Friday, October 24, 2008
The Usual Suspects
I don’t like writing about politics, it takes my attention off what I consider to be more worthwhile projects. However, sometimes the actions, ‘of those who want to govern but are afraid of elections’ becomes so ludicrous, untrue, and generally all round ridiculous, that even I feel obligated to enter the fray. In the last year the actions, accusations, character assassinations, and manipulations of “Those who need to feel important” has reached an all time level of both vicious and ludicrous.
It was too much to expect that all of “Those Who Brought Us the Referendumb” would abide by a democratic decision or respect the will of the 87.2% who slapped them down last fall. It was too much to expect because some of those who wanted to supplant the Island Trust with a more development friendly “Municipality” don’t really operate on democratic principles. If they did, they would not have forced the Referendumb. Nor would they have falsely stated all through the Referendumb campaign that the ‘majority of Islanders wanted a Referendumb and wanted a municipality’. The results of the vote showed clearly who were misinformed, and who were ‘somewhat less than honest’ in their statements.
Most of the people who voted ‘for municipality’ did so because they believed that it was the best direction for us to go in. When the vote went against them, most accepted that the majority view won. Most of those on the other side of the question are proud supporters of democracy. However a ‘very small group’ could not accept that their viewpoint had lost. They became angry and, like good little barbarians everywhere, they looked for someone to blame. Strangest of all, they seem to believe that if they don’t acknowledge the defeat then it didn’t really happen. Weird! Why would we expect people who have so little respect for truth to have any more respect for democracy? However, once again they have failed in their latest attempt to misrepresent and misinform. They are once again underestimating the intelligence of Islanders.
The truth is that the Home Occupation Review is being done to enshrine people’s right to operate a home business without additional taxation. Apparently, on some Islands, some business people have felt that home occupations receive an unfair tax advantage over businesses that operate from business zoned facilities. The idea that Home businesses should be taxed to eliminate this perceived unfairness is NOT an idea supported by most of the thirty Island Trust representatives.
To try and paint a Trust objective to protect Home Businesses as an attack on Home Business is a daring (and dumb), but ultimately futile attempt to manipulate the truth. Once again, I am forced to ask the question of “How dumb do these people think islanders are?”
Likewise, to try and construe the Island Trust as some agency stupid (and dull)enough to want to ban parties and musical events is just plain silly. It may play well in the demented imagination of ‘those who would be king’ but it is not a position that can survive the light of reality. When has the Island Trust ever been against musical events? The answer is NEVER (as in – not ever)! The island Trust is an organization whose purpose in being is to protect the Islanders way of life and the ecology of this unique slice of biosphere, (and sometimes, to control the greed of developers). Not only has the Island Trust never been against musical and other cultural events, they have worked to promote those events. Think about it.
It boggles the imagination; trying to figure out why people, who found out they couldn’t manipulate Islanders a few months ago, would try to do so again – and under such a thin disguise. Do these people think there has been a virus that has swept Gabriola, reducing Islanders to babbling idiots, while leaving their own (questionable) cognitive abilities unimpaired?
The attempt to paint black as white, developers as protectors, and our elected representatives as fools, may play well in their little clique, but it is just plain silly (and ludicrous) to expect to convince Islanders that a pro-municipality candidate would be the best person to elect to the Trust? Do these people think that Islanders are dumb enough to believe that electing pro-municipal candidates would somehow be a wiser choice than electing pro-trust candidates? Do they really believe that they can sell the idea that those who are pro-municipal are the best people to run the Trust? Why would someone, who campaigned for the municipality side, even want to be elected to the Trust?
With no disrespect meant to the person or people they have tried (and failed) to convince to run does no- one ever question why these ‘behind the scenes people’ don’t stand for election themselves? Is it that they are too busy to spend the enormous amount of time required to be an Island Trust Representative? Do they think that their business wouldn’t survive the neglect that spending their time on Trust issues would demand? Do they think that the livelihoods of those they manipulate into running are less important than their own? Do they think that they are too good or too important to waste their valuable time? Or, is it because if ‘those who manipulate others’ where to stand for office on their own merits, Islanders would fall down laughing? It certainly can’t be because they actually are to busy as the two biggest critics both have jobs that are considerably less than full tome – despite the titles.
As for their ability to manipulate and control the candidate(s), should the candidate(s) win, well guys, it didn’t work last time-did it? Do these guys ever think anything all the way through? Or does their belief in their mental superiority blind them to the obvious? They have tried to seize the reins of local government for years (always by proxy) and failed time after time. Can they not learn from their own experience? Even a child knows not to stick their finger into flame after being burned the first time.
History shows us example after example of how being the power behind the throne ultimately proves disastrous for everyone and yet, ‘the usual suspects’ continue to believe they can succeed. These manipulators are not only morally repugnant, intellectually barren and ethically challenged; they aren’t even very good at it.
Wake Up! Smell the coffee! You guys aren’t smart enough to be able to manipulate everybody, all of the time. Instead of trying (and usually failing) to manipulate those you think of as “Lesser People”, why did you not choose to do something honest – (just once in your lives) - run for election yourself! Stop pretending that you are too important or too busy to hold public office. Admit, even if just to yourselves, that the reason you didn’t run is that you know you couldn’t convince people to vote for you. Even if by some freak accident most of the public goes blind after watching a meteor shower and are then attacked by Triffids and thus with only you and your friends (both of them) get to vote. You know that you could not stand trying to be useful for three long years. Admit you prefer manipulation because you know it is safer than risking your own fragile ego by exposing it to criticism.
However, in appreciation of the continuing efforts of this small but dedicated group to promote dishonesty and to foster ill will, I think I should they should have ‘The November Nattering Nabobs of Negativity Award’, after all, they deserve something for all their time, effort and money spent in their desperate attempts ‘to fool all of the people, all of the time’.
It was too much to expect that all of “Those Who Brought Us the Referendumb” would abide by a democratic decision or respect the will of the 87.2% who slapped them down last fall. It was too much to expect because some of those who wanted to supplant the Island Trust with a more development friendly “Municipality” don’t really operate on democratic principles. If they did, they would not have forced the Referendumb. Nor would they have falsely stated all through the Referendumb campaign that the ‘majority of Islanders wanted a Referendumb and wanted a municipality’. The results of the vote showed clearly who were misinformed, and who were ‘somewhat less than honest’ in their statements.
Most of the people who voted ‘for municipality’ did so because they believed that it was the best direction for us to go in. When the vote went against them, most accepted that the majority view won. Most of those on the other side of the question are proud supporters of democracy. However a ‘very small group’ could not accept that their viewpoint had lost. They became angry and, like good little barbarians everywhere, they looked for someone to blame. Strangest of all, they seem to believe that if they don’t acknowledge the defeat then it didn’t really happen. Weird! Why would we expect people who have so little respect for truth to have any more respect for democracy? However, once again they have failed in their latest attempt to misrepresent and misinform. They are once again underestimating the intelligence of Islanders.
The truth is that the Home Occupation Review is being done to enshrine people’s right to operate a home business without additional taxation. Apparently, on some Islands, some business people have felt that home occupations receive an unfair tax advantage over businesses that operate from business zoned facilities. The idea that Home businesses should be taxed to eliminate this perceived unfairness is NOT an idea supported by most of the thirty Island Trust representatives.
To try and paint a Trust objective to protect Home Businesses as an attack on Home Business is a daring (and dumb), but ultimately futile attempt to manipulate the truth. Once again, I am forced to ask the question of “How dumb do these people think islanders are?”
Likewise, to try and construe the Island Trust as some agency stupid (and dull)enough to want to ban parties and musical events is just plain silly. It may play well in the demented imagination of ‘those who would be king’ but it is not a position that can survive the light of reality. When has the Island Trust ever been against musical events? The answer is NEVER (as in – not ever)! The island Trust is an organization whose purpose in being is to protect the Islanders way of life and the ecology of this unique slice of biosphere, (and sometimes, to control the greed of developers). Not only has the Island Trust never been against musical and other cultural events, they have worked to promote those events. Think about it.
It boggles the imagination; trying to figure out why people, who found out they couldn’t manipulate Islanders a few months ago, would try to do so again – and under such a thin disguise. Do these people think there has been a virus that has swept Gabriola, reducing Islanders to babbling idiots, while leaving their own (questionable) cognitive abilities unimpaired?
The attempt to paint black as white, developers as protectors, and our elected representatives as fools, may play well in their little clique, but it is just plain silly (and ludicrous) to expect to convince Islanders that a pro-municipality candidate would be the best person to elect to the Trust? Do these people think that Islanders are dumb enough to believe that electing pro-municipal candidates would somehow be a wiser choice than electing pro-trust candidates? Do they really believe that they can sell the idea that those who are pro-municipal are the best people to run the Trust? Why would someone, who campaigned for the municipality side, even want to be elected to the Trust?
With no disrespect meant to the person or people they have tried (and failed) to convince to run does no- one ever question why these ‘behind the scenes people’ don’t stand for election themselves? Is it that they are too busy to spend the enormous amount of time required to be an Island Trust Representative? Do they think that their business wouldn’t survive the neglect that spending their time on Trust issues would demand? Do they think that the livelihoods of those they manipulate into running are less important than their own? Do they think that they are too good or too important to waste their valuable time? Or, is it because if ‘those who manipulate others’ where to stand for office on their own merits, Islanders would fall down laughing? It certainly can’t be because they actually are to busy as the two biggest critics both have jobs that are considerably less than full tome – despite the titles.
As for their ability to manipulate and control the candidate(s), should the candidate(s) win, well guys, it didn’t work last time-did it? Do these guys ever think anything all the way through? Or does their belief in their mental superiority blind them to the obvious? They have tried to seize the reins of local government for years (always by proxy) and failed time after time. Can they not learn from their own experience? Even a child knows not to stick their finger into flame after being burned the first time.
History shows us example after example of how being the power behind the throne ultimately proves disastrous for everyone and yet, ‘the usual suspects’ continue to believe they can succeed. These manipulators are not only morally repugnant, intellectually barren and ethically challenged; they aren’t even very good at it.
Wake Up! Smell the coffee! You guys aren’t smart enough to be able to manipulate everybody, all of the time. Instead of trying (and usually failing) to manipulate those you think of as “Lesser People”, why did you not choose to do something honest – (just once in your lives) - run for election yourself! Stop pretending that you are too important or too busy to hold public office. Admit, even if just to yourselves, that the reason you didn’t run is that you know you couldn’t convince people to vote for you. Even if by some freak accident most of the public goes blind after watching a meteor shower and are then attacked by Triffids and thus with only you and your friends (both of them) get to vote. You know that you could not stand trying to be useful for three long years. Admit you prefer manipulation because you know it is safer than risking your own fragile ego by exposing it to criticism.
However, in appreciation of the continuing efforts of this small but dedicated group to promote dishonesty and to foster ill will, I think I should they should have ‘The November Nattering Nabobs of Negativity Award’, after all, they deserve something for all their time, effort and money spent in their desperate attempts ‘to fool all of the people, all of the time’.
