Getting Rid of the Gatekeeper

Quick, which one is a Florence City Councilman and which one is a lady named Dana Barrett who lives in an apartment at 55 Central Park West and had a demonic figure speaking from within her refrigerator call her by the name "Zuul", which just so happens to be a demigod worshipped in 6000 BC by the Hittites, Mesopotamians and Sumerians and a minion of the deity Gozer?

Of course, the incredibly hot lady is Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver), who is abducted and put into demonic possession by a dog-like beast in her own apartment, whereinafter one Dr. Peter Venkman arrives to find her in a trance, where her sole objective is to locate another possessed person. You see, Dana, now possessed as Zuul, is "the gatekeeper." Long story short, she's got to meet up with another possessed soul, possessed by Vinz Clortho or the "keymaster."

What the hell does this have to do with our local embarrassment Florence City Councilman Ed Robinson? Take a look at this. The article is about City Council's meeting today (hey...thats 3 Mondays in a row. It's almost like these guys are trying to ram a whole bunch of stuff through before November 4th...Wonder why?), where they approved themselves a pay increase and voted to give the County some land for development. Specifically, I find these quotes on the land conveyance telling:

Robinson voted in favor of the ordinance, but said development in Florence is
“lopsided” and has “created two separate cities.”

“It’s about to have me to the point where I want to vote against anything with (the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation), even though they got all the money, because of the unfair distribution of funds,” he said.

Now, I seem to recall someone talking about the failure for any of the new development to find its way north of Evans street. Who was that? Oh yeah...Stephen Wukela. In fact, I'm pretty sure Wukela has harped on it the entire race.

So why on earth is Ed Robinson endorsing Rocky Pearce instead of Wukela?

Probably the same reason he endorsed Frank Willis, who when confronted with Wukela's remarks about a city divided during their debate stated, “I don’t see that divide.” Ed is so moved by this unfairness in development that he is willing to start voting against the people with the coin? It's that important to him? Then why was he pushing so hard to keep Willis in office, when Willis denied there was even a problem? I mean, this is the mayor to whom Ed gave honorary ethnicity when he said to Willis, “You have been the most progressive black mayor."

Wukela has also strongly come out against City Council's recent quick push through of an ordinance to make city elections nonpartisan, while Rocky has not. Ed is also firmly against changing to nonpartisan, once again making you wonder why Ed is so against Wukela. So let me tell you why.

Ed is also a gatekeeper.

You see, Ed is just one of the latest in a long line of persons who have assumed office, only to abuse it. These ne'rdowells have claimed to be community leaders, when they are interested in doing absolutely nothing other than taking advantage of those self-proclaimed positions. See, these folks claim to speak for the black community and use that claim to milk cash out of politicians who are too lazy, stupid or (hate to say it but its true) racist to know otherwise.

In other words, these politicians don't have to worry about doing the hard work of reaching out to the black community, they can just pay the "gatekeeper." The gatekeeper will take care of those votes and you don't have to worry about it.

That is why Ed Robinson is so against Wukela. See, Frank and Rocky were willing to play the game the way its always been played. That Wukela, he bypassed the gatekeepers and went out in the black community and created relationships on his own. How else do you explain the staunch opposition to Wukela from every single local black elected politician yet Wukela still managed to win the black precincts two to one in the primary?

Don't think I'm right on this one? Take a look at what their mates on City Council have done for Ed and Billy Williams since the primary. Look how the nonpartisan ordinance was pushed through over their objections. Think someone isn't too pleased with the job the gatekeepers did for the primary? Anyone think Frank may have been hearing he was doing "just fine?" How about that motion Ed made to make city council members eligible for city retiree health benefits after 13 years instead of 20? Think the gatekeeper was asking for a little something on his way out the door? Think Ed knows the gatekeeper's time is over?

If Wukela can win the Mayoral election it means that a person wanting to run for office no longer has to play the game the same old way here in Florence. That ain't good for the Gatekeepers. In fact, it's kind of like a nuclear-powered proton pack shot to the gatekeepers.

Come November 4th, fire 'em up.