The State of the State
Pate gives minorities reason to work harder at working together

By JENNIFER HALPERIN
Like Illinois' version of the unstoppable Energizer bunny, state Senate President James "Pate" Philip was at it again last month, making racially derogatory comments in a public setting.

As was widely reported, Philip was speaking with editorial board members at the Arlington Heights Daily Herald when he shocked his audience with blunt comments. "It probably is a terrible thing to say, but I'll say it. Some of them do not have the work ethics that we have," Philip is quoted as saying during a discussion of a Department of Children and Family Services case. "Of course, (the caseworker) was a minority. Her boss was a minority. ... They don't tend to squeal on their fellow minorities."

Republicans grimaced upon hearing the news, worried about whether Pate's comments would backfire come Election Day. (But none in the party felt strongly enough to denounce the statement clearly and immediately or demand an apology.) Democrats looked for ways to turn the statements into support for their own candidates, with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dawn dark Netsch and her running mate, state Sen. Penny Severns, trying to tie Gov. Jim Edgar to the fracas.

Meanwhile, African-American leaders could use Philip's indiscretion as an organizing tool, especially in the legislature. As head of the Republican-controlled Senate, Philip has the power to quash just about any legislative proposal he dislikes — even those pushed by fellow Republicans, such as the governor's attempt earlier this year to outlaw assault weapons. The 32 Republicans in the Senate, all of whom are white, outnumber the 27 Democrats, of whom eight are black and two are Hispanic.

After Philip's comments were publicized, some black leaders put their time and energy into calling for his resignation or, at the least, an end to his tenure as Senate president. This is an unlikely scenario, given many Senate Republicans' lukewarm reaction to their leader's comments. Instead, black leaders should see this as a wake-up call: Minority legislators need to pull together, present a united set of priorities and end the personality squabbles that sometimes earn them a reputation for being disorganized.

Sen. Donne Trotter (D-Chicago), whose district is two-thirds African American, hopes these are some of the consequences that result from Philip's latest comments. As chairman of the minority legislative caucus, Trotter helps coordinate African-American lawmakers' agendas and tries to figure out ways to move the priorities through the legislature.

"Those are the kind of comments you'd expect more from a Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan than the Senate president," he said. "Someone who makes those bigoted comments is someone you have to play hardball with. Any time you're threatened as a group, like with those kind of remarks, it's kind of a wake- up call that you have to stick together."

If he previously had any doubts about the racial biases of the Senate's leader, Trotter now is certain of the kind of attitude he must circumvent if he hopes to move his constituents' wants and needs through the legislature.

Even before Philip's comments were publicized, Trotter expressed some frustration about the difficulty of meeting his constituents' demands. "It's never been easy to get people in Springfield to look at the African-American community as a priority," he said. "We're going to have to work harder and work together to try to get what we want."

After he caught wind of Philip's statements, Trotter sounded even more determined to hold the minority caucus together to try to accomplish its members' goals in the face of an obviously hostile Senate leadership. If that means withholding support for others' projects, so be it. Trotter said, even if it means opposing bipartisan agreements on something as big as river- boat gambling for Chicago.

8 ¦ November 1994 Illinois Issues

Not long ago. Sen. Jesus Garcia, whose Chicago legislative district is more than 70 percent Hispanic, entered the state Senate facing a hurdle very similar to the one Trotter and other African Americans confront now. Before Garcia's term began, Philip was quoted as supporting cuts in bilingual education programs. "Let 'em learn English," was how Philip put it.

"I sensed there was a high level of intolerance (in the Senate) for immigrants," Garcia said later. "I came down to Springfield knowing the possibilities were limited for improving the state of bilingual education, and I represent a district where that's very important."

But as it turns out, Garcia in his first year won passage of two bills dealing with multilingual issues. One concerns student achievement tests for bilingual students. The other relates to interpreters in hospitals and nursing homes.

"I felt we made progress informing and educating people about the goals of helping people learn to read English," Garcia said. "It gave me new hope we could continue to be effective, and that the Senate Republicans could be open- minded. It was reassuring to me that if you have a good cause and work hard you can make things work."

Maybe Garcia's experience will give the black caucus reason to take heart. After all, there are more black lawmakers than Hispanics in the legislature — 19 in the House and Senate combined, compared with six Hispanics in both chambers. Those numbers may add up to enough of a voice for the black caucus to speak out — and execute leverage — when it's needed to defend their constituents' dignity and pass some of their proposals.

That will depend on skill in behind- the-scenes negotiating that is part of the legislative process. But minority lawmakers should remember that sticking together and using whatever bulk they have as a group will get them farther than almost anything else.