Raise the Hammer

My response to the Mayor:

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Mayor Bratina,

Quite frankly, that is nonsense.

First of all, the text of the speech you're referring to can be found in its entirety at http://raisethehammer.org/article/2077/h... Where in those remarks do I misrepresent your position?

Secondly, your belief that Hamiltonians ought to declare their political preferences before engaging with their elected officials is troubling. I'm not critical of your record because I'm planning to vote for someone else (you're not even running!), I'm critical of your record chiefly because of what you've failed to achieve this term. For example, at last count, you'd introduced two motions so far this term, which begs the question: when you're not derailing LRT or complaining about citizens who actually care enough about their city to get involved, what are you doing, exactly?

If "the problems on Queen need to be addressed", why aren't you addressing them? Is there really anything more important right now than protecting the lives of the citizens in your care?

You know, I can tell you that when my wife and kids and I are scrambling to cross Queen while we walk to the Locke St. Library, I'm not thinking to myself, "here's an opportunity to score a political point."

When I hear from a friend who crossed Queen at Main recently and could literally see blood stains from the last person who got smashed into by a speeding car, I'm not thinking, "hey, here's a chance to try and embarrass Mayor Bratina".

I'm upset and outraged by the fact that pedestrians are being killed in Hamilton at a rate that is 1.5 times the provincial average, making us the second-most dangerous place in Ontario for people on foot. That outrage was magnified this week by the incident on Queen, which happened to someone who is friends of friends of mine, on a street that goes very near my house.

It was those feelings of outrage, frustration, and concern that caused me to email you and the rest of Council. That you would respond to my sincere plea in the manner you have says far more about you than it does about me.