County Historic Commission Eliminates Diversity Rules
One of the biggest criticisms of the El Paso County Historic Commission is that it has been almost entirely white for so many years.
Seriously, going to a meeting looked like being at a meeting of the Alabama Republican Party.
It was only because the last commission had screwed up so badly that they Commissioner's Court revisited the EPCHC and injected new blood. That has been a much-needed improvement of the Commission and as one of the few people that monitor what they do regularly, its important to pass on to you and the media the development at last night's meeting.
It seemed a mundane task, but there were two particular items of note that were stripped from the Bylaws - one being the requirement that the Commissioner represent a diverse group of El Pasoans, and two, that the EPCHC can't do anything that the Commissioner's Court doesn't want them to.
Both provisions are needed because of actions that body has taken in the past.
First, the diversity thing, because its frankly the most important thing. EPCHC decides what markers get put where in this county. In other words, they decide what history will be told in this county. For years the white majority of members, and I mean the organization was almost exclusively white, would choose to recognize the history of this county from the perspective they want.
In other words, cowboys and saloons and that stuff that is only a small one-dimensional part of this county's history.
So the EPCHC took a giant step backward and its an overt sign that they want things back to the way they used to be. Now more than ever its time for Commissioner's Court to be vigilant over the EPCHC to ensure that the Board doesn't go back to a white's only club.
Seriously, going to a meeting looked like being at a meeting of the Alabama Republican Party.
It was only because the last commission had screwed up so badly that they Commissioner's Court revisited the EPCHC and injected new blood. That has been a much-needed improvement of the Commission and as one of the few people that monitor what they do regularly, its important to pass on to you and the media the development at last night's meeting.
It seemed a mundane task, but there were two particular items of note that were stripped from the Bylaws - one being the requirement that the Commissioner represent a diverse group of El Pasoans, and two, that the EPCHC can't do anything that the Commissioner's Court doesn't want them to.
Both provisions are needed because of actions that body has taken in the past.
First, the diversity thing, because its frankly the most important thing. EPCHC decides what markers get put where in this county. In other words, they decide what history will be told in this county. For years the white majority of members, and I mean the organization was almost exclusively white, would choose to recognize the history of this county from the perspective they want.
In other words, cowboys and saloons and that stuff that is only a small one-dimensional part of this county's history.
So the EPCHC took a giant step backward and its an overt sign that they want things back to the way they used to be. Now more than ever its time for Commissioner's Court to be vigilant over the EPCHC to ensure that the Board doesn't go back to a white's only club.
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