Tokenism: Formal or superficial compliance with a law, requirement, convention, etc., especially in the hiring of members of a minority group.
In the aftermath of Obama's historic election, you heard people - in the "know" and on the street - talk about it in transcendental and historic terms. Some people were even wondering if we were indeed moving towards a "post racial" era.
However, it only took a few appointments from the Obama administration to have some Latinos complain about the same old thing. From that always-reliable source of conventional idiocy, Ruben Navarrete,
I wonder what message it sends that
President-elect Obama has apparently passed over Richardson and seems
ready to offer the post at State to their former rival, Hillary
Clinton. While known the world over from her days as first lady,
Clinton doesn't have anywhere near Richardson's level of experience in
foreign affairs. Besides, she treated Obama reprehensibly during the
primary. Does anyone really think that if she had been elected
president that she would be vetting Barack Obama for secretary of state? . . .
This isn't about Richardson, who might be very
happy heading for ribbon cuttings in Toledo while Clinton heads for
blue-ribbon summits in Tel Aviv. This is about something larger.
Richardson is the nation's only Hispanic governor and the most
prominent Hispanic elected official in the country. And the way he was
treated doesn't say much about Obama's respect for the Hispanic
community. Nor does the fact that Obama seems to have filled his top
four Cabinet posts – Justice, Treasury, Defense and State – and
couldn't find a single Hispanic to put in any of them.
to Latina Lista
President-elect Barack Obama had barely made the announcement to a
packed press conference that New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson was
his pick for Cabinet secretary of Commerce when a reporter stood up and
asked a question foremost on the minds of most Latino groups — was
Richardson’s appointment a “consolation prize” for Latino voters who
wanted him named Secretary of State?
Of course, the question was brushed aside with Obama emphasizing, “Commerce secretary is a pretty good job.”
But it wasn’t the high-profile position that would have showcased
Richardson’s diplomacy expertise nor the position that several Latino
organizations had been actively campaigning for on behalf of the
nation’s only Hispanic governor.
to the Coconut Caucus
Secretary of Commerce = Where We Stick Latinos to Say We're Diverse.
and Brown Pride
First, the most prominent Hispanic leader, New Mexico Gov. Bill
Richardson, lost the plum secretary of state assignment to New York
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Last spring, Richardson angered the
Clintonistas by backing Obama over Clinton during the heated Democratic
Primary contest, only to now see her being offered the top diplomatic
post.
among others, many in the Latino community and blogosphere see the lack of Latino appointments - particularly Richardson's non-appointment as Secretary of State - as a snub.
I, for one, don't have any qualms about it.
