April 6, 2008Boones Mill slate needs to grow upThere will be columns in which I just go off because I find something so incredibly ridiculous. -- Me, May 3, 2005 In my three years of columnizing, nothing comes to mind as more silly than the exercise in civic absurdity under way in Boones Mill. Blowing up the democratic process over a speeding ticket? I don't think that's quite what Thomas Jefferson had in mind when he wrote, "The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive." According to Times' staff writer Ruth Tisdale, three town council candidates and one mayoral candidate have formed a slate to overturn the council. Nothing unusual or wrong there. But the slate -- Virginia Carroll, Sarah Eames and spouses Robert and Patricia Hogan -- is touting itself as an all-or-nothing deal. "If one of us doesn't get elected, then none of us are going to take office," Carroll said. Come again? Is this a town, and a government, or a classroom full of petulant fourth-graders? (No insult intended, fourth-graders). Is it just I who detects a whiff of bullying that's more common on elementary school playgrounds than at the polls? What if Boones Mill voters -- all 20 of them -- choose Carroll and the Hogans, leaving Eames out in the cold? The others would refuse to take office. Mayor Ben Flora said he believes the quartet wants to abolish the town. Honestly, why a town with 280 people can't be absorbed into Franklin County is a reasonable question. But whatever the rationale, the all-or-none gimmick makes a mockery of the democratic process. Boys and girls, Civics 101: The top vote-getters win the election -- and serve. Anyone who follows Boones Mill politics knows there's an undercurrent to all of this. The Hogans and Eames quit in a tizzy a year ago after the council refused to fire the town's police chief. They wanted to fire him after the chief issued a speeding ticket to Robert Hogan. It's like, how dare the police chief enforce the law? The trio didn't have the fourth vote they needed to force the firing, so they picked up their ball and sniffled all the way home. That's where Carroll comes in. She'll help the Hogans stack the deck so they can fire the mean cop. They'll show him, darn it. And maybe they'll even abolish the town so nobody can hire him back ever. As for "the spirit of resistance to government," Jefferson added, "It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all." But I doubt even he would sign off on the childish antics in Boones Mill. |
About this blog In her signature plainspoken style, Michigan native Shanna Flowers peels away the layers and gets to the heart of the issues. No pretense. Just straightforward perspective. Shanna writes about local people whose circumstances reflect decisions made as near as City Hall or as far away as the halls of Congress. Other times, she weighs in on a topic because it is incredibly ridiculous. Or heartening. Or fascinating. Read Shanna's column three days a week, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, at roanoke.com
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Comments
[April 6, 2008 1:25 PM]
stevehi there shanna i just read your col. and i agree with you enough about boones mill it is getting to the point that people are saying who cares already let boones mill go to being a part of franklin county thats what it should be anyhow or get someone in there besides who they got and get ride of the people who are a constant pain to boones mill thank you for your col. you do a great job
[April 7, 2008 11:51 AM]
BacklashMy first thought on hearing about the fore mention individuals was is this a "Gang" vying for dominance of a community.
No....Then rereading your column I came to the conclusion this is a group with a "Thug" mentality battling for control over a populace.
[April 7, 2008 1:17 PM]
susanBeing from Franklin County this election is embarassing not only for the town of Boones Mill but for the entire county. Hogan was upset for getting a ticket after they called for stricter enforcement of the speed limit. I think that the decision of keeping the town or not should be up to the citizens and the bullies should stay home and stop embarassing the rest of the county. Maybe they can go somewhere and start their own private community. . . Bullyville or Wineytown.
[April 8, 2008 11:06 AM]
BacklashSusan you posted:
Maybe they can go somewhere and start their own private community. . . Bullyville or Wineytown.
Do you feel that these individuals are acting more like terrorist than concerned citizens? In an attempt to hold a community hostage to further their own goals.
Now I see why some children from surrounding areas act like spoiled brats instead of respectable people. From what I have heard on the radio and read about this situation, instead of a community concerned of it's status as a decent neighborhood to raise children.
You have a terrorist like group holding you hostage by a vote, just as intimidating as a gun.
Pitiful......
[April 8, 2008 7:07 PM]
AnthonyI agree whole heartedly with you Shanna. You are probably right about Thomas Jefferson's reaction to this total absurdity.
[April 11, 2008 3:48 PM]
Barbara Phifer : →http://bphifer1@aol.comDear Shanna,
I am in total agreement regarding education begins at home. I remember a time when I was participating in a program at school and not only was family members present, but neighbors and friends attended as well. In present day schools there are many children who perform in school and they don't have one parent, friend or neighbor there to support their efforts. Children need discipline, support and love. As parents we have to explain our expectations to our children and help them to adopt the expectations as their own. This drop-out cycle has to stop somewhere. Parents must slow down and put their children first, and show them how to be the best they can be. We allow our children to give up on things too soon, and they develop a defeater attitude, preventing them from being successful adults. I don't care how much research is done, or how we try to retain the best educators in this valley, or how the school board tries to be creative in changing the start times for the schools, unless parents stand up and practice more parenting and not just perform as a provider by working more than one job, we will not have more successful graduates in the Roanoke School System. Education begins at home, the first words my son learned, I taught him, I taught him his alphabets, how to count, how to read, how to write, how to tell time, so that when he was ready for school, he was already ahead of the game!!! Playtime was not spent watching Barney all day, even though Barney ranked pretty high on his list of priorities! Parents must get in the game of education from the first word a child utters!!!