[nfitz]

This quote makes no sense. Why would Ford be somehow responsible for anything that happened over the last 30 years?

Uh, Ford wouldn't be. Didn't say he did. I was simply giving you an opportunity to convince me that the rise in discrimination we are now seeing couldn't possibly lead to any violent acts.

And I don't read the Sun. So anything they said, I wouldn't know since I'm not a reader. Were they bashing based on performance? On his fiscal approach? His attitude since coming to power?

Well, I try not to. But people link to things, and then you see them. The Sun (and Post) were bashing Ford for not attending Pride.

Still doesn't change the tactics used to go after Ford by NOW and others. Lots of personal attacks and comments about his appearance.

Yeah, we get it. You don't like NOW. No one takes it that seriously ... the only time I ever reading it is late on a Thursday night while I'm TUI (TTCing under the influence). Let's stick to mainstream media ...

 

[cdr108]

Post a link to the articles that show in fact, there were several, proven drinking incidents and that he was in fact, publicly drunk and badgering others unprovoked.

google is your friend:

http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/08/19/rob-fords-no-good-very-bad-week-haunted-by-drug-charge/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...mbers-breath-test-guilty-plea/article1678316/

http://progressiverambler.blogspot.com/2010/04/rob-ford-torontos-embarrassment.html

February 1999 Ford’s drunk driving conviction:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/36129441/Rob-Ford-s-Miami-Dade-Police-department-arrest-report

May 2006: A complaint is filed with the city's integrity commissioner that Rob Ford, drunk at a Toronto Maple Leafs game, was abusive to neighbouring spectators, shouting "You right-wing communist bastards," "Green Party fucking rules," before being ejected from the game. Ford initially tells reporters, "I wasn't even at the game, so someone's trying to do a real hatchet job on me." The next day, he admits he's lied (while denying some specifics): "I'm going through a few personal problems, but it doesn't justify, you know, getting drunk in public and acting like an idiot, if you ask me."

June 2006: Ford says it's outrageous that the city spends $1.5 million on AIDS prevention: "It is very preventable. If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you won't get AIDS probably -- that's the bottom line." Told that women were the largest-growing group of AIDS patients, Ford replied, "How are women getting it? Maybe they're sleeping with bisexual men."

In 2008, prosecutors charged him with assault after an incident with his wife, Renata, at their Etobicoke home. Charges were dropped


==========

many more examples with the click of a few buttons

 

[tkip]

10 years ago. Did it actually go down this way? Did other media investigate and back up the allegations?

What about Smitherman and his famous coke problem that ran on for years and how while he was in public office making threats, calling employees names and verbally abusing people, nothing was done. No one held him accountable. A openly gay man has a history of abusing others around him in office and few people actually said he was unqualified to be in office. Did people call for his resignation?

And how many other politicians have shameful, dirty little skeletons in their closets from their past? And notice that the domestic charges were dropped. How many other politicians have domestic problems that are never reported? Why was it only Ford that had his dirt dug up from the past only during the campaign last year as a weapon against him?

Did people demand Lastman step down as mayor when it was revealed he had fathered children outside his marriage and didn't provide any child support?

 

[nfitz]

10 years ago. Did it actually go down this way? Did other media investigate and back up the allegations?

Were you not in Toronto during the election? It was well covered.

A openly gay man has a habit of abusing others around him in office and few people actually said he was unqualified to be in office.

Which is ironic, given I did post in the election thread that Smitherman was unqualified to be mayor, referencing this issue - among others.

And how many other politicians have shameful, dirty little skeletons in their closets from their past?

Many probably ... did you happen to highlight Smitherman as your example because he's in a same-sex marriage, something you've said you are opposed to?

Smitherman, BTW, was the one to first inform the media of his problems. Ford did the opposite - when the media finally found out, he turned and lied to them.

So your position is that it's okay to be prejudiced against gays, because Smitherman has a bad temper? Not seeing the relevance here ...

 

[tkip]

Uh, Ford wouldn't be. Didn't say he did. I was simply giving you an opportunity to convince me that the rise in discrimination we are now seeing couldn't possibly lead to any violent acts.

Well, I try not to. But people link to things, and then you see them. The Sun (and Post) were bashing Ford for not attending Pride.

Yeah, we get it. You don't like NOW. No one takes it that seriously ... the only time I ever reading it is late on a Thursday night while I'm TUI (TTCing under the influence). Let's stick to mainstream media ...

No because NOW is read by many people and is a very left leaning publication. They were front and centre during the campaign and ramped up their personal attacks on Ford till the now famous fake pic. And if the Sun bashed Ford on his handling of Pride, notably not attending a single event, then I don't have a problem with this.

It's the jump in conclusion that he did this because he hates gays that I have a problem with. I think he wasn't interested, felt unwelcomed and decided to give it a pass. In the same week he also skipped Canada Day celebrations too. Again, people ignore that it wasn't just Pride he skipped.

 

[cdr108]

10 years ago. Did it actually go down this way? Did other media investigate and back up the allegations?

February 1999 Ford’s drunk driving conviction police report:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/36129441/Rob-Ford-s-Miami-Dade-Police-department-arrest-report

just realized both I and nfitz have given you the actual police report ...
there's no point of providing facts if you're going to retain your blinders

 

[tkip]

Skimmed over the news article, didn't read the police report. My bad.

Still doesn't change the here and now with certain people insisting that Ford hates gays, has an agenda against them and skipping Pride was all about this. Ford has made several blunders over the years. Has said several stupid things on a variety of issues. What it comes down to is this. He has a pattern of acting dumb and being ignorant. No one is going to dispute this anymore.

If the only cuts Ford proposed were for gay issues, if the only events he avoided were gay ones, if the only verbal diarrhea he said was only about gays, then people'd have a case.

 

[RC8]

10 years ago. Did it actually go down this way? Did other media investigate and back up the allegations?

What about Smitherman and his famous coke problem that ran on for years and how while he was in public office making threats, calling employees names and verbally abusing people, nothing was done. No one held him accountable. A openly gay man has a history of abusing others around him in office and few people actually said he was unqualified to be in office. Did people call for his resignation?

And how many other politicians have shameful, dirty little skeletons in their closets from their past? And notice that the domestic charges were dropped. How many other politicians have domestic problems that are never reported? Why was it only Ford that had his dirt dug up from the past only during the campaign last year as a weapon against him?

Did people demand Lastman step down as mayor when it was revealed he had fathered children outside his marriage and didn't provide any child support?

I agree with you regarding the fact that nothing Ford done makes him ineligible as mayor.

But how can you deny he comes across as a horrible ignorant and intellectually challenged human being?

 

[tkip]

I never said he was never a ignorant/intellectually challenged person.

Previous posts by me, I said he was ignorant on several topics, not just the gay issues. I also questioned some of his other traits. What I have criticized is the relentless attack by certain people that paint him as some foaming at the mouth bigot out to destroy gays. If we're going to crucify Ford, it needs to be on his overall performance.

Like lack of transit vision. Or not being able to balance the budget without making cuts to services. Not just concentrate on why he skipped Pride.

 

[nfitz]

If the only cuts Ford proposed were for gay issues, if the only events he avoided were gay ones

There have been several parades since Ford became mayor. The only one he missed was this one. As far as I know, Ford has skipped every Pride event since he became councillor. He was the only candidate last year to not campaign at Pride. There's a pattern ...

... and if wanted to prove everyone wrong ... he'd need only have had to show up at one or two safe, controlled events, smile, etc. I'm actually still baffled why he didn't do this ...

... if the only verbal diarrhea he said was only about gays, then people'd have a case.

So your position is, it's not that he's prejudiced against gays ... he's dumber than a fence post?

 

[tkip]

There have been several parades since Ford became mayor. The only one he missed was this one. As far as I know, Ford has skipped every Pride event since he became councillor. He was the only candidate last year to not campaign at Pride. There's a pattern ...

... and if wanted to prove everyone wrong ... he'd need only have had to show up at one or two safe, controlled events, smile, etc. I'm actually still baffled why he didn't do this ...

So your position is, it's not that he's prejudiced against gays ... he's dumber than a fence post?

Maybe he is dumber than a fence post. This is something I could understand people being pissed about. His blunders suggest either he's not using his brains or that he's getting some bad advice. You should see some of the blunders done by my supervisors and manger at work. They're paid insane money and they're dumb, dumb, dumb people. I've never seen such stupidity.

 

[nfitz]

Maybe he is dumber than a fence post. This is something I could understand people being pissed about. His blunders suggest either he's not using his brains or that he's getting some bad advice.

You know, that's the first thing I've read in this thread that actually opens the possibility in my mind, that he isn't prejudiced against gays, outside of the marriage issue.

Though I'm not sure if that's encouraging ... or terrifying. Oh well, it's not like he's got the nuclear football with him.

 

[RC8]

I never said he was never a ignorant/intellectually challenged person.

Previous posts by me, I said he was ignorant on several topics, not just the gay issues. I also questioned some of his other traits. What I have criticized is the relentless attack by certain people that paint him as some foaming at the mouth bigot out to destroy gays. If we're going to crucify Ford, it needs to be on his overall performance.

Like lack of transit vision. Or not being able to balance the budget without making cuts to services. Not just concentrate on why he skipped Pride.

Fair enough.

I think that apart from dumb he's also profoundly selfish. He's very interested in those things which serve him (fast-moving streets, highways, suburban living) and extremely ignorant about environmentalism, social responsibility, or urban issues.

 

[doug]

Look, I don't have a high opinion of people in general because I've been watching how people act for decades now and it isn't pretty.

As far as we know, you're 'people' too....good of you to admit that you're part of the problem though.....tkip = hypocrite.

 

[adma]

Close. This. Thread. Or. Have. Tkip. And. Nfitz. Mutually. Butchered. Disembowelled. And. Incenerated. Anything. To. Shut. Them. Up. And. Stop. Wasting. Page. After. Page.

Which is another way of saying: "take it outside". Nfitz, tkip: have you actually ever met in person outside of this forum? I recommend that you do so, in order to spare us the endless agony and agony and no ecstasy at all...