Where Is The Voice Of The People?

Where Is The Voice Of The People?

By Harold G. LeBoeuf

On April 27^th, 1792, Maximilien Robespierre, a French revolutionary, stated in a speech that, “I am no courtesan, nor moderator, nor Tribune, nor defender of the people: I am myself the people.” Perhaps Mayor Eddie adopted this view when he became a municipal politician, since a review of his decisions and those of his minions certainly are made with the best interests of his administration, of his political friends, of his personal interests and people whom he believes are the elite of mankind. It isn't at all necessary that he consider the Will of the People, because he is the people. Accordingly, anything he deems appropriate is appropriate and it should be unhesitatingly acted upon with gusto.

 

New pavement in Willistead Park.  Photo by Windsorite.ca

Mayor Eddie, being a proud Rotarian and supporter of its pet project, Art in the Park, did not hesitate one moment to give credence to a plan for the Willistead grounds that would construct asphalt roadways, sewers and drainage for the benefit of the Windsor Rotarians’ event at an initial cost to the Windsor taxpayers of $400,000.00; or so they said. But in truth, his own minion, John Miceli of Windsor Parks and Recreation notoriety, told Provincial authorities that the cost would be $460,000.00. But even that was misleading for it did not include various and sundry other changes that were also to be included such as electrical stations to provide free electricity to individuals requiring same at the Rotarian event, ground lighting along the various roadways snaking through the park, landscaping, and other things which are yet to unfold. Rotarians have currently showed up in numbers outlining and identifying sections to be rented to vendors. They will tell you that the white spray paint they are using on the grass doesn't hurt the grass at all. Really?

A few years ago, the Rotarians decided, with the blessing of Mayor Eddie and his entourage, to hold a Beer Festival on the Friday evening prior to Art in the Park. As part of that Festival, arrangements were made for bands to be providing loud music until 11:00 o’clock at night with absolutely no consideration for the fact that this was being held in a quiet, exclusive residential area where people and their families might be sleeping. Do you think that they were satisfied with that? Well guess again, for “I am the people” and his colleagues have arranged for three nights of alcoholic beverages, loud music until 11:00 o’clock at night, boisterous and at times inebriated patrons until an hour randomly to be determined, beginning on the weekend of June 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th,  2014. Yes, you read it correctly - Sunday, June 8^th until 11:00 o’clock at night.

If the above surprises you, consider the fact that they are planning another Beer Festival this year.

So NIMBY you say. Yes, because we are the people who are directly affected by this lunacy; not you. But what about your back yard? What has “I am the people” done for you lately? Has he decided to build a fire hall in a totally residential area of the city with two lane streets, schools, churches and playgrounds will now have fire trucks speeding to fires and endangering your children or your peace of night or the quiet enjoyment of your property? Perhaps in your back yard Mayor Eddie and crew have decided to close on or two fire stations which you relied upon for your peace of mind and the safety of your home? Do you honestly believe that these decisions were made because they were in the best interests of the people? If you answered “yes,” you were right because don’t forget, Mayor Eddie is the people and these decisions were made because they were in his, and his faithful group called Councillors, best interests to make these decisions. After all, how else would the City get even with those damned fire personnel who risk their lives every time they speed out on a call to save yours or your children’s lives, because they had the audacity to be successful at arbitration and earn better wage and working conditions for themselves? How dare they indeed!

Ask the people of Olde Sandwich Towne what happened in their back yards when the Potentate was pushing for DRIC and doing everything in his power to thwart the efforts of the Ambassador Bridge owner to exercise his rights as an entrepreneur when those rights were in conflict with the pet project of the political elite.

Think for a moment.  What has happened in your back yard?  Or, perhaps, what is scheduled to happen in your back yard because there certainly are more projects in the works with this municipal government.

 

Indian Road

Do you still want to sit back and idly do nothing but condemn people who are standing up for their rights by suggesting it is just them saying “Not in my back yard?”

A municipal election is soon to be held. Fortunately “I am the people” will not be running for re-election. Many of his other indoctrinated group will be running and they are going to be shouting out the platitudes of how great their administration was, and making promises of how much better they will change our great city if re-elected. And there will be some new people tossing their hat in the ring promising the moon and how much better they will be at the job than the current representatives (a misnomer if I ever heard one).

Absolutely nothing is going to change. We won’t bother to take the time to really evaluate the abilities of the people running for office. We won’t bother to take a serious look at prior decisions they made and how they affected our lives and our city. We won’t bother to remember causes which they became involved in and then, when the going got tough, reversed their position or simply dropped the fight. We won’t bother to examine whether or not these individuals are in the race to satisfy their own personal goals and ambitions or if they are the type of individual who honestly desires to serve the citizens and are intent on speaking their minds honestly and not deviating from what is the right thing to do, not what someone else insists that they do. Simply put, we won’t bother to do anything; hell, we probably won’t even vote!

Or you just may want to consider what Alcuin said in the early fifteenth century that, “The voice of the people is the voice of God.”

Or perhaps you will have the courage to make the necessary changes in our municipal government when you remember the saying from Dickinson in the late eighteenth century, “United we stand, divided we fall.”

Windsor is our city. Every decision made by our municipal representatives affects each and every one of us, one way or another. Every decision is in our back yard!  

I, for one, am mad as hell and I am not going to take it any more!