Raise the Hammer

I was at the meeting until they took their lunch break at 3:30-ish. To me the fact that Brad Clark left early only confirms what I had suspected all day long.

Posture is a big thing to me. You can tell a lot about a person and what they are thinking or feeling based simply on their posture. We've been told this in school, picked on by teachers to sit up straight and pay attention..because it's obvious when we're not.

Leaning back in your chair and swinging your leg for a majority of the time with your hands wiping your face or looking up at the ceiling (I was sitting in the outside section...is there some fresco in there I don't know about?) with a scowl on your face doesn't depict a person who wants to be actively involved in the conversation. As to the fact that he made a few comments...those comments were more than likely prepared well in advance to this meeting, as were everyone one else's.

I would like to thank the police for being present. It must have been a long boring day for them. I appreciate the fact that someone was thinking of them...but if I can say this with gentleness, Brad has staff or other people there that can do those "nice gesture" kind of things for him. To get up and spend time doing that only further shows that your head isn't or wasn't fully in the game. (I am referring of when Brad got up came out and talked to the police officers, went back in, assembled a couple of plates with some drinks came out, talked some more, gave them to each police officer and then returned to his seat)

Again, I think that was a kind thing to do...but you have staff who could do that for you. Your head needs to be in the game and not wandering about, regardless of how little impact you think your vote is going to have. If you are a representative of your ward to Hamilton...is that how your ward would like to be viewed, as people who are unconcerned (with the meeting going on)or simply give up because they think they can't change things? I doubt it.

And as for joking with people from Toronto...every time I go to Toronto I run into people who I readily correct about how great Hamilton is. A city councilor who doesn't do this naturally is beyond my ability to comprehend. If you don't love Hamilton to the very end, what are you doing here representing our city? It has it's rough patches. EVERY CITY DOES! There are always aspects we want to improve, build upon, alter in some way and make changes for the better. But if you are so bogged down by other people's image of us and try and blend in with them and their opinions...maybe you should be looking for another job.

When I moved here, I hated the place. Truly. There isn't a day that has gone by where someone or something about this city hasn't made me regret I ever felt that way. Everyday is another chance to see how good this place IS and CAN be.

I apologize for the rant. And I also recognize these words are simply my opinion and may not amount to much or reflect the same opinions of everyone else

Comment edited by Jarod on 2010-08-12 15:10:01