Human Relation Comm'n Snubs Allentown's First Elected Black Official

Allentown's Human Relations Commission ostensibly exists to enforce the city's human relations ordinance and foster good will among among the diverse groups making up the Queen City. On Tuesday night, this group welcomed everyone, at least if you had $40 in your pocket, to their 32d annual awards dinner.

According to puff blog Allentown Good News, these are quite the soirees, a veritable "Who's Who of the Allentown community." Allentown big shot Joyce Marin is thoughtful enough to include a photo of last year's event, which captures her husband's nose magnificently. There may have been one or two black people among the Allentown elite, too, although I'm sure each was questioned carefully about how he was able to come up with $40.

One of the black people who decided to attend this dinner was Allentown City Council member Tony Phillips. He happens to be running for Mayor. He also happens to be Allentown's first ever elected black official.

Now you might think Tony will make a terrible Mayor. Some of you may even dislike him. But no matter how you feel, most of you will readily concede he knows a thing or two about discrimination. A product of the Projects, he experienced it as a child. Unfortunately, it continued during his entire tenure as an Allentown police officer.

Phillips' Personal Experience With Discrimination as Allentown Cop

For years, Tony put up with a superior officer who wore a swastika pin on his police uniform, made racist comments and decorated his desk with a Ku Klux Klan (KKK) photograph, along with a bust of Hitler and a Confederate flag. This boss cop gave fellow officers white supremacist literature, and directed his subordinates to focus on black criminals. Eventually promoted to Captain, his idea of a joke was to walk by Latino officers with a burning Puerto Rican flag. When in more serious moods, he suggested black officers with nice homes must be dealing drugs.

Now don't you worry. This police captain was finally brought to justice. His punishment for years of racial taunts?

Sensitivity training.

Tony thought that punishment was a tad on the light side, but when he dared express his objections, he himself became the focus of racial taunts. Car horns would be called "nigger knockers." A false complaint against Tony was manufactured so he would know "what it feels like" to be the target of an investigation. Officers refused to assist Phillips when he filed a false complaint prosecution, which did result in a conviction. Retaliation continued, with little things like blackened doll heads attached to the steering wheel of Tony's police cruiser.

Phillips eventually was forced to take Allentown to court, and slowly, things began to change. But as Phillips learned Tuesday night, his personal experience with discrimination means nothing to Allentown's Human Relations Commission.

Phillips Snubbed by Allentown Human Relations Comm'n

Given his personal experiences, this dinner obviously meant something to Tony. It might be viewed as a "Who's who" of Allentown's elite by poo-bahs like Joyce Marin, but to a black person who himself was victimized, it has emotional significance.

At what should have been an opportunity to welcome and support successful efforts celebrating equal opportunity and inclusion, Council member Phillips was snubbed. When he presented his $80 to Lehigh County Comm'r Gloria Hamm at the door, she just rolled her eyes, although she certainly took his money.

Once inside, Tony worked the room, walking around to shake some hands of some of the hundred or so people there, and then sat down.

That probably was a bad idea. You see, Allentown's Human Relations Commission is more like an arm of Pawlowski's re-election efforts than an organization interested in diversity. It's most recent appointee, Adrian Shanker, just happens to be King Edwin's field director. Gloria Hamm, the person who glared at Tony when he darkened the door, has publicly endorsed Hizzoner.

Hamm was also Master of Ceremonies at Tuesday night's little party. Of course, she was certain to introduce all the politicians in the crowd. She introduced Pat Browne, even though he wasn't there. She then introduced everyone who was running for reelection for City Council and everyone there who is currently on City Council - all except Tony.

Instead, she went on to introduce Mayor Edwin Pawlowski, who is a white as a polar bear and has none of the life experiences of a poor, black kid from the Projects. She handed the mike directly to Hizzoner so he could wax eloquently on a subject about which he knows nothing. You might expect that he'd have enough grace (he purports to be a minister, after all) to attempt to try to rectify the situation and at least mention Tony's presence. Instead, he did the opposite. He smirked at Tony. Then, exactly like a childish, immature brat, he ignored him.

Tony and his guest walked out. Later that evening, almost as an afterthought, someone mentioned that Tony had been there. That's very tolerant of them. Tony's campaign manager, his guest, tells me "For this particular agency whose job is predicated on diversity, inclusion, and respect for other people, their personal and partisan behavior was outrageous."

Pawlowski touts his Hall of Shame. Tuesday night, that distinction went to Allentown's Human Relations Commission and the Mayor got first prize!