View from the floor
I attended the city council meeting today both the public speaking forum and a portion of the business session. I was appalled but not surprised to note that Councilwoman Ghiz spent 90% of the time either text messaging on her cell phone or sending messages on what appeared to be either a two way pager or a Blackberry, completely disregarding both citizens and her colleagues. While her behaviour was the most agredious, she was not alone in her apparent disregard for various speakers. Her attitude was shared by many of her fellow council members. It was a disgrace!! I am amazed by the utter lack of respect that is routinely shown by council members. The public speaking forum is not a time to carry out other items of business which council members may have before them. There is plenty of time for that before 1:30pm on Wednesday afternoon. Although I am aware that many of the members of council are not in any way swayed by the arguments and/or pleas that eminate from the general public they could at least fake it! I am not advocating that they do, but it beats sending text messages like my 12 year old daughter. Give me a break! Given that the mayor wastes no time correcting various citizens who violate the personal attack rule he should be just as vigilent in making certain that council members show the same level of respect to the citizenry and each other. I fully intend to call the mayor's office tomorrow and suggest that he do just that! It makes a mockery of the process if members of council blatantly disregard citizens during the public forum. The citizens deserve better. Additionally it would be swell if council members actually were in council chambers at 1:30pm. I do not think that it is too much to ask especially since they are already in the building in most cases.
26 comments:
That does seem very unprofessional. When I visit my teenage brothers, I make it a rule that they do not interupt our conversation by text messeging. They have gotten so good that they do not even bring out thier cell phones when I am around.
"...text messaging on her cell phone or sending messages on what appeared to be either a two way pager or a Blackberry,..."
Well, well. If it isn't the pot calling the kettle black here. You've got your uppty black boy nerve. (as so usual)
Everyone knows you can't leave your damned Dopeberry alone. Hundreds of folks have seen you fondling the thing in several places where (1) it's inappropriate & (2) where it is specifically posted that such devices are to be turned off.
Don't play sanctimonious with the folks, we're way too smart for your phoney smug attitude. Get over your narcissist ailments.
BTW, missed you at the WECC meeting last night with your bullhorn. We figured it was your GED school night.
It was a blackberry! I think I had a better view... from what I could tell, I thought she was texting Cranley.
That is totally agredious.
It's stuff like that which makes me glad i moved out of cincinnati.
You seem to have left out the fact that the mayor doesnt even attend the public forums half the time. Also, he took an agenda about the new city manager (agenda item #5 on the list) and moved it all the way to the end of the council meeting without telling anyone when he would "get back to it". Four and a half hours later, about 5 people are still there waiting to find out about the city manager, the mayor delays it until next week. How about that for wasting time.
Hi Nate. I was wondering how you felt about this story reguarding the GOP try to kill the Voting Rights Act? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/21/AR2006062100287.html
You are an illiterate fool. "Agredious"? There is a smell that "imanates" from your posts.
But Nate she is such a cute city council woman. She is also a pleasant speaking and intelligent perrson who has an axe to grind with Mallory for some strange reason. Maybe she wants his job.
Yeah, Jason thinks he's original with his agitprops. At least Nick Spencer isn't neglecting a family.
Nate,
You hate Ghiz, and your bias shows. Your bigoted self does not like the fact the little white girl did what you could not, that being getting elected.
Give us a Joy Rolland update, and quit the player hating.
You mean to tell us that it's okay for the people on council to sit there and ignore the very citizens who elected them into office? What are we really paying for? I don't know about you, but I want a better return on my investment. They not only did this, but they hemmed and hawed about how Milton was brought in, and then turned around and hired him anyway. What was the point of the bickering?
Just a note for those of you who lack the very basic skill of observation...the person who authored this post was not Nate it was Monica. Further I believe that the mayor is well within his rights to proceed with the agenda for council in the manner that he chooses. As an aside I thought
that white folks using the term "uppity" to describe articulate, intelligent, outspoken African American went out with the civil rights movement. But I cannot say that I am surprised since Cincinnati is the town that the civil rights movement forgot!
Additionally, I have no bias against Leslie Ghiz.
Monica;
I agree that Ghiz is probably going to be rude to our Mayor because she is aiming right for the Mayor's office. You know as well as I unless Strickland becomes governor and appoints Mark to some cabinet post that Mark will face opposition in 2009. Most likely it will be Ghiz.
Unless Mark can lower the crime rate and repopulate this city he could be in trouble come 2009. Cincinnati may be a city but the white folk and even many blacks as well view it as something that should look like Mayberry.
Someone wrote:
"There is plenty of time for that before 1:30pm on Wednesday afternoon."
"That" being text messaging.
Actually, there isn't, and given a choice between getting business done on one's Blackberry and listening to the losers who carry-on during open mic, who wouldn't choose getting work done on the Blackberry.
The open mic should be eliminated. It's a complete waste of time. Moreover, with email instant access to council persons is readily available to all.
Open mic is a relic of days past and I can imagine it must be torture for the council persons.
Let's let these people do their job. Let's give them time to do their job. And, mostly, let's stop permitting the same old clowns to waste everybody's time week after week.
ricland
And one thing, Nate, when are you going to stop the kind of personal attacks that abound in your blog?
It's called "civility" man, and this blog could use a lot more of it.
ricland
Monica, you gotta be kidding. 90% of the people who come to council to speak are complete morons. I would hope that each councilperson does something to avoid being traumatized by the useless, hateful racist BS spewed at the City by these idiots.
You you want your chef to have to walk through dog sh!t on the way to the restaurant?
Would you want your doctor to watch horror movies before surgery?
Same thing here. The small minority of clowns and fools who embarrass themsselves on Wed. afternoon have nothing to do with this City. They have everything to do with the Theater of the Absurd!
Wasted Talents
>
> God gave Black people 500 billion talents.
> He gave Hispanic people 35 billion talents.
> He gave Asian people 225 billion talents.
> He left us alone for one year, and then returned to see what
we
>had done with our talents.
>
>
> God asked the Asian people, "What have you done with your
>resources.
>
> "The Asians replied, "We created many businesses and purchased
>many franchises. We used our resources to assist our families
and our
>Asian friends, helping them to get into business as well."
>
> The Asians continued, "Lord, we knew that with 225 billion
>talents we could generate even more talents by pooling what we
had and
>working together toward a common economic goal. We have doubled
the
>amount you awarded us. We now have 550 billion talents. And t o
top it
>all off, our restaurants are going strong; everybody loves our
food!"
>
> The Lord said, "Well done, my good and faithful servants. I
will
>make you rulers over many things."
>
>
>
> God then asked the Hispanic people what they had done with
their
>inheritance.
> They gleefully replied, "Lord, You are really going to be
proud
>of us. Upon receipt of our talents, we went to work right away
and
>formed our own bank. We have one in Florida that ranks among
the largest
>in all the land. And you know what else?
>
> The interest we are making, will more than double the amount
of
>talents You gave us."
>
> As God nodded approvingly, the Hispanic people couldn't wait
to
>continue.
> "We opened fast food shops and sidewalk stands.
> We sold fruit, enchiladas, and taco s.
> We supported Hispanic doctors, lawyers, accountants, and all
the
>
> Hispanic businesses we could find.
> If a certain business did not exist in our community, we
pooled
>our resources and started new ones.
> We have done very well, Lord, especially considering the short
>time we have been in this land."
>
> And God said, "Well done, my good and faithful servants. I
will
>make you rulers over many things."
>
>
>
> Since God had given the most talents to His chosen people -
>Black people, He couldn't wait to hear what they had done with
their 500
>billion talents. Like a doting father, He proudly asked them,
"What have you done
>with your inheritance?"
>
> After turning their music down in order to hear what God was
>saying, the Black people waved their hands in the air (like
they just
>didn't care) and shouted, "Lord, we just threw the party of the
century,
>and it was all good!
>
> Look at those bad rides parked outside...
> We bought them from the German people and the Japanese people.
> Wouldn't You agree, Lord, that we did good deeds by helping to
>make them wealthy?"
>
> Even God looked perplexed. He asked if there was anything else
>the Black people wanted to report.
>
> "Oh yeah" You haven't heard the half of it, Lord. We're the
most
>charitable people on earth.
> We spent 95% of all You gave us with businesses other than our
>own.
> We helped everyone. We didn't discriminate and we didn't
>playa-hate."
>
> Then one of the Black leaders spoke up. "You know how we like
>nice clothes, Lord. So, after the party, we went ou t and
bought all of
>the latest styles with all of the right labels. You know what
I'm
>saying? We just had to have it; we couldn't wait. Check us
out."
>
> Now, the Lord was quite concerned about His people, and their
>attitude regarding their talents...
> Continuing to probe, and expecting to hear something that
would
>make Him proud, God pleaded, "Surely you have done something
with your
>inheritance to generate more talents for yourselves?"
>
> The Black people looked around at one another, and one of
their
>"leaders" stepped forward to sum things up
> "Lord we have the finest cars, we eat and drink only top
shelf,
>and we meet in only the most elaborate hotels. Our children
have several
>pairs of the latest gym shoes, we make the Baddest videos and
we can
>throw down -- I mean dance -- with the best of them.
>
> Even better than that, we have good jobs to earn back our 500
>billion talents next year, so we will again be able to help all
the
>other inhabitants of this land."
>
> Sadly, God looked at His people and said, "With what you have
>done with your talents, you may as well have buried them in the
ground.
>Because of your slothfulness and lack of good stewardship, I
will give
>your future talents to those who have the least. You have
gravely
>disappointed me by not adhering to one of my most important
>admonishments: To whom much is given, much is expected."
>
> Pass the knowledge on, so we can break the cycle.
>
Nate, you can run but you can't hide.
Sorry that this is off topic, Nate, but I wanted you to see this.
Look at the comments, and see how much the Democrats appreciates African Americans who aren't voting for them.
Watchdog:
You are my hero.
Monica, why assume the person using the term "uppity" was white, or even that it was a racial slur? In my every day dealings, "uppity" happens to mean, "arrogant". Here's a link to the thesaurus for you, just in case you don't agree: Thesaurus.com - Uppity.
I'm just playing Devil's Advocate. If you're going to effectively fight for racial equality in Cincinnati, you need to not jump to conclusions so easily. Not everything is racially motivated. Sometimes an insult is only an insult... A colorblind one!
the chimp & the giant nappy BLACK gorilla have shut the fuck up. how happen? oh do tell. don't get quiet now. pleaaaaaaase..... impress us all...
The fact that some of you cannot appreciate the seriousness of Ghiz text messaging during a council session is very telling. First and foremost it breaks a few basic rules of Council. Secondly it violates an equally basic covenant between elected officials and their constituents. As citizens we have the right to be heard regardless if the content of the speech is widely accepted. There may be those who think that the public forum is useless and you are entitled to that thought however the fact of the matter is that the forum is apart of council and as such should be afforded the same civilities as any other council function. However Ms. Ghiz used her blackberry throughout the entire meeting not just the public forum.
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