Jeff Cooper is Mr. Congeniality, a permanent portrait of good times, a rarely perturbed personality.
He became rankled, however, when his City Council colleague Meghan Sahli-Wells recently observed that an old guard seemed to be blocking – not necessarily overtly — the introduction of more culturally diverse faces on the dais in Council Chambers.
He felt qualified – obligated – to push back because after living in Culver City for nearly three decades, Mr. Cooper can qualify as old guard.
“I do not know what motivated Meghan to say that, but I disagree wholeheartedly with her,” Mr. Cooper said.
“It is not true. The voters here in Culver City are wise enough to recognize that we are a very diversified, mixed city.”
In Mr. Cooper’s assessment. “we are well integrated. Anyone who doubts that can look at our schools. They will see kids who are basically color blind.”
Saundra Davis and Patricia Siever are the only two blacks to have served on the School Board. No black candidate ever has been voted onto the City Council – although few have sought the office. Two of the eight potential candidates for April 12’s three-seat City Council election are black.
Regarding diversity among adults and elected offices, Mr. Cooper said that “people are wise enough to look at the records of candidates rather than consider skin color, be they black, white, yellow, brown, blue. Through their records voters can judge whether someone will do a good job of protecting their city.”
