Be careful for what you wish for

[Danno]

I remember when Hyde was first appointed Mayor, he told a taxpaying citizen, at a council meeting, that if a person did not vote then he or she "had no right to complain" and he would not listen to them.

What a base, rude, crude loser. Good riddance you loser.

[Simon]

lOOKS BAD.. HE WAS AT BREAKFAST WITH THE CROOK pATRICIA jONES.. She makes more money then the Mayor of a 90,000 plus town.......Terrible.. I can see where he is going... Hope he wakes up soon , his father sure would!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[blingmama]

There will always be a few very vocal and insistant individuals that will never get on board with the majority and they always seem to find their way to these public arenas. Of course that is the nature of these forums, to allow anyone the ability to speak just as amplified as his neighbor. And in some exciting cases this fosters healthy debate.

Unfortunately more times than not, it boils down to name calling and innuendo that is productive to no one. The true demographics and the accurate heartbeat of what makes the average concerned Waukegan citizen tick usually gets dilluted. What's worse is that logical and stirring arguments to the contrary get lost in numerous posts no more intelligent than school yard banter.

This past Tuesday we as a unified city elected Bob Sabonjian our new mayor by an impressive margin consisting of votes that crossed across all ethnic and age groups. There is not one demographic that Mayor Hyde carried in the effort. And as far as I know over these last 6 days Mayor Elect Sabonjian has not broken any campaign promises or has strayed from his message that has been consistant and clear since filing his petitions.

So how can having breakfast with the WaukeganTownship Supervisor be of any concern? As a concerned citizen I would expect my mayor to be in touch with EVERYONE that he will be working with.

Even more rich is the notion that hatred of Hyde outweighs the illegal immigrant issues that plague our City. Perhaps, and this is just me, the illegal immigrant issue might not be such a hot topic if the Hyde administration actually did something about it rather than watching it fester over the last 7 years.

[freedomisntfree]

Your post was very well written! I liked most of it. But thank god for the "few very vocal and insistant individuals that will never get on board with the majority" Freedom isn't about the majority, our founding fathers went to great lengths to ensure the majority didn't rule as they feared tyranny of the majority and freedom is chaotic but it is better than a well controlled orderly tyranny with only one opinion allowed.

The majority never has right on its side. Never, I say! That is one of these social lies against which an independent, intelligent men must wage war. Who is it that constitute the majority of the population in a country? Is it the clever folk, or the stupid? I don’t imagine you will dispute the fact that at present the stupid people are in an absolutely overwhelming majority all the world over. But, good Lord!–you can never pretend that it is right that the stupid folk should govern the clever ones I (Uproar and cries.) Oh, yes–you can shout me down, I know! But you cannot answer me. The majority has might on its side–unfortunately; but right it has not. I am in the right–I and a few other scattered individuals. The minority is always in the right.
-Henrik Ibsen, excerpt from “Enemy of the People” [character Dr. Stockmann] <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.quoteland.com">http://www.quoteland.com</a><!-- m -->

If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen. -Samuel Adams, speech at the Philadelphia State House, August 1, 1776 <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.quoteland.com">http://www.quoteland.com</a><!-- m -->

Of what use is freedom of speech to those who fear to offend? -Roger Ebert <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.quoteland.com">http://www.quoteland.com</a><!-- m -->

One should respect public opinion in so far as is necessary to avoid starvation and to keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny. -Bertrand Russell <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.quoteland.com">http://www.quoteland.com</a><!-- m -->

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect." -Mark Twain <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.quoteland.com">http://www.quoteland.com</a><!-- m -->

The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority. -Lord (John Emerich Edward Dalberg) Acton <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.quoteland.com">http://www.quoteland.com</a><!-- m -->

The most dangerous enemy of truth and freedom amongst us is the compact majority— yes, the damned compact Liberal majority— that is it! Now you know!
-Henrik Ibsen, Enemy of the People (p.117) <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.quoteland.com">http://www.quoteland.com</a><!-- m -->

"...it does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds..."
-Samuel Adams <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.quoteland.com">http://www.quoteland.com</a><!-- m -->

[blingmama]

Very nice and appropriate quotes indeed!

It would be exciting if the altruism that spawned such prose was rampant here on this forum.

As I said above, certainly there are instances of subject that are cause for debate. Sometimes there are moments where thought provoking and intriguing questions create a dissection of concept that hopefully leads to a true understanding of a topic, or minimally unveiling the two or three sides of the advocates and critics. But unfortunately those moments are few and far between here.

To wave the flags of folks such as Adams, Twain and Ibsen is certainly valid and expected. But elementary name calling and unfounded innuendo does not unfurl those banners.

[freedomisntfree]

Again well written. I agree that we may not get closer to an intelligent debate, but when the emotions boil we get much closer to the character of the person that let the vitrial "spew forth". Any debate that reveals more deeply the character of the person is usually as or more important than the ideas they say they believe in. When the debate gets hot you find out if they have character!

Several of the people in this debate let their guard down and revealed their true character.

Reflect upon the defects of your character: thoroughly realize their evils and the transient pleasures they give you, and firmly will that you shall try your best not to yield to them the next time. -Helen P. Blavatsky <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.quoteland.com/">http://www.quoteland.com/</a><!-- m -->

"The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do." -John Holt <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.quoteland.com/">http://www.quoteland.com/</a><!-- m -->

The soul is dyed the color of its thoughts. Think only on those things that are in line with your principles and can bear the light of day. The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you do is who you become. Your integrity is your destiny — it is the light that guides your way. -Heraclitus <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.quoteland.com/">http://www.quoteland.com/</a><!-- m -->

[blingmama]

We certainly are in agreement there!

[Blackdiamond]

What in the hell :?: ----------

[freedomisntfree]

What in the hell :?: ----------

The closest I could come up with is <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.what-the-hell-is-hell.com/">http://www.what-the-hell-is-hell.com/</a><!-- m -->

8-)

[Snoopy]

Black Diamond,
I agree, but to further provoke thought, I'll bite!

When you choose the lesser of two evils, always remember that it is still an evil.
— Max Lerner, American editor and political columnist (1902-1992)