A very brief post, so much to readddddddd, as always.Cambridge, Massachusetts, my former (very long ago) stomping grounds, now has the first out Black lesbian mayor of any US city, Denise Simmons! Congratulations, Ms. Simmons. Cambridge had previously seated the first out Black gay mayor, Ken Reeves (whom I've met; an impressive man). Pretty amazing.
On top of which, Massachusetts now has the nation's only Black governor, Deval Patrick, and only the second, I believe, since Reconstruction. (C and I lived in Virginia during the end of L. Douglas Wilder's term. I still can't believe he was elected there, at that time, but then they put George Allen in the governor's mansion, so go figure.) If I were to pick the state that might seat the first out Black LGBT governor, I'd say Rhode Island, or perhaps Massachusetts. Or if he were a liberal Republican, Connecticut. I think it's about time that a few more of these states of ours elected Black--and other people of color--Senators, and women. (More than 50% of the population...just saying.) If Frank Lautenberg were going to step down--please, Senator Lautenberg, take a hint--I'd say New Jersey Democrats should aim to be the next in line after Illinois; there are some progressive Black women in New Jersey's political system.
That also reminds me that DC should be given full voting rights and, for the purposes of fairness, elevated to state status, which would probably ensure at least one, if not two, more Black Senators. BTW, are the Republicans going to have any Black members in their caucus any time soon? As horrendous as their politics and policies are, there's always at least one or two Black people they can find to run on their ticket.
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