Didn't we just dance this dance? Why are we doing it again?

Because we have to elect a mayor for our fair city. Now supposedly the mayoral candidates are all non-partisan, their party affiliations not germane to the office for which they have their hats in the ring.

However, all around me are the whispers: Is he a Democrat? Really a democrat, or a republican in democratic clothing?

Followed shortly by something like this: You know only a person of xxxx ethnicity can represent us. Only a person whose speaks zzzz language can understand our needs and speak for our people.

Sigh. The factionalism and ignorance grows worse every year. I suppose it is true that I could never truly know what it was like to be a one-eyed, one-horned flying purple people eater, but I *could* understand what it is like to be different. I do know how it feels to be alone, unable to get a job because you're not a citizen and sleeping under hedges at night, trying to make a few pennies suffice for food during the day and dodging the representatives of the law who want you to "move along".

I am also able to sympathize with those who don't speak the majority language, although I myself learned the language of every country I lived in (and at least one language where I never did even visit the country after all). Not to mention ancient Latin. So I won't mention it, except to say I know how difficult it is to conduct life's business in another tongue.

In truth, those who are running for office, regardless of language, ethnicity or other characteristics, are well off and well connected. In my book, that may render them unlikely to understand the plight of the poor and disenfranchised, even if their father or grandfather picked zucchini for a living and they didn't wear shoes until they went to school. Or they have pointy ears and green blood. So fucking what?

It's not the outer shell (race, religion, language) that counts but the inner heart. Some people can empathize, imagine and connect, then use their power and wealth wisely. Some cannot. I hope we can elect the former and leave the latter to peddle their wares elsewhere.