HIZZONER OFFENDED:
The mad musings
of would-be mayor
and murder suspect, Michael Peterson
On Money
Dec. 8, 2000
The first year of the Millennium is drawing to an end. It’s time for
reflection, an honest assessment of what happened in Durham this past year,
and an honest forecast of what is to come.
The Downtown YMCA is a financial basket case and will soon need city funds
to bail it out. The Arts Council is undergoing a financial crisis; so is
the Carolina Theater.
Dec 8, 2000
What about the state of the art crime lab and the mass transit proposals?"
May 25, 2001
First off, the city spends more than it takes in. This results in deficits.
Anyone with a checkbook understands the concept. In fact, we know that if
we write a check for more than what we have, we could go to jail.
On Accountability
Feb 2, 2001
Instead of asking and demanding accountability of city money, we’re
fed more and more stories of things to come, events that will happen with
city money—money we don’t have, by the way.
May 25, 2001
That is inexcusable, an abnegation of the public trust! It is incompetence.
It is fraud—pretending to govern responsibly while squandering other
people’s money.
If leaders of this city had been working for a "real" business, they would
have been fired. At best! In fact, in the real world of business, they might
have gone to jail for fraud and negligence.
May 25, 2001
Now it’s time to take back our city and our finances. It’s time
to hold our leaders accountable.
On Crime
March 9, 2001
Why aren’t we being told the true crime situation? How can we protect
ourselves if we aren’t informed of danger? More importantly, how much
longer are we going to put up with this?
March 9, 2001
If you aren’t worried, offended and frightened, you need to reread your
history books.
On Reality and Illusion
Feb 16, 2001
We haven’t learned to face reality. Instead, we want to point fingers
and say the system is racist, or that the school is being picked on unfairly.
Sadly for these kids, excuses don’t work in the real world.
Feb 26, 2001
Maybe if we pretend harder it all will come true.
Feb 26, 2001
The problem is that we’re told only what we want to hear, forgetting
that everyone else is hearing the truth. It’s a sad case of us living
in a world of unreality.
On Lies and Deception
March 9, 2001
The only conclusion I can draw when someone withholds information is that
they are afraid of that information; they are hiding something.
March 9, 2001
Withholding information from the public is unconscionable and our political
leaders commit a gross disservice by allowing the police to get away with
it.
March 16, 2001
Stop the lies and deception.
May 22, 2001
Do you think these people might—oh what’s a gentle phrase for
lie?—"blow smoke" about the true situation? Yes folks, they’ll
blow smoke! They will not tell you what’s really happening in this city.
May 22, 2001
Unfortunately it’s all part of the same sad pattern of keeping us in
the dark.
On Denial
April 18, 2001
Our solution? Blow more smoke to fool ourselves. Talk nonsense. Avoid difficult
decisions. Make outlandish promises we can’t keep—theaters, parking
decks, ice skating rinks, etc. Deny reality at all costs.
March 16, 2001
We have got to stop deceiving ourselves. Durham needs to rethink its entire
concept for downtown.
On
Durham
April 18, 2001
This city is heading into the toilet.
Jan. 12, 2001
Durham can drive you schizoid. Some days I’m filled with hope and enthusiasm
about Durham’s future. Other days I’m worried to the point of despair.
June 7, 2001
Durham has become a soulless city where politicians have sold out to developers.
We MUST recover our conscience. We MUST start caring about those who cannot
help themselves.
April 18, 2001
Little pieces of information about the debacle that is Durham city government
have been leaking out for quite a while but now we have enough pieces to
see the true dimensions of the disaster.
On Mike
May 4, 2001
In fact, very soon, Durham Regional will cease to exist as a full service
hospital. Only one person gets to say, "I told you so"—me, because three
years ago I warned that this very thing would happen. I take no pride in
the prediction because anyone could, and should have seen it coming.
So what about the millions owed the city in "lost" water, another story I
first broke?
On Forest Hills
June 1, 2001
A week ago, a car was abandoned on the street in back of my home. I knew
it didn’t belong to a neighbor but thought it might have broken down,
though it was a relatively new Honda Accord and there was no white distress
cloth attached. I waited four days before calling the police, though the
street on which the car was abandoned is a busy one where cars never park
and the police patrol frequently.
When the police arrived—within ten minutes of my call—the officer
told me the car was stolen. How much longer would the car have remained "stolen"
unless I called the cops? More importantly, as my wife pointed out, what
does that say about the safety of our neighborhood if thieves are dropping
off stolen cars fifty yards from our front door?
June 25, 2001
WHAT IS GOING ON IN FOREST HILLS?
Seven first-degree burglaries!
www.hizzoner.com/peterson_past.htm
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