How Slay can salvage the racial mess he’s made
by Larry Handlin
03-14-2008

Mayor Francis Slay is facing an effort to recall him from a coalition of groups who are opposed to him for a variety of reasons. His position in favor of a takeover of the St. Louis Public Schools and his opposition to proposals for a civilian review board was, among other things, the glue that galvanized his opposition. The most significant action to anger those seeking to recall him centered on the demotion and subsequent resignation of St. Louis Fire Department Chief Sherman George.

Slay has taken several hits on the issue including being booed at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day festivities. While racial tension is ingrained in the city of St. Louis, Slay faces a challenge with the current anger towards him. In one sense, his ability to seek a third term looks relatively clear if he wishes to run again. The South Side still turns out in higher numbers and population losses on the north side of the city, especially the northwestern quadrant, are significant. At the same time, governing the city from one ethnic block is a recipe for gridlock and little progress.

So what does Slay do?

The first thing he should have done was endorse Barack Obama. While both Democratic candidates remaining in the race represent historic candidacies, Slay is not having problems with white women. He missed a great opportunity there.

Traditionally, politics in St. Louis is mediated by organizations—whether they are interest groups, neighborhoods or wards. And true to his accomplished political form, Slay works those at every chance.

The problem is that those organizations in the African-American community aren’t listening to him and likely will not. So how should Slay overcome that? To be sure he is not going to win the North Side, but he can create an atmosphere where the toxic back and forth on race-related issues are mediated and or tempered.

How? I am glad you asked. Ignore the organizational structure of St. Louis. Actually, do not ignore it; just go around it to reach the North Side.

The traditional way to do such things in St. Louis is to show up at events other politicians or power brokers are having and connect that way. It cannot happen in the current climate, so the challenge to Slay is to create those opportunities to connect.

Have a picnic in each North Side ward and or neighborhood and have his political organization essentially conduct a get out the vote operation to get people to attend. Free food is always a good attraction to any potential voter in every city and county in America. Instead of get out the vote (GOTV), get out the picnickers (GOTP). Invite non-profits that work in the area to these picnics, because they are always looking for ways to connect with the populations they serve. Conduct free health screenings. Give out books to families. Smile when the protesters show up and be pleasant—and the mayor is naturally a pretty pleasant guy.

The mayor should organize a bike tour and ride through the North Side finding historical sites. And no, not just Crown Candy. There are an abundance of historical sites on the North Side to visit and a bike tour would likely attract a fair number of people from other parts of the city who simply do not know where they might be. The mayor has good relations with the bicycling activists and it is pretty hard to protest a guy who is moving.

Those are two examples, but the point is to practice guerrilla marketing and not just rely on the typical intermediaries. The point is not to win on the North Side, the point is to be a real person to people on the North Side. Slay is not some head of an evil cabal, he is the fairly white bread mayor of a city strongly divided by race. He cannot solve that problem, but he can make the city more easily governable by simply being around and providing a different model of how to interact with people.

Will he do such a thing? Probably not. His organization is pretty boring, relying primarily on media, traditional events, and the Ward system. And why not? He’s been pretty successful to date.

The problem is that politically, St. Louis is stagnant, and needs someone to try something, anything to break the political traditions of old. Slay is a creature of habit, but breaking those habits could be liberating for him, and more importantly, the city of St. Louis.

You can e-mail Larry Handlin at archpundit@yahoo.com.

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