[Vision2020] Citizen Ament versus Councilman Ament

[Joan Opyr]

> Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:"I'll give you an 
> ex!
>>  ample:
>>  for more than a decade, Jesse Helms was a
>> commentator on WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina.  You complain about
>> Aaron having referred (on his radio show) to NSA as an education free
>> zone?  Jesse Helms spouted off about miscegenation, the joys of
>> segregation, his hatred for gays, lesbians, non-Christians, and
>> Democrats, you name it." _Joan Opyr
>>
>> Interesting that Aaron Ament's bigotry can only be defended by
>> contrasting his behavior to racist Senator Jesse Helms. And
>> that contrast is from his friends.

That is emphatically NOT the only way Aaron's comments can be defended. 
  (I don't believe Aaron's remarks need defending.  He spoke his mind, 
just as you and I do, and he spoke it clearly.  Whether or not you or 
anyone else likes what he had to say is another matter entirely.)  I 
offered Jesse Helms' broadcasting career as an example of a politician 
making the transition from broadcasting to elected official because I 
was trying to get a particular point across to our resident 
right-wingers.  It's very simple, Donovan -- Aaron Ament's positions on 
a wide variety of issues were abundantly clear when he ran for office.  
He won by more votes than anyone else, so perhaps voters like a 
candidate with clear, un-waffling positions.  As for Senator Helms, I 
couldn't have disagreed with him more; in fact, I despised him.  Still 
do -- he was a narrow-minded bigot -- but he, too, had clear and 
un-waffling positions, and that helped him win four very close Senate 
races.  Voters don't like slipping and sliding.  It nauseates them.

Let me see if I can sum this up succintly: if you're an apple, don't 
run as a banana.  Be who you are and say what you think.  You can't 
please everyone, so why not tell the truth?  Too many politicians 
hedge, fudge, and speak politely or falsely so they can shift and 
tiptoe and dance around the point once in office.  Aaron's beliefs are 
clear.  Aaron also has the world's shortest bullshit fuse.  One does 
not recuse oneself for having strong beliefs nor for having expressed 
those beliefs clearly and publicly.  You recuse yourself if you have a 
legitimate conflict of interest.  Paul Kimmel should have recused 
himself (in my opinion) from county votes regarding the tax-exempt 
status of NSA and other Christ Church entities.  Why?  Because at the 
time, Kimmel was acting as Christ Church's agent on a variety of 
"deals."  (I'm sure Rose would be happy to elaborate.)  Todd Flack 
likewise should have recused himself from P & Z when it considered NSA 
zoning issues because he, too, had a clear financial interest in the 
outcome; he runs one of the larger NSA boarding houses.  Even in these 
cases, however, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson and City Attorney 
Randy Fife did not find strong enough grounds for recusal.  I disagree 
with them, but they're attorneys and I'm not.

Given all of the above, on what legal or ethical grounds do you or Gabe 
Rench call for Aaron's recusal?  That he spoke his mind both before and 
during the campaign?  That he speaks his mind now?  You're standing on 
shifting sands here, Donovan, and so I'd advise against building 
yourself a rhetorical house.

Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment
www.joanopyr.com


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