By Jim Sack
Council was awash with stories last night.
First, Karen Goldner withdrew an ordinance to give “protection” to a variety of people with different sexual orientation than I. Gays, transgender, etc. Why not. I have no objection whatsoever. The sweep of history supports this, as a nation it is a part of our heritage; we extend protect to all sorts of groups of people, even when we don’t like them. Get over it, move on, some day you grand-daughter may bring a Klingon home. Learn to live with the differences. Gay people, as far as I can tell, certainly cause fewer problems than most Wall Street bankers or, (Insert your current most reviled group: Democrats, census workers, Toyota designers, Canadians, members of PETA, Greenies). My gay friends, as a group, are no smarter nor stupider than the rest of us, no better with budgets, no worse at singing hymns than the rest of us. Some, not all, are exceedingly talented, some have died brave deaths in defense or your rights and liberty, most just want to have a deck and a grill, like you. They just have, among the thousands of orientations we all have, one, albeit a major one, that is different than the main stream. So what?
Another conflict of interest. Tom Didier did the right thing, then the wrong thing. His wife works for Fort Wayne Newspapers and last night at council a measure was before the council to give FWN a tax break. They had won a tax break a few years back but failed to file the paperwork to complete the task, despite ample “handholding” and reminders from city staff. FWN blew it. They failed to do the minimum to get a hundred thousand dollar plus tax break. So, they begged council for a waiver. In committee the measure failed, four in favor to three opposed to one abstention. Needed five votes to get a “do pass” recommendation. The abstention was Tom Didier. He noted he had a conflict of interest.
The measure then went, after the adjournment, to the regular session for a final vote. Didier explained his conflict of interest and asked the council attorney, Joe Bonahoom, for advice. Mr. Bonahoom, a very nice man, gave him dispensation. He told Mr. Didier to sign a form and that would absolve him of his conflict. (Read: Sleight of hand trick.) So, Mr. Didier, confessed of his sin, voted for the tax break and it passed. Hell, a conflict of interest is still a conflict of interest regardless of whether the Pope issues an Indulgence or not. Tom Didier should know better, Mr. Bonahoom should have done better.
Council was generally of a mind that all of the companies that come in for tax abatements should follow the law and file their reports on time, not months late. Tim Pape aptly made the point against excusing the failings of the companies: the county doesn’t give home owners a break if they are late with their property taxes. Right on Tim. Companies that screw up should pay the consequences just like the rest of us, they are not special. As for Tom Didier, a conflict of interest is a conflict of interest, but given President Marty Bender casts almost every vote in the same status let us, instead, embrace conflicts of interest.
By the way, we are working on a peach of a conflict of interest. More later.
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Tags: Fort Wayne City Council, Joe Bonahoom, Karen Goldner, Tom Didier
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I've been disappointed to hear that Mitch Harper has been soft ont his issue. I thought he was a conservative?
Oh, did I mention that Glynn Hines was not there last night? No excuse offered, just a vacant chair. Some suggested that he might have avoided the meeting so as not to have to take a stand…disappoint Karen, tick off the Ministers…hmmm. I think I'll stay home, pop some corn and watch on city tv.
Conservative is defined in the dictionary as "adverse to change." Mitch is not adverse to change. I guess he would have accepted the abolition of slavery, the vote for women and the abolition of the pole tax. Observe the sweep of history from the Magna Carta forward.
Last Fall I pulled up to the light at Broadway and Bluffton Road and saw Karen next to me in her beige Saturn chomping on a wad of gum. I rolled down the window to tell her I was impressed that she could drive and chew gum at the same time but she never looked over and I didn't want to honk the horn.
Good thing I didn't give her a compliment she didn't deserve. Karen, what were you thinking?
I thought it was interesting that the first news report about this had a lone supporter quote who was an Indianapolis resident. She drove up to support the Goldman ordinance. She (he?) claimed that he/she had been "followed through the streets by skinheads who threatened her" because she was a transsexual. That's interesting since Indianapolis has had the ordinance Goldner wants for years. Sounds like it doesn't work very well. (Can you pass an ordinance to make rude people polite?) This ordinance is an unworkable political statement. Everyone should treat others with respect but government endorsement of crossdressing is way too divisive and a distraction from the challenges really facing the city.
I thought it was interesting that the first news report about this had a lone supporter quote who was an Indianapolis resident who drove up to support the Goldman ordinance. She claimed that she had been followed through the streets by skinheads who threatened her because she was a transexual. That's interesting since Indianapolis has had the ordinance Goldner wants for years. Sounds like it doesn't work very well. (Can you pass an ordinance to make rude people polite?) No one should mistreat other people, but this ordinance is an unworkable political statement. Government endorsement of crossdressing is way too divisive and a distraction from the challenges really facing the city.
No offense to Karen Goldner or the trans-gender community, but you are already covered by the same laws and protections as everyone else in this land. You don't require "special" protections or new laws.
Is this really a conservative blog? Cause, no true conservative that I know of needs to be told why gay rights and 'protection' is a way of forcing this lifestyle upon those who do not approve of it. With the power of the law behind them, they can arrest you, fine you, or otherwise harrass you thru civil lawsuits if you refuse to call a man a woman, at his request.
Either I am confused, or something. IDK
So, Dan, did you write the pro-transgender comments that lead this page under your byline?
I am all for equal rights for everyone under the law. Not sure we need to start listing folks for special protection based on their weight, choice of clothing, hair color etc. I think the rights of men who want to dress as women end at the entrance to the women's bathroom in a public facility. Call me crazy. I'm just sayin…
If I as an owner of a small store in this town were to have a man walk into my shop, dressed as a woman, and ask to fill out an application, I'd be doing nothing less than rolling on the floor, laughing my ass off and singing "Hit the road Jack"!!! Want to come back and sue me for not wanting to hire these butt heads? Fine, bring it on.
Want to dress this way at home? Fine, just don't be trying to force this "special protection" crap on the public.
I'm thinking Goldner just signed her political death warrent.
Oh they won't call ya crazy, they'll call ya a homophobe, a bigot, a redneck, etc etc etc if you don't think it's perfectly normal for "Bob" who is dressed like "Barb" to touch up his makeup and take a crap in the womens room alongside your wife or your daughter.
Cannon? Where have you been and what's with the new shop? Selling cannon balls?
Drop me an email. Go to the top menu and click on "Tip-line" and send through there and I will reply.
I’ve taught with G. Hines at Harding! He is the WORST teacher, by far, in the history of the school. Does not teach, just slouches around, wanders the halls, no discipline….etc.