Unite the Vote

At a time when the mantra of the Hispanic community is and must be “Unidos Venceremos,” we are finding cracks in some sectors of our political leadership.

I read with dismay that Olivia Uribe, co-chair of the Santa Barbara County Young Democrats, is supporting Sharon Byrne, a conservative, for city Council. Her reason, she says, is that “Sharon is a good friend and I am helping her out.” That’s not a good enough reason for someone who has the responsibility to help us become a strong player on the political stage. How is it that Ms. Uribe qualifies to be co-chair of the Young Democrats?

Our candidate for City Council is Cathy Murillo, a bright and promising community activist who has been involved in politics for a long time and will represent the interests of the Hispanic community. We should promote her. Unfortunately, it appears Ms. Uribe lacks the experience or perhaps the political savvy to understand the importance of working together and choosing candidates for the right reasons.