"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Sunday 21 November 2010

Harry Truman Said

Anonymous Anonymoose said...

Elizabeth, I don't think anyone really expects Buck's blog to be unbiased. Truly nothing in this world is anyway. And to her credit, I am impressed that she published critical comments such as my own.

Some of us however get rather annoyed when she presents opinions as facts, and makes insulting and disrespectful comments about other people, and council.

Her continuous bashing of the decisions made by council in these pages after the vote has been made, shows her to be a poor loser and demonstrates a distinct lack of respect for the institution.

The conspiracy statements about "orchestrations" and "shadow councils" again shows disrespect for the institution as well as the people. You wouldn't accuse a police officer of being on the take without some proof, but she never seems to need proof to put forward her conspiracy theories.

I don't see this ending with the next council. The first vote that doesn't go her way, she will be blogging and writing letters about how the rest of council are all idiots.

*********************************************

During the election I heard it several times.

Harry Truman said.

I don't give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think they're in hell.

It's interesting how eager the losing side in this election are to predict how things are going to be in the next Counci.

In my own defence, although I will not be making a habit of it, I must say, I am careful about qualifying my opinions with "I believe" or "I think".

If it's a fact, I have no hesitation in saying so. Facts can be substantiated.

Respect for the institution of Council and disrespect for people who flagrantly abuse the trust placed in them at the time of their election, is quite a different
kettle of fish.

Since the social media is here to stay, I suggest, a better use of time would be to mount an argument rather than heap criticism on my head by the bucketful.

I certainly will continue to write the blog. The make-up of Council has changed and I fully expect the differences to be different.I also expect continued reader interest in different perspectives.

I have always had an opinion and been more than willing to share. I know of no protocol requiring abject silence after a majority vote.

There is no assurance a majority vote will be right. The rule simply dictates the majority decides. If the decision is wrong, we all suffer the consequences equally. If it's right, the benefit is equally shared.

I think the basic principle of democracy is the right to be wrong without fear or favour.

Aurora Council has never before spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars on lawyers and writing laws to discredit a Councillor's opinions.

The outgoing Council did not receive that authority four years ago and they were not given the opportunity to be doing it again either.

While some , like my critic, are obviously not happy with the result of the election, others are.

The most recent majority decision was the election.

Let's show a little respect for that.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like your blog and read it regularly. I am interested in your opinions. Sometimes they are the same as my own and sometimes different. I find your information about the whole municipal machine and the issues before council educational as there is much about what happens, how it happens and why it happens that I do not understand.
However, with all due respect, I would prefer it this term if you refrain from what I call "the gossipy posts." I do not have a problem with your posting an opinion about your colleagues, but I do have a problem with posts that really are not relevant to an issue but provide gossip fodder. For example, the observation that twon staff are keeping their heads down in fear of the soon-to-be ex mayor does not add anything about anything for anyone.
This is just my observation and advice, albeit unsolicited, for the future.

goodie two shoes said...

I think the gossip gets things going. You tell us what you have heard and in many instance someone else will fill us in with more. It's like the campfire game that one starts to see how it changes as it goes through the chain of people. In many instances it will even bring out the truth and nothing but truth and I believe that is why Evelyn does it. Gossip is good for the soul!