a 23 years. I work as a Child Protection Specialist with the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, and I am a member of the U. S. Naval Reserves as well as an adjunct instructor at Helena College – University of Montana. My wife, Maddie, works as a registered nurse with VA Montana and is also a member of the U.S. Army Reserves. Our daughter, Jaymie, serves with the U.S. Navy active duty and our son, Bliss, is a senior at the University of Montana in Missoula.
As your Mayor, I want to bring fresh ideas and perspectives. I will come in with the energy a Mayor needs to tackle the business of the great City of Helena.
Asked about his success,
he said
It tells you that the people of Helena were more focused on their own issues and it was not about race or anything. They were looking for a change and I came in at the right time. I spoke the language they were looking for.
And there you have it. I hope his combination of an exciting background and a very bland persona continues to work for him.
One thing this recent round of elections seems to have shown is that there are a lot of urban and suburban voters who are relatively comfortable, secure (both economically and culturally), and satisfied, who don't want to burn the system down, who don't vote for whoever is the craziest son of a bitch in the race, and who are increasingly united in voting against the politics of wild and stupid.
ReplyDeleteApparently, Collins was running as a progressive against a basically establishment incumbent in a non-partisan election. But given Collins' whole tone and self-presentation, I suspect the voters wanted a combination of change with continued good order. And for them, change means the sort of change that brings more people to the comforts and security of suburbia.
As long as progressives can show that what they want is good order, a nice place to live, and a smiling health care provider for everyone, and not Judith Butler, they may do very well.
@John
ReplyDeleteI'm curious - what exactly do you find exciting about his background?
The man has lived here for a quarter of a century. Why is it that society at large still views him as a Liberian rather than as an American?
The man came here in 1994. He's been here since just a few years after the USSR collapsed. He was in this country well before Dolly the sheep was cloned, and well before Princess Diana died. He's been here since NAFTA was introduced.
Why is he still defined by where he came from before that? Are we honestly surprised that someone who has been here for roughly a third of the average human lifespan has successfully assimilated into the culture to such a degree as to seem "boring" or unremarkable?