Question: Charles Rangel, why did you not resign earlier this year? Or 10 – 20 years ago. Why did you let it get to this point? Why did you not decide to run again? Why did you put the Harlem Community in a “trick bag” and in “harms way”?What should have happened: Charlie Rangel indicates no later than January 2008 that he will no longer run for office as the Congressman for the 15th Congressional District in New York State and/or resigns from office. Then, a group of worthy candidates emerges to run for the 15th Congressional seat because they do not fear reprisal from Charlie and his “friends”.
Instead, this is what is unfolding: Harlem has a Congressman who needs to leave office (Charles Rangel), and, there is an opportunistic carpetbagger who does not really care about Harlem trying to get into that office (Craig Schley). The situation presents a problem with essentially no solution to Residents who love and respect Harlem. Either leave Charles Rangel in office or elect a self-centered opportunistic interloper into office. Darn!
On reflection: This is what happens when a Community does not make one of its priorities the development of good, grounded, stable and caring “home grown” community activists/politicians. Because of this, Harlem is now exposed and can end up being used by self-absorbed interlopers with political designs. Also, by not addressing this problem the Village of Harlem is now presented with essentially NO CHOICES for leadership. To summarize, there is no decent leadership in Harlem now and no decent leadership ready for the foreseeable future. Darn, again!
A little history: Craig Schley came out of nowhere less than one year ago at a 125th Street Rezoning meeting. He does not really know Harlem. He uses the ideas and work of others who know Harlem to “get over”. He used the 125th Street Rezoning as a way for him to get a lot of media face time that he felt would help “position” him to run against Charles Rangel.
More Stuff On This: As indicated above, Charlie Rangel needs to go but a seasoned Harlemite who really knows the Village of Harlem should replace him. Not an opportunistic and manipulative political “wanna be” who is trying to get a name for himself while attempting to “get over” on Harlemites.
This Wilhelmina Model is attempting to hook on to the discontent of Harlem Residents who suffer under the present crop of sorry Harlem Politicians. While tapping into this discontent, this carpetbagger is hoping that the Harlem Community does not carefully examine him and his past/present deeds too closely. In other words he sees this as an opportunity to “get over” on Harlemites because of the intensity of their anger towards Rangel.
Harlemites should definitely be angry with Rangel but not so angry as to allow Craig Schley’s fake concern for Harlem and the 125th Street Rezoning to blind them to his (Craig Schley’s) manipulation of the present painful state of politics in Harlem.
This guy is slick because along with banking on the Harlem Community’s massive dissatisfaction with Charlie Rangel he is also attempting to “hook on” to Obama’s call for change. As indicated above he will use the ideas and work of others (for example, Obama’s call for change) to push through his own (personal) agenda being “Me, Myself, and I”.
Again it must be stated: Charlie needs to go but this “Model of Distraction” should not be the one to replace him. Mr. Slick Schley has attempted to use the email of other groups to get himself known, piggy backed on other groups’ rallies to give a false impression that he is leading these groups, is the executive director of an organization (?) that has abused human rights (vote people), although it claims to be for human rights and has yet (it is believed) to stop using a web site to which it has not been given rights to.
Disrespecting Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.: Craig Schley disrespected the memory of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (ACPJ) by using ACPJ’s statue as a “stage prop” in his announcement. Given the situation, it is inconceivable that Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. would have been pleased about a carpetbagger using his image as a way to continue to pull the “crap” Craig Schley is pulling on the Harlem Community that ACPJ held so dear.
In Summary: The community needs to carefully check out this “Manipulative Model” before it is too late. Harlem needs a Congressman who cares about the community, not just about “Getting Over” on the Community.
Lastly this must be said: Craig Schley came out of nowhere and he needs to go back to nowhere for the good of the Village of Harlem.
Strength and Care to the Village!
TH
Watching Out For The Village!
