'Blackface' draws angry response in Cotati

<p>Tension that has been building over a racially charged picture on the Web site of Cotati City Councilman George Barich exploded in outrage Wednesday when members of the black community and others converged on City Hall, demanding the newly elected official resign.</p><p>Nearly 100 people filled council chambers, including members of the Sonoma County NAACP, urging the five-member panel to officially condemn Barich for his “blackface” picture — something the council had so far failed to do.</p><p>Sherman Blackwell, a committee member for the local NAACP, said the council’s near silence on the issue left an impression within the community that the city government supports Barich’s views. He said the council should censure him and encouraged voters to mount a recall.</p><p>“As a black man I can tell you, blackface is overt racism. I don’t think you’re qualified to sit up here. I’m going to do everything I can to see that you’re removed,” Blackwell, a Sebastopol resident, said.</p><p>Barich, 50, who has denied the blog is racist, has said he won’t leave office and has a right to express himself. Wednesday he offered little direct response to the criticism. He did said others in the community are racist for labeling people “hippies, rednecks, blacks, and white privileged people.”</p><p>He then drew laughter from the audience when he said, “I’d like to say that I’m a man of color and I condemn the racism that exists.”</p><p>Councilmembers responded to Barich and said they want to put on a future agenda an official condemnation of his website and other behavior they called confrontational.</p><p> “As a council there cannot be any misunderstanding that messages of hatred and animosity are unacceptable,” Councilwoman Pat Gilardi said.</p><p>About 35 people addressed the council over a 2.5 hour period, with many calling for Barich to step down.</p><p>“I got a call from a friend in Florida last week. She wanted to know if we burn crosses in this town,” said Anne Wallace Rock, a Cotati resident. “That’s really uncomfortable, George,” she said, addressing Barich.</p><p>Only a handful of people spoke in support of the councilman, including Cotati resident Ken Coleman.</p><p>“Don’t let these people use the race card. We are only one race. The human race,” he said.</p><p>Controversy unfolded about two weeks ago after a photograph of Barich wearing dark makeup and an Afro appeared in a likeness of the city logo atop his personal blog, which is critical of President Barack Obama.</p><p>Residents at a March 30 council meeting described the picture as blackface — a style of theatrical makeup which is often seen as racist. They also criticized a music video on the site, www.gbarich.blogspot.com, which portrays the rapper Snoop Dogg at the controls of a purple jetliner under the title “Air Force One takes flight with soul.”</p><p>At the time, some suggested Barich should step down.</p><p>But Barich said he wouldn’t leave office and defended the postings, which he said were not intended as a slur on the president or black people. </p><p>Instead, he said he was using an old Halloween picture of himself to suggest a new city motto, “Cotati, the funky city.” Weeks before, he had been embroiled in a dispute with city management over his use of official stationery after he wrote Obama to criticize the federal stimulus package.</p><p>Barich touted his volunteer work during Hurricane Kartrina and past membership in a Bay Area soul band as proof he is not a bigot. And he accused a “far-left fringe group” from the Chamber of Commerce of trying to sabotage him.</p><p>Initially, the council said little in response. It’s lone black member, Robert Coleman-Senghor, praised Barich’s critics but said “there are larger things for us to deal with.”</p><p>Wednesday night, he said he would not back any council action condemning Barich because he supports Barich’s right of free speech. He said citizens have a right to launch a recall drive if they wish.</p><p>Following news reports, traffic grew on Barich’s Web site and he removed the picture, explaining he wanted to resolve a legal issue with his use of the city seal.</p><p>He also continued to blog about the racism charges, comparing himself to actors like Robert Downey Jr., who played a black man in a recent movie. One article said, “I have never had anything in my heart but complete respect for people of all colors.”</p><p>Minority groups entered the fray last week. A letter from Ben Terry, Sonoma County NAACP president, said Barich’s blog had sparked anger and sadness among people of all races. And he criticized the council for not speaking out about it.</p><p>After the letter, Councilwoman Janet Orchard said in an interview she could not condone Barich’s blog. Wednesday she joined Mayor John Guardino and Gilardi in calling for future action against Barich.</p><p>Cotati voters in November elected Barich by a slim margin. The Reform Party member was a past candidate and frequent speaker at council meetings.</p><p>He isn’t the first California official to make a racially insensitive gesture about Obama and get caught.</p><p>In February, the mayor of Los Alamitos in Orange County was sanctioned after he sent an e-mail showing watermelons in front of the White House under the title, “No Easter egg hunt this year.”</p><p>Dean Grose, who was forced from the mayor’s office but remained on the city council, apologized and said he wasn’t aware of the racial stereotype that blacks like watermelon, according to news reports.</p>