granolapark

Hmm.

Where were we? Oh, yes. So, those who only see Her Honor on occasion mistake her even handedness and professional dedication for coldness and lack of activist ferver. Having observed city council meets frequently we have seen that she has a mix of compassion, dispassion, and a steely resolve - all in timely proportion.

In particular she has a drive to help others to concensus or compromise, even when the result goes against her own opinion. She is careful to be inclusive, fair, and tolerant - the result of a decade dealing with irate homeowners, livid landlords, ranting rentors, activist wingnuts, crazy people, tonguetied citizens, bullying officials, intimidating lawyers, and everyone else who walks through the council chamber doors with a word to say - or shout. This can be seen in the Tucker Carlson interview, by the way. She handles him the way she would anyone standing at the microphone during Citizen Comment period.

We think she should now run for Prime Minister of England, she'd do brillilantly at those Questions to the Prime Minister sessions in Parliment.

We are sorry to see her go and we worry whether the person who replaces her will do as good a job.

The Takoma Park city council meeting will be well covered elsewhere, no doubt, as it votes for a resolution tonight (July 23) in favor of impeaching the President and Vice President of the United States.

Also, no doubt there will be the usual round of smirking articles about Takoma Park, based on previous smirking articles, written by smirky lazybones who only get their information from what other smirky lazybones have written. Your Gilbert will bestow the Rattie Award upon whichever writer serves up the most warmed-over Takoma Park stories and stereotypes with the biggest smirk.

Those would include: the infamous rat story, the untrue rumor that gas mowers are banned in the city, descriptions of Motocat (the long deceased motorcycle-riding cat), freeroaming roosters, voting rights for aliens, and terms such as: "Berkley East", "stuck in the sixties," "aging hippies," "Birchenstock-wearing," references to vegan/vegetarian diet, and of course, "Nuclear Free Zone."

Your Gilbert is on sabbatical for a bit, developing another project and taking a vacation. Please post your relevant news, observations, rants, questions, and answers to the "comments" section.

We note that the budget has been passed. The City Newsletter gives the basics.

It's a shame Takoma Park does not mark the city's great 1997 boundry victory every year. There has been a fuss on this 10th anniversary, but there is no established grassroots celebration. In the Old World hard-won boundries are remembered yearly by walking them, not only as a reminder where the boundries are, but as an assertion of rights and solidarity - "These lands belong to us villagers, we forced you aristocrats and officials to grant them to us, now keep your grasping hands off 'em!"

Does this not sum up the struggle to unify Takoma Park in one county, Dear Readers?

In some places in the Old World, the locals still yearly "beat the bounds," walking the boundry of their parish, stopping at significant locations and abusing the children. This they do by beating them or tossing them into a bush or stream. This is merely a mnemonic device - it helps the youngsters recall particular spots so they can remember the boundry line. "Oh, yeah, that's where the mayor and councilmembers threw me into the rose bush, must be the boundry!" It's hard work, so they refresh themselves with the local ale, bier, vino, or rakjia. Some of the participants dress up funny or carry symbolic objects or figures around. There might be singing or music.