The State of Washington is essentially anchored by two cities that are polar opposites. Seattle is very Liberal, and Spokane, very Conservative. For years Spokane has been a rather disfunctional city as the economy and bad decisions on the part of it's leaders has taken it's toll.
Enter Jim West, he had just retired from a stint as one of Spokane's state senators. Jim was an endless advocate for family values, although it was laughed out of the legislature, he attempted drafted a bill outlawing teenage sex! In Olympia Jim opposed all gay rights legislation with a passion unseen from even any legislator east of the mountains. But now it was time for Mr. West to move on. He wanted to clean up the mess in his home town, he wanted to be the Mayor of Spokane. He succeeded.
All seemed right when West was elected. He knew his hometown was in trouble and he worked to bridge the differences that were holding it back. Even the Seattle press was recognizing that he was performing the job. Then an A bomb hit.
The Spokesman Review was seen by most literate people in the state as little more than a home town "rah-rah" paper for the cities power elite, but it's reporters thought they had a line on a shocking secret. They set up a sting on Mayor West. They caught him on a gay chatroom. In Spokane, that might not be considered appropriate behavior from a man who was once a sheriff's deputy, and a Scoutmaster. He was not only chatting, he was offering city jobs, at least according to the press that I have read. Caught red handed, he admitted to being gay and the battle started.
Nobody is on Mayor West's side. His apeal was to people who wanted Spokane to be forever Mayberry. The left is angry for his hypocrisy. He has lost support from the City Council. He has lost his city. But Mayor West is staying on the job.
It is time for Jim West to put his city first. It is time for him to step down.
No comments:
Post a Comment