Those People...

It is sad that the issue of race will again take center stage during this year's election cycle. Last night WFTV Channel 9 ran a story on a former Kissimmee City employee who was fired from his position at the Civic Center for speaking Spanish to clients at the Civic Center. The City of Kissimmee does have an English only policy that they had put into action over a year ago, but that was originally supposed to be to streamline communications between employees and management. One of the highlighted comments the City of Kissimmee used as a reason to let this employee go was, "We, the city, pay our employees in dollars, not pesos." If the dollar gets any weaker, this may not be the case for long.

This reminded us of a comment from last weeks City of Kissimmee Commission meeting from commissioner Jerry Gemskie. During the heated discussion on moving the Lynx hub from the Osceola Square Mall into Downtown Kissimmee, Commissioner Gemskie made an interesting assertion. He explained that moving the hub away from where "those people" lived and away from where "those people" who would ride a bus are used to getting on it would actually be worse for "those people". At one point during his rant someone actually tried to stop him from his racial and/or class based arguments, but he ignored the interruption and continued in his divisive line of thinking. We can only hope that his true character shows through to the voters of this community during this election year. One thing we will agree to was that his argument was an interesting turning point in the Lynx debate because it showed that the resistance to moving the hub into downtown may be more about the downtown residents and business owners not wanting "those people" coming through the downtown rather than any other issue.

The WayneWho staff was left wondering if these different incidents are part of a pattern of behavior inside the city. Are racial and/or class biases dictating policy with our elected officials? If a group such as the downtown residents and business owners come together and demand that "those people" should not be allowed in their area, will government follow the pattern it has been establishing or will it duly represent the community as it has sworn to. This year's election will probably answer many of those questions.

Our advice to Lynx, pull out of this before you get pulled into this dirty fight. Talk to the county to see if you can put the hub on Osceola Parkway near the Wal-mart. This area would make a perfect light-rail and bus station that would serve many of "those people" without subjecting them to the public policy of those within the city. The City of Kissimmee will only continue to waste your time and the federal grants that are available, so pull the plug on your talks with them. Maybe if we can relocate the station to Osceola Parkway then you can create an "our people" route that can get people to and from the downtown area.