Monday, May 06, 2019

"One simply can't speak truth to power without breaking a few eggs, preferably right between the powermonger's eyes."


Earlier this evening I took the time to peruse a few social media discussion threads about tomorrow's mayoral election. I was happy to see more than a few references by voters to their dismay with Gahan's governing record.

Can't vote for someone (Gahan) who refuses to work with the county (he and his administration go out of their way to not work with the county on anything), is in bed with business (city contracts with campaign donors ... hmmmm), and is spending too much on projects that don't need to be done (aka city hall).

Of course, issues like these have been a passion of mine, and it's all very flattering to hear folks talking about them -- because the local chain newspaper hasn't exactly been breaking a sweat to beat a lowly blogger to the punch, eh?

I just go out there and work my side of the street.

ON THE AVENUES SPECIAL: Take your cult of personality and shove it, Dear Leader.


ON THE AVENUES REWOUND: Money is the ultimate bully (2015).


ON THE AVENUES REWOUND: No more fear, Jeff (2015).


You can help put an end to all this by voting for David White tomorrow. As a prelude, a brief comment on today's fan mail. 

I wrote this column in March.

ON THE AVENUES: Gahan's hoarding of power and money is a threat to New Albany's future.

Here's an excerpt, dedicated to all the Gahanites who believe they have some sort of "right" to define terms of engagement.

Ask any guerrilla who ever lived. They don't.

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Whenever Gahan's family members, their former co-workers and other mindless fans prattle about loathsome stalkers hating on the epitome of mayoral perfection, a reminder is in order.

One simply can't speak truth to power without breaking a few eggs, preferably right between the powermonger's eyes.

In the face of so much power, money and control, those of us in the political opposition have a perfect right to seek counter-balancing power where and as we find it. It is Gahan's objective to hold power, and the opposition's to modify his grasp of power, or when necessary, to seek to deprive him of it. His tools for exercising power are considerable and entrenched. By necessity, ours are improvisational.

My own chosen tools are words.

They may not seem like much compared to money and authority, but I believe the bully pulpit still matters when used consistently and creatively. Then again, I'm literate; the illiterate might disagree, because lacking the words, they're deprived of power, at least my kind of power.

In 2019, an election will decide whether Gahan's reign is furthered, or the city returns to self-government. I'm looking forward to it. My own "obsessive" recommendation on May 7 is to vote for David White in the Democratic mayoral primary and #FireGahan2019.

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