Fourth in a series
Re “Racist and Bigoted – That Is What His Critics Are, Says Mayor Dear”
[img]3014|right|Jim Dear, Mayor of Carson||no_popup[/img]Dateline Carson – Nearly a week after state Assemblyman Mike Gipson’s community swearing-in ceremony last Saturday at Cal State Dominguez Hills, the flames are still roaring over a separate controversy:
Whether hosting Mayor Jim Dear should have mentioned, parenthetically, that he is running against the incumbent city clerk, Donesia Gause, for her office on March 3.
Taken aback when Hawthorne Mayor Chris Brown suddenly bounded up to the stage from his front-row seat, Mr. Dear said:
“The mayor of Hawthorne came into our city not knowing anything about what is going on in our election.
“He started heckling the mayor of Carson — in Carson — at a formal event at the university.”
Of Mr. Brown and those who agree with him that Mr. Dear was “disrespectful” by mentioning his race for city clerk on Assemblyman Gipson’s day, Mr. Dear said:
“These folks are racist, disgusting people. I guess they think they are immune to society’s values. Their behavior is unbelievable.”
In defense of mentioning the election, “I have been to hundreds and hundreds of swearing-in ceremonies and similar events,” Mr. Dear said. “I said it kind of in light, in jest.
“Here is what I said (in 24 words). ‘Hi, I am the mayor of Carson. I have been the mayor for over a decade. And I hope to become the city clerk.’
“That was the whole statement. Read into it what people want to read into it,” Mr. Dear said.
(To be continued)
