Thoughts on Rob Ford. He is two people really. The homophobic, bully who couldnt string a sentence together unless it had to do with sports or the gravy train. He was the wanna be frat-boy who never got the chance to be a football star; who was probably bullied by his bully of a brother. Rob Ford finally got what he wanted when he was elected - someone like Don Cherry paying attention to him. He became what he probably wanted to be - someone who would be respected by the people he wanted to be like. Everyone wants to be respected, but his desire was pathological. He wanted to please all the wrong people. He was a conservative who didnt care what was fiscally responsible, a public figure who didnt care about building this city. If you couldnt do it or get there with a car, why do it in the first place. It is ironic that he was so strong on his support of subways when he would never ride public transit. Its for bringing boys home after a football game anyway. Rob Ford is/was a terrible mayor. Rob Ford was a great mayor. He got people angry and activated. I became obsessed. People would tell me the latest scandal because many saw that I was obsessed. I was angry and I was upset. But Rob Ford gave me a lot to think about. It was because of Rob Ford that I became more interested and involved in city politics. I learned about how the city works, did deputations, participated in and help organize rallies, meetings and picnics to save the city from the road he put us on. I took people on The Embarrassing Mayor Tour, a tour of City Hall to talk about the public art and the building that I love and to talk about the mayor that I loathed. I made buttons that said Our Mayor Embarrasses Me and Our Mayor Scares Me. I gave them away to people I didnt know who noticed them - sat in Kensington and sold them. The buttons initiated conversations with people on the subway, in the street, in shop lines, on the streetcar - people that cared about the city and hated what Rob Ford was bringing to it. And it challenged me to listen to the people that disagreed with me and supported Rob Ford and his policies. People I didnt know, but who opened up enough to talk about Toronto. The button inspired more than one lively discussion on the TTC - talking about the mayor, the city, subways and what people wanted in a city like Toronto - it was exciting. I love Toronto; not because of the architecture, but because when I was a queer kid growing up in Sault Ste. Marie, I knew it was where I would end up, where I could get my freak on, where I could be gay and part of something. I grew up in Sault Ste. Marie and I wasnt the only queer kid who saw Toronto as the Emerald City. I remember someone from Alberta telling me At least you live in Ontario. Torontos a day away; imagine how magical an escape Toronto is for a queer kid on the prairies - it seemed like half a world away. I have met so many people and done so much in this city. And now Im at a time in my life when Im considering how Ill leave it in some way; for some time. Its not really Canadian to be so in love with a city unless its Montreal or Vancouver. Its easy to hate Toronto - it has a lot of things wrong with it but I live in hope and when I see that someone like Rob Ford running it, I lose some of that hope. The fact that Rob Ford could get elected, that he would be supported by such a large number of people is devastating for me. Like the guy you love leaves you for a real asshole. The other Rob Ford is the one who has substance abuse issues and deserves my compassion. I almost threw up typing that, but its true. He deserves all our compassion because we should be bigger than that. Now his addiction has become the punch line for jokes; coupled with his weight, its all cheap shots. I was inspired to fight for Toronto not because of Fords addiction and weight but because he was destroying our city. I hope that his family and friends rally around him now, support him and help him deal with his demons. I hope they convince him that the stress and limelight of mayor is not the best place to heal. I wish him luck and will try not to laugh at his oh so public downfall. I just want him out. And when Rob Ford goes, those that support him will still be there and still looking to vote for someone who believes in his conservative agenda. Stintz was on side with him most of the time and seemed to come around to his side again more recently. I hope she doesnt fool the voters into thinking shes any different. I love Olivia Chow, but think maybe its time for someone new who is out of the system, someone wholl be a breath of fresh air. Who that will be, I dont know. Ill be watching the news obsessively over the next weeks to see how Ford leaves. I cant believe there is any other option for him. If he doesnt or if he does, the fight is still not against Ford; its against the mindset that created him. How we can elect politicians that offer us hope, love and vision and make difficult decisions based on compassion not pocket books? Thats a big question. And the even bigger question is if this system works for us to find that person. Good luck Rob Ford. I hope you get out of this and get help. I hope you get support and get better. I hope you never get involved in politics again and you take your asshole brother with you. Most of all I wish I knew how, with or without you, politics could change so I could have some faith in it.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 20:53:48 +0000
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