OK:
We’re all on edge about the war. And people on both sides are pretty emotional.
But it’s troubling to see war supporters challenging the patriotism of
opponents.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย According to a good number of war
supporters, protesters had their chance to speak before the war began. Now it’s
time to shut up and support the troops. But criticism of the war doesn’t
preclude support for the troops, and the protesters shouldn’t be intimidated
into silence or apology.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย It’s also troubling to see Rochester
Police Chief Robert Duffy complain about the expense of policing anti-war
protests. Rochester, like cities across the country, is faced with budget
problems. But the war protesters didn’t cause those problems. In fact, many
protesters have noted that the war will divert funds from critical domestic
needs.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Duffy has singled out college
students, who (along with longtime peace activists, high-school students, and
older women known as the Raging Grannies) are among the protest organizers.
Duffy implies that because the students aren’t permanent Rochester residents
and pay no taxes, policing their activities imposes a particular burden.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย These are the same college students,
of course, that we want to stick around and join our workforce after they
graduate. I’m not sure they’ll find Duffy’s message a welcoming one. (And by
the way: The students do help pay for
Rochester police protection — through their sales taxes, and, if they live
off campus, through their contributions toward their landlords’ property
taxes.)
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย So let’s be clear: American citizens
have the right — and the responsibility — to protest government policies
with which they disagree. War doesn’t change that.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “If it is right to oppose a crime
when it is being publicly contemplated,” writes British anti-war activist
Andrew Murray in The Guardian, “how
much more important is it to do so when it is in the process of commission.”
Heading
toward fall
The
mayor has made his formal announcement: He’s running for county executive. And
now the race begins.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย It’ll be a crucial campaign — in
my opinion, one of the most important in the county’s history. Monroe and its
region are facing enormous challenges. And the county-executive race offers all
of us — candidates, political parties, and voters — a rare opportunity: to
have an election campaign with real substance. What the candidates, the
political parties, and the voters do with that chance will tell us a lot about
ourselves.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย A bit of disclosure: It isn’t a
secret that this newspaper is no fan of current County Executive Jack Doyle. He
has wasted his intelligence, political skill, and leadership potential. He has
fostered the impression that he’d rather award contracts to his supporters than
serve the community. He has run roughshod over critics and the public. He has
clung to a tax-cutting policy that contributed to the county’s precarious
financial state.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Doyle has decided not to seek
re-election. But that doesn’t lessen my concern. The county is controlled by a
machine, headed by Republican Party chair Steve Minarik. If Minarik’s arm of
the party keeps control of the county executive’s office, little will change.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย It is also no secret that in my
columns, I’ve urged the mayor to get into this race. Bill Johnson, I think, is
the only Democrat who has a chance at beating the Minarik machine. And that
machine’s hold on the county must be broken.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Republicans are already on the
attack. An early “issue” is laughable: Johnson can’t campaign for county
executive and do a good job as mayor. Oh? I didn’t hear Republicans saying Jack
Doyle couldn’t do a good job four years ago, when he was running for re-election
while holding his office.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย But there are plenty of serious
issues. The coming years will be no picnic for the next county executive,
regardless of who that is. Monroe County is in serious financial trouble, and
there’ll be no painless way out. Some of the causes of that trouble — the
national economy, unfunded state mandates — are beyond the county’s control.
But some of the problem is the result of Republican action and inaction, and
the Republican administration has to be held accountable for that.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The Minarik Republicans are
positively gleeful about an issue Johnson himself has raised: metropolitan
government. Good. Let the discussion begin. The community should have been
discussing that issue for years. Our parochialism and our internecine
competition are killing us. A political campaign may not be the best setting
for a discussion of metro, but it’s better than no setting at all.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย It may be too much to expect the
Minarik machine to welcome a rational discussion of this issue. But voters
ought to remember this: Bill Johnson has not offered a specific proposal for
metropolitan government. He has simply suggested that we talk about the
concept, that we learn from the examples of successful communities, that we
think about how we might adapt what they’ve done to meet our own needs.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย If Minarik plays it right, he can
use Fear of Metro to obscure the real problems the county faces — and the
role his machine played in getting us into the mess we’re in. It’s an easy,
seductive campaign tactic.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Voters can fall for the Minarik
line. Or they can keep an open mind. For the moment, the power’s in the hands
of the public.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Let the campaign begin.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Want
to comment? Write or The Mail, City
Newspaper, 250 North Goodman Street, Rochester 14607. Please include your name,
address, and daytime phone number.
n
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2003.
