I know I've been slacking off on weekend posts, but I've enjoy not thinking about the stupidity for a few days, and will write on a regular again...
Anyways, this weekend the Birmingham News has decided to endorse Emory Anthony over Patrick Cooper for the mayor of Birmingham for the next 2 years. There reasons is their lack of reporting all the 6 mayoral forums and saying that Cooper didn't attend all of them. FACT: Cooper attended 3 of the 6 mayoral forums. Anthony only attended 4 himself, so what difference does this truly make. FACT: The Birmingham News only covered 3 of the 6 forums themselves, but only thoroughly reported on the 2 hosted by the Birmingham Business Alliance at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and Catalyst Birmingham at WorkPlay. FACT: The majority of the attendees of these forums are supporters, campaign workers, and those who have already made up their mind were in attendance at the forums since they are forums and not debates where issues can be discussed and countered. In other words, these are dog-and-pony shows for candidates, and if a candidate does show up to these they are basically using one-line zingers and slogans to their fan, cheerleaders, and those on their payroll. FACT: The Birmingham News columnist John Archibald and Joey Kennedy were some of the main print media detractors of Cooper's lawsuit against former mayor Larry Langford over the authenticity of his citizenship in Birmingham, which was later proven false and the suit was legit. FACT: The Birmngham News were some of the main culprits who turned a blind eye to the foolishness of the Langford administration hoping he would allow them into the Council Chambers and other city related business to scoop a story. So to sum it up, it seems to me that the Birmingham News is a bias news source when it comes to reporting on things involving Birmingham and its imagery and trying to help progress the place beyond the racialized, hyper-partisan mess that remained status quo for nearly 2 decades.
Now Anthony ran for mayor in 1991 and 1995, but lost both times to then mayor Richard Arrington, and he was associated with Big Chief No-Do also known as former mayor Bernard Kincaid by getting him elected twice in 1999 and 2003 with the now-defunct Jefferson County Progressive Democrat Council. So Anthony isn't new to the area's politics and is well-connected, but he just doesn't seem to me that he has that "ump" needed to get Birmingham out of the regressive hole we've been in. Also he seems to want to continue some things that needs to be killed immediately like the city scholarship program when the city needs to get its finances in order. Finally, he doesn't seem like he wants to engage the young, educated, or LGBT/SGL voters in this race.
Oh well! I'm pro-Cooper, but I wouldn't be mad if Anthony did win. However, those 2 are light-years ahead of the 3 Stooges: Steven Hoyt, Carole Smitherman, and William Bell.
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