The famous therapist Gabor Maté says that one of the problems of the contemporary world is the belief that repeated punishment solves problems. He disagrees. The case of former L.A. councilman José Huizar can serve as an example. Huizar has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for corruption involving developers and tax evasion; today is the date he must surrender to authorities to serve his sentence, unless he can postpone it again, as he has done in the past.
Did Huizar commit a crime? Yes, absolutely.
Does he deserve a prison sentence for abusing his position on the city council? Of course.
Should he be disqualified for life for the ‘errors’ he made in public office? I have doubts.
I met Huizar on several occasions and had the opportunity to interview him. Always with a sincere smile on his face, answering in either English or Spanish. His contributions to the pro-immigrant struggle were evident, and along with other politicians of his generation, like Antonio Villaraigosa and Fabián Nuñez, he represented a counterweight to the traditional powers of the city. Obviously, it was not known that Huizar had a double life that ruined his political career.
In the restructuring of real estate development in downtown Los Angeles, he prioritized personal interests and commitments over plans that would benefit his community. He made mistakes and must be held accountable.
As a journalist, I would like to have him in front of me and ask him, as a fellow Mexican, “Why?”
Huizar was born in the village of Los Morales in the municipality of Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico, the son of Simón Huizar, a migrant farm worker and later machinist. His mother, Isidra Serrano, worked in a meatpacking plant. He immigrated with his parents to the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles at the age of 3, attended Salesian High School, and later studied at the University of California, Berkeley. He received a master’s degree in Public Affairs and Urban Planning from Princeton University and a Juris Doctor from the UCLA School of Law. In 2004, he became the first Latino to serve on the Princeton Board of Trustees.
Afterward, he held various public positions until reaching the Los Angeles City Council. Many journalists take advantage of situations like this to stoke the flames and target politicians and personalities for a misstep. A columnist from the LA Times did not hold back in accusing him of having erased the ‘American Dream’ for his fellow countrymen.
In a country where the next president could be a man accused of various felonies, tax evasion, and paying prostitutes, many questions remain about morality in this country. I only provide one example; there are many such examples to bring up.
Huizar’s effort and struggle throughout his life should not be overshadowed by his final actions. Could there be political interests behind this investigation? A Mexican politician famously said, “Politics is the art of washing your hands in dirty water,” which clearly defines what happens in political life.
A biblical saying goes, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
The case of Huizar is very controversial. Some may lash out at him, feeling betrayed, while others may recognize his work with the Latino community in Boyle Heights. Society has achieved various degrees of expertise in its existence; the most famous is undoubtedly the ability to raise a hand and point the index finger at the guilty party, with all the arrogance one can imagine.
For my part, I hope Huizar has learned from this lesson. He has many years ahead of him, and surely after this, he could reintegrate into public life, sharing many of the positive aspects that took him from the neighborhood to the top.
Huizar stated after being charged: “I’d like to think I made a positive impact on the lives of thousands of people in my district and the city as a whole. This process painted a picture of someone who I am not. I know who I am. I just hope to move on from this and I just hope to move on from this now and heal. There’s a lot of healing to do.”
Will there be second chances?
Former L.A. Councilman Jose Huizar sentenced to 13 years in prison in corruption case
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