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http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/rob-...e-of-a-troubled-life?utm_source=vicetwitterca

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I've never understood people saying he's charismatic. Next to Doug, maybe, but the bar is awfully low.

I am eagerly awaiting the funeral arrangements. I wonder if they are going to ask the city for something special like a parade or statue.
 
No, that's obviously not what I meant. You can tell I didn't mean that, since I didn't write that.

The "justice" that I'd like Rob Ford to face is the same that I'd like anyone guilty of similar offences, including but not limited to: jail time for drunk driving; censure and penalty at council for breaking council rules, holding council in contempt, and general conduct unbecoming; a grilling from the media for refusing to answer even basic questions in the public interest; or a pummelling at the ballot box for plainly disrespecting voters.

As an atheist, I don't believe Ford is now off to face a final judgement. I wanted to see justice served here on earth, but Ford benefited for virtually his whole life from family wealth, political connections, milquetoast media and politicians, and inept or corrupt law enforcement. He was also surrounded, it seems, by enablers to went to herculean lengths to avoid challenging him with the hard truth.

I understand that you're keen to push back against what you perceive to be a callous reaction here to Ford's death. I think you'll find that I've not danced on the man's grave. On the other hand, your position here - if we follow your logic further - paints you into an odd corner of arguing that Ford actually shouldn't be judged for driving drunk, assaulting colleagues in council, lying to the press, or holding raging benders in his own office after hours (or that I'm somehow being arbitrary or hoity-toity for suggesting that said behaviour is deserving of punishment). Is that really where we're going?

I'll give you this much in that you site specific instances rather than some others who made simple generalizations. As for the justice he didn't get in this life:

I believe that drunk driving, without causing an accident or anyone getting hurt, is simply a loss of your drivers license (punishment should be higher but that is what I think it is currently).

When you say assaulting a colleague is I'm assuming, possibly incorrectly, that you are referring to the instance where he bumped into a member of council accidentally (granted while running around like a fool) and as far as I know that usually requires an apology (I think he did that).

Lying to the press: He is a politician so what would you expect? Today the Liberal government announced a budget deficit after just running on an election promise of a deficit of only 10 billion in the first year (the economy is not in a situation whereby the increase can be justified other than a vote buy). Most people with drug and alcohol dependencies lie when confronted (especially when having to do so with the media). Not the best thing to do but, to me at least, understandable.

Drinking in the office: Revolting behaviour granted but not sure what the punishment for such a thing should be.

Strangely many people in the media, including the Star and Now Magazine, have been rather diplomatic in their assessment of his past. It is unfortunate that more people on here are unable to the same.
 
It's so true. He really truly hated being mayor.

I feel like I am in opposite land when I hear all the white-washing going on across the mediasphere today.

Yeah. Humans are weird. Quite a few writers who are long-time harsh, fair and accurate critics of Rob are saying today in their think-pieces ...
  • Rob wrecked a lot of stuff.
  • Rob did zero to few good things.
  • Rob was bad to many people.
  • I feel the need to be sorta positive about Rob as a politician.
I get the sorrow about loss of any human at age 46, get the fear and compassion about cancer, but do not in any way at all understand any kind of praise for Rob Ford the public figure.
 
I'll give you this much in that you site specific instances rather than some others who made simple generalizations. As for the justice he didn't get in this life:

I believe that drunk driving, without causing an accident or anyone getting hurt, is simply a loss of your drivers license (punishment should be higher but that is what I think it is currently).

When you say assaulting a colleague is I'm assuming, possibly incorrectly, that you are referring to the instance where he bumped into a member of council accidentally (granted while running around like a fool) and as far as I know that usually requires an apology (I think he did that).

Lying to the press: He is a politician so what would you expect? Today the Liberal government announced a budget deficit after just running on an election promise of a deficit of only 10 billion in the first year (the economy is not in a situation whereby the increase can be justified other than a vote buy). Most people with drug and alcohol dependencies lie when confronted (especially when having to do so with the media). Not the best thing to do but, to me at least, understandable.

Drinking in the office: Revolting behaviour granted but not sure what the punishment for such a thing should be.

Strangely many people in the media, including the Star and Now Magazine, have been rather diplomatic in their assessment of his past. It is unfortunate that more people on here are unable to the same.

It is revisionist history, plain and simple. He was a horrible person and none of his action should be excused.
 
Like Videodrome, I also became much more interested in local politics because of the shit storm that buffoon caused our city, so there's that.

I refuse to feel guilty (even though I'm Irish Catholic). Being dead doesn't erase the damage he did to our city on a global scale. He also destroyed his own body his entire adult life.

I had so hoped he'd survive for the Lisi trial. Justice is sweeter than karma.

Please site any evidence done to the city as the result of his behaviour.

He destroyed his body....and he has to answer for this?

Karma? Really?
 
No. He did not love the city. He only loved the things that mattered to him personally. Look at his *ahem* mayoral accomplishments. He got rid of the VRT, ripped up bikelanes, took away councillor's sandwich plates for late evenings, fired the city hall plant-watering-person, raged at streetcars because they held up HIS PERSONAL SUV and fuck all those poors trying to get anywhere on public transit, he did the garbage thing and made TTC workers an essential service because he personally couldn't stand unions, and he acted like a pissy kid about gays, LBQT, Pride. Once he'd got shot of the things that got under his skin, he couldn't figure out anything else to do. He loved campaigning, having the selfie brigade fawn over him, handing out hotdogs at FordFest, and being a dick in council. Otherwise he didn't do a single useful thing for the city. In fact he voted against damn near everything that could have helped his constituents and the lower income people. He voted against child care, children's play parks, community events, community organizations, AIDS nurses, services to welcome immigrants, the list is endless. He only loved the people because they voted for him and fed his sad pathetic ego. There was no vision, no policy, no strategy. He didn't introduce or accomplish a single initiative that made life better the people of Toronto. He just drank, partied, bullied, grandstanded, and blamed everyone else for his failures.

I'll give you the one about LGBQ but the others you list are things he believed in even if the majority of the people on here don't. It seems like what has people on here upset the most is that his policies were different than theirs.
 
Haven't read that one yet. Bookmarked it to read later along with this one:

http://www.haemorrhage-music.com/ford-eulogy

I like Norm. I'm looking forward to reading his piece. I just can't right now. I'm saddened by all of this. Not for the reasons you'd think but I've found this day extremely draining. For unrelated reasons, I'm stressed, not sleeping well. I woke to the news of the Belgian bombings, more Trump/Cruz/Palin/Muslim nonsense in my timeline and then this bomb dropped. I've had to listen all day to what a terrific guy Rob was, how much he loved the city, toiled for the common man, saved so much money, had a huge heart, returned phone calls, filled potholes etc. I've been told repeatedly that I'm an awful guy for pointing out that this is all revisionist bullshit. How dare I dance on his grave in such an undignified way? No matter what you think about his personal transgressions, he was a great mayor. It's been suggested repeatedly that my dislike of the man is due to his drug use or his love of a good bender.

It's not. I couldn't care less how Rob chose to unwind. That he liked to hit the pipe or suck chicken fat from a plastic clamshell at 9 am doesn't bother me. The guy was a massive fucking douchebag because that's who he was. A narcissistic sociopath who DGAF about anyone but himself. The kind of guy who would cross the street just so he could kick you in the nuts just cuz. He was a massive dick to everybody and any glimpse of the kindhearted old curmudgeon helping out the downtrodden exists only for his own personal gain.

I've had people like this in my life and the damage they've done to mine is incalculable. I've, in the past 18 months, banished those people from my life and, now that I have, I can spot this particular type of BS from a mile away. The FoFam has always been a huge trigger for me. After seeing once again today how many people buy completely into the great passionate guy thing I'm totally drained.

Cancer sucks. So does the fact that his kids have had to go through all this and still do. It doesn't change what he was and the terrible things he did and don't expect me to nod politely as you sing his unending praises on an infinite loop. And don't tell me that I'm the bad guy because I'm looking for closure in his demise. I didn't wish this on him and it's not some giddy glee that I'm feeling. I just hope that maybe we can at least close an ugly chapter that went on too long.

The guy was a huge asshole in every way he that could possibly be and he was obviously proud of it. For me to join in as we pretend the polar opposite would be disingenuous.

I never met the man and you make some very strong accusations about a man you likely never met either. I have heard many people calling into radio shows telling stories about the great things for them. He might have been more complicated than you give him credit for.
 
I'll give you this much in that you site specific instances rather than some others who made simple generalizations. As for the justice he didn't get in this life:

I believe that drunk driving, without causing an accident or anyone getting hurt, is simply a loss of your drivers license (punishment should be higher but that is what I think it is currently).

When you say assaulting a colleague is I'm assuming, possibly incorrectly, that you are referring to the instance where he bumped into a member of council accidentally (granted while running around like a fool) and as far as I know that usually requires an apology (I think he did that).

Lying to the press: He is a politician so what would you expect? Today the Liberal government announced a budget deficit after just running on an election promise of a deficit of only 10 billion in the first year (the economy is not in a situation whereby the increase can be justified other than a vote buy). Most people with drug and alcohol dependencies lie when confronted (especially when having to do so with the media). Not the best thing to do but, to me at least, understandable.

Drinking in the office: Revolting behaviour granted but not sure what the punishment for such a thing should be.

Strangely many people in the media, including the Star and Now Magazine, have been rather diplomatic in their assessment of his past. It is unfortunate that more people on here are unable to the same.

What about consorting with criminals? Denial of such activities? Using city time to engage in such activities? Pressuring staff to provide preferential treatment to matters of his import which he has a conflict of interest? Refusal to answer to questions revolving criminal involvement? Calling for tough love when he is doing exactly the same things in life and then getting a free pass by the virtue of his position/influence? Pushing the boundaries of bad behaviour to its' logical limits and beyond within our system and rules of governance? That's not justice - that's travesty of justice.

Let's not whitewash it as if somehow he is the paragon of good governance, or even mediocre governance. Most might not wish him dead in the strictest sense of the word, but I'd bet you that more than a few is relieved to see him out of the political picture.

AoD
 
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I'll give you this much in that you site specific instances rather than some others who made simple generalizations. As for the justice he didn't get in this life:

Ford was an unrepentant bigot, a sexist, racist homophobe who cultivated ties to criminals and had a preference to skip work to get high and drink in school yards rather than be the Mayor of the city "he loved so much." He was a pathological liar. He used bully tactics to silence his critics, and actively corrupted the institutions he purported to serve because the rules never applied to him. The facts about this are plentiful. His failure as Mayor to represent all citizens will not be chocked up to some weak argument that he was the victim in all this.
 
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