Author: Rock Hackshaw

Now that Michael “Caesar” Bloomberg has disrespected “we” the people of New York City, it is only fitting that we (the little people) fight back. With this in mind, let me announce today, that I am starting a “Draft State Senator Eric Adams for Mayor” initiative. And before you fly off your rockers claiming that I am being somewhat reactionary: let me state just a few of my reasons here. 

To me, the worst thing any elected official can do to the ideals of democracy is disrespect the voter’s will. My ancestors died for the right to vote in this country. My matriarch and patriarch (Amphy and Bashana Jackson) fought in the 1812 War. Many of my kinfolk -in both the Caribbean and North America- gave blood for the democratic cause. It is in their honor that I will strongly oppose what Bloomberg and company intends to do: no matter how much the deck is stacked against me. Overturning term-limits through cowardly legislation is wrong with a capital “W”. This is one of the worst things I have seen in politics anywhere.

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg had been somewhat coy of late, as questions swirled about the overturning of the city’s term limits law. This uncharacteristic reluctance -on Bloomberg’s part- to verbally engage the issue lately, led many to speculate that the fix was in to overturn term limits: the will of the people, twice expressed via referendum. Well; it sure was. Today, the mayor announced that he will support a change in the law, which -for elected officials- will extend the limit from eight years to twelve.

This is the same mayor, who once deemed “disgusting”, any attempt to overturn this law without going back to the voters via referendum. This is the same mayor, who has expressed many a time and over again, that the voters of New York City have spoken on this issue: twice. Now he will seek a third term; after saying umpteen times that he will not. Didn’t he say that he was riding off into the land of philanthropy, after his term ended on December 31st, 2009? Didn’t he publicly say this at least a dozen times already? It looks like Mike Bloomberg may be evolving into another duplicitous politician inebriated by political power: right before our unbelieving eyes.

As a kid, I remember that while growing up in Trinidad, there was a very popular song on the radio, which simply -but deeply- dealt with “economics” in a populist way. I always found it intriguing, and maybe that was because I grew up on the left side of the political spectrum. Anyway, part of it went like this: “there’s nothing surer, the rich gets rich and the poor gets poorer; in the meantime, in the springtime: we got to have fun.”  And maybe we poor and middle-class working-folk do need to have fun; if only as a way to avoid facing up to the reality that greedy rich people daily screw us over and over; as they arrogantly exploit how this capitalist economic system works in their selfish interest and benefit. Often times they illegally drill the screws in to booth. But it isn’t funny anymore; it really isn’t. And maybe it is again time in US history, for ordinary folks to stand up and say: enough. 

So I took a two week hiatus from writing any columns here: whoop dee damn doo. And now I am back; but I am still pissed. I think my editors here (Ben Smith and Gur Tsbar) are making big mistakes that could eventually lead to this site’s decline in popularity; but who am I to say? I already believe that our continuous failure to attract new and younger writers isn’t positive, as it relates to our future well being. I also believe that we need to recruit political activists from all over the state, who are willing to come up here, and write about what’s really going down in their respective areas; stuff that you won’t find on mainstream media sources/entities. We also need to recruit writers who are unafraid to speak out on salient issues of the day. Yet, I am committed to this writer’s colony, and I am hopeful that we can one day build this site, to one where serious political thinkers and activists come to express themselves and to inform others. Politics is the only game in town folks.

Earlier this week, I was confronted once again by the demons of blogdom; this time around, I found them to be both disappointing and tiring (see my column on “Eric Adams” and then view the comment section -www.r8ny.com). I still have a lot to say about Denver, and I know there are many who are waiting for my post-convention epiphany (which I have been sitting on): but suddenly I have lost my zeal. I also wanted to write a post-primary election analysis (especially dealing with Kevin Parker’s victory -the analysis of which would have surprised many), but there too the desire has gone. I have lots of info on next year’s primaries I want to share, and even a revelation or two about my recent experiences on the campaigns of Ed Towns, Cenceria Edwards and a few others; but right now I am not in a sharing mood.  

For almost three years now, I have unsuccessfully requested that you institute a different methodology than the one in use presently, for those who want to comment on the columns here. I requested this because of what I deemed to be constant abuse (to which I have been subjected at times), which has been rather vile and deliberate. Many times you chose to delete the sickening things said, or printed; and I always told you to leave them for posterity; so I lost those battles. And now this week -in the comment section of my last piece (Eric Adams)- the crude, vulgar, vile and racist comments and caricatures reappear. And for those who want to better understand what I am talking about here, please go to the comment section of that column now: you will be shocked.

There are a few black electeds in this naked city who are courageous souls: Eric Adams is one of them. But then I have known this of Eric long before he got into elected office. I knew it back when he was tackling police-brutality issues, with one of the organizations he helped build: “100 Black Men in Law Enforcement”. In fact I knew it even before then; but that’s another story for another time. 

Last Sunday, State Senator Eric Adams, stood up with a few dozen people from various organizations that are committed to fight against the reversal of term limits -being contemplated by the city council and the current mayor: Michael Bloomberg. Adams went farther than this present imbroglio, to announce that he supported term limits for legislators in Albany also (both Senate and Assembly). It was not the first time he showed courage under fire since being elected to office in 2006. 

At 2:00p.m today (Sunday, 7th September, 2008), there will be a rally by those who support term limits, at City Hall in Manhattan. One of the organizers is Kevin Wardally of Bill Lynch Associates. Kevin is a well known political consultant and political operative/technician. He is also a Vice-President at Bill Lynch Associates -one of the top political consulting firms in New York. This firm counts Senator Hillary Clinton as one of their major clients. Another organizer is Ydanis Rodriguez -a possible city council candidate (upper-Manhattan/Washington Heights) next year.   

Recently, word has been received by media sources that the mayor, the speaker and other city council members, were conspiring to overturn term limits by fiat. Many political activists have already filed their protests, with both Mayor Bloomberg and also with many council members -including the Speaker. This issue has been broiling for years; despite the fact that the people of New York City have twice voted for term limits through referendum; we the people need to settle this once and for all. 

Let’s start with a couple congressional races first. In the 13th Congressional (Staten Island/ Brooklyn) I am going to endorse Steve Harrison. I feel strongly that he is much more progressive a candidate than NYC councilman Michael McMahon; the current climate calls for one. Plus, I feel that McMahon will vote to prolong the Iraq War, and that’s the last thing we need from a member of the New York City delegation (or any delegation for that matter). I could only hope that the winner of this primary moves on to win this seat from the currently repugnant Republicans in November. Given Vito Fossella’s recent fall from grace, it should be easy pickings for Dems here. Truth be told: I expect McMahon to win this primary; but I can’t endorse him over Harrison.

I know that some of my fans on these here blogs will take umbrage with my choice of words for the title of this piece; let me apologize in advance. It is not meant to disrespect anyone. It is simply meant to highlight in plain and unambiguous language (at least on the streets of the hoods I peregrinate), a problem that not too many want to touch; an issue that few seem to care about: the double standard of justice that permeates the courts of this land. It is meant to shock a few more complacent people into reading this and commenting. Bon apetit!

Let me preface this column by saying that I am in no way condoning or exonerating anyone in this article, especially those whose womanizing ways have caused pain to others; worse yet those who were married during their escapades. Their questionable proclivities must be condemned by me and others; and rightly so. The damage(s) caused by the actions of many in this column, have long lasting effects on families, friends, relatives, and also society at large.