The NewAlbanist: Tonight, we seek to speak truth to power, insisting that no public housing should be demolished unless and until viable alternatives are made available to public housing residents.

In advance of tonight's vigil (6:00 outside the City-County Building at 311 Hauss Square), the news cycle's pace is increasing.

Rep. Ed Clere on Gahan's public housing deceptions: "Paper promises are not enough. The residents deserve meaningful assurances and action to ensure they're future access to housing."

Gahan's reeking public housing putsch, his chosen procurators, their escalating foul tempers -- and snow, wonderful snow.

Randy's statement is brief, succinct and appreciated.

Public Housing and Speaking Truth to Power, by the Bookseller, at the NewAlbanist

 ... Tonight, we seek to speak truth to power, insisting that no public housing should be demolished unless and until viable alternatives are made available to public housing residents.

We, part of the organization We Are New Albany, are standing up peacefully for this proposition tonight in front of the City-County Building and presenting collected petitions representing this position.

The problem with speaking truth to power comes when power has no respect for truth, public sentiment, or open government. There is a non-zero chance that we will be confronted by the power tonight regardless of our Constitutional rights to peacably assemble and to petition for the redress of grievances. We demonstrate tonight on public property, without trespass, in exercise of those rights and will not impede the rights of any other. Nonetheless, we live in an America and a New Albany where the exercise of rights is not sacrosanct. We live in a city where vindictive retaliation is the norm and where there is little hesitation to deploy police powers to intimidate and do injury.

I'm struck by the fact that while writing separately, each of us sees the inevitability of being "confronted by power" tonight.

Examples of intimidation directed against public housing residents already are a matter of record, and as David "Brownie, You're Doing a Heckuva Job" Duggins sinks ever further into sofa-hugging paranoia and imagined enemy sightings, it can only get worse.

Meanwhile, it's going to be a wonderful litmus test tonight for our “Let’s Pretend We’re Democrats”®️ organization. The more light shining on Jeff Gahan’s hostile takeover of public housing in New Albany, the greater the stench — and it’s clinging to all the local Democrats who value a luxurious fealty to Dear Leader over any stray spasm approximating a principle.

It’s going to be very interesting, Adam Dickey ... but we can chat tonight, right?