An open letter from council-at-large candidate George L. Cook III.
My name is George Cook and I am a candidate in the upcoming mayoral and council election on May 12. But that is not why I am writing this letter. I am writing this letter because of something I have seen and heard firsthand as I have campaigned in town. I have seen and heard that some want to win so badly that they are willing to divide this town across racial and ethnic lines to do so. Who these people are does not matter. Neither does pointing fingers and assigning blame. Not if we stop this now.
Now, I want to win badly also, and like others, I believe that I can help Hillside become a better place to live in. But I will not stoop to playing racial politics. I think I speak for my running mates when I say that I would rather loose this race in spectacular fashion than destroy the town in which I grew up in and that I love dearly.
Playing racial politics is a road we should not go down. It will only create a rift that no matter who wins they may not be able to repair. It could divide this town for years to come and destroy any chance of building a sense of unity.
We have to remember that no matter who wins, they will not be the mayor of Black Hillside or White Hillside, Jewish Hillside, Hispanic Hillside, or Portuguese Hillside. That person will be the mayor of Hillside.
That person will need the help of us all. Because only 22,000 strong can we make Hillside a better place to live.
Only 22,000 strong can we tackle our tax issues.
Only 22,000 strong can we find ways to build new schools.
Only 22,000 strong can we take better care of our seniors.
Only 22,000 strong can we make government work for us.
It saddens me to write this just months after millions of Americans went to the polls on November 4, 2008, and voted not for the black candidate, not for the white candidate, but for whom they felt was the best candidate. We should follow that example.
In closing, I would like to say to the 16 of us running for office that it’s not about us but about the 22,000 whom we seek to serve. Let’s keep that in mind as we campaign.