Distressing to have to defend my family from scurrilous rumor mongering
As anyone who has met and talked to me for more than five minutes can routinely attest to, I am a red blooded American 48-year-old heterosexual male. I guess that my 12 year old son was not a big enough give away for some of our more narrow-minded gossip deprived bigots.
I am responding to a rumor reported to me by a contemporary who heard from his father that some rather frightened right wing elements of our community were busy engaging in a smear campaign questioning my sexuality. First of all, as if it is any of anyone's business what my sexual preference is or is not, and second of all, what difference would it be as to how one might govern? Do we really have to descend to this level of attack?
This is yet another last second personal political ploy to distract and divide us, instead of reaching some kind of consensus about which candidate knows more about the issues that matter to Watkinsville residents every day. Some elderly residents have told me they are voting for me, while others have hung up the phone after telling me they have voted already. Most Watkinsville residents I have spoken with during this campaign are extremely polite and not the least bit bothered by some false accusation.
Here are some questions I would like to see answered by voters of Watkinsville in the next 10 days or so:
1. what has your candidate for Mayor done for the city before they decided to run for office?
2. how are the actions of your candidate reflected in what they tell the voters?
3. who do you honestly think will do a better job communicating to the voters of Watkinsville what the government is doing in the city?
4. what does each candidate specifically claim to be actions they want to do for our city?
5. who do you think each candidate is beholden to at the end of the day?
6. how often has your candidate attended city council meetings in the last 35 years?
I can let you know in no uncertain terms that my responses in the Oconee News Leader article this past week infuriated several of my more influential supporters. I want to address all sides of an issue and let the voters know that I want to explore two sides to every story.
From day one, several tasks I would like to take on in becoming Mayor of Watkinsville.
1. Direct Code Enforcement to remind and if we have to, remove junk cars in the city. There are at least four I can think of off the top of my head. Why have these gone un-enforced for multiple terms of office?
2. Replace the light bulbs on the flashing cross walk signs at the front of Main Street and Barnett Shoals. There are four sets that are all out in the one intersection. This is shameful.
3. Put guard rails at the hair pin curve from Experiment Station Road to the entrance of Harris Shoals Park and something like thin tubular plastic caution cones by the pocket park in front of Jittery Joe's near the drainage ditch.
4. Improve the sight lines along our busiest thoroughfares with pruning, trimmings and cut backs to help protect pedestrians and vehicular traffic.
5. Transplant those large thorny rose bushes from downtown to area around the still dangerous exposed dam in Harris Shoals Park.
6. Ask for suggestions and get donations of smaller plants more manageable for the downtown area where the roses were.
Keep Watkinsville wonderful. Vote Dan Matthews for Mayor in early voting next week 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Don't let the fear mongering distractions keep you away from the polls.
I am responding to a rumor reported to me by a contemporary who heard from his father that some rather frightened right wing elements of our community were busy engaging in a smear campaign questioning my sexuality. First of all, as if it is any of anyone's business what my sexual preference is or is not, and second of all, what difference would it be as to how one might govern? Do we really have to descend to this level of attack?
This is yet another last second personal political ploy to distract and divide us, instead of reaching some kind of consensus about which candidate knows more about the issues that matter to Watkinsville residents every day. Some elderly residents have told me they are voting for me, while others have hung up the phone after telling me they have voted already. Most Watkinsville residents I have spoken with during this campaign are extremely polite and not the least bit bothered by some false accusation.
Here are some questions I would like to see answered by voters of Watkinsville in the next 10 days or so:
1. what has your candidate for Mayor done for the city before they decided to run for office?
2. how are the actions of your candidate reflected in what they tell the voters?
3. who do you honestly think will do a better job communicating to the voters of Watkinsville what the government is doing in the city?
4. what does each candidate specifically claim to be actions they want to do for our city?
5. who do you think each candidate is beholden to at the end of the day?
6. how often has your candidate attended city council meetings in the last 35 years?
I can let you know in no uncertain terms that my responses in the Oconee News Leader article this past week infuriated several of my more influential supporters. I want to address all sides of an issue and let the voters know that I want to explore two sides to every story.
From day one, several tasks I would like to take on in becoming Mayor of Watkinsville.
1. Direct Code Enforcement to remind and if we have to, remove junk cars in the city. There are at least four I can think of off the top of my head. Why have these gone un-enforced for multiple terms of office?
2. Replace the light bulbs on the flashing cross walk signs at the front of Main Street and Barnett Shoals. There are four sets that are all out in the one intersection. This is shameful.
3. Put guard rails at the hair pin curve from Experiment Station Road to the entrance of Harris Shoals Park and something like thin tubular plastic caution cones by the pocket park in front of Jittery Joe's near the drainage ditch.
4. Improve the sight lines along our busiest thoroughfares with pruning, trimmings and cut backs to help protect pedestrians and vehicular traffic.
5. Transplant those large thorny rose bushes from downtown to area around the still dangerous exposed dam in Harris Shoals Park.
6. Ask for suggestions and get donations of smaller plants more manageable for the downtown area where the roses were.
Keep Watkinsville wonderful. Vote Dan Matthews for Mayor in early voting next week 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Don't let the fear mongering distractions keep you away from the polls.
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