Heidi and I just watched the documentary Street Fight which covers the 2002 election for mayor of Newark between 16-year incumbent Sharpe James and young council member Cory Booker. We saw the film on P.O.V., PBS’s point-of-view documentary series (highly recommended by the way). The movie is narrated and directed by Marshall Curry.

I have grown up believing in the rule of law and, more importantly, the dominance of the rule of law over the rule of power. I follow the rules because I think it’s right. More importantly, I think it’s the American way. All of our ideas about the American dream or about fair play are all built around the idea that we are all equal before the law and other Americans. Clearly, I’ve grown up and become a bit less naive and perhaps even a bit cynical in the years since grade school, but I still believe that we should and do strive for this ideal every day.

Modern American politics makes it hard to believe this stuff, though. Street Fight goes through another modern example of power triumphing over the rule of law. Shot primarily from the perspective of the Booker campaign, the documentary shows numerous examples of outright lying by the incumbent, lying specifically targeted at hot-button issues for Newark residents. For the primarily African-American and Christian communities, James supporters claimed that the African-American Booker was white, supported by Jews and Republicans, and was a member of the KKK. James himself was quoted in major publications as saying these very things. The mayor threatened businesses that supported Booker, closing down clubs and halls holding Booker events or having police and city workers remove Booker signs while ignoring the James signs.

That’s not the America I believe in.

It seems to be modern American politics, though. Sharpe James feels comfortable about walking up to a TV camera and lying straight into it. George Bush feels comfortable walking up to a podium and lying right into it. Whether it’s about how much money his opponent is raising or whether he’s working to reduce budget deficits, both of their crimes and the damage they cause is the same. They are lies intended to muddy the debate. These lies make it easier for the next guy to lie and the next guy to ignore it. It makes the press complacent when the few reporters who stand up and report this stuff are treated like pariahs or, worse, ignored.

I know that American politics haven’t been perfect, and I know my history well enough to know of the louts and the corruption that have plagued all the major parties at some point. I just don’t want to accept it. I hope the citizens of Newark feel that way in 2006. No matter how much you like the politics of a candidate, if he walks all over our democracy he doesn’t deserve your vote.

You can always vote the new guy out, you know.

You can read what other blogs are saying about Street Fight, too.