Thanksgiving message from Mayor Harvey Ward
Press release from the City of Gainesville
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward released the following message on behalf of the City of Gainesville:
It’s always tempting to make lists this time of year, but a list for Thanksgiving doesn’t seem the best approach. How could I even begin to write down the many things that make me thankful to be part of Gainesville? Stating the obvious — we’re a great place to live and experience — is too easy. Going with the meteorological — no hurricanes this season — feels foolhardy and dismissive. Many people suffered devastating losses from storms in other communities across the miles, and my heart goes out to them and their families as we approach this holiday season.
I think it may be best simply to say that I’m thankful for one thing: all of you. To those of you who stop me at Publix, speak up at our commission meetings, attend our City concerts and festivals, bring life and art and culture to our streets, and support our neighbors when they need it most, I express my deepest gratitude. Gainesville, you’re one of a kind. And for a quantity of one, we don’t need a list.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Harvey
I’m gonna 🤢🤮…
This is what he actually thinks:
I’m thankful you keep electing me to waste the tax revenues we have imposed on you, and until the dang GRU Authority, the continued raising of your utility rates. To those of you who speak to me at Publix, stop bothering me. If you want to talk, come to a Commission meeting where I can put you in your place and ignore you. Stop complaining about the taxes, the homeless population and the trash they leave. We invited them so deal with it. As long as we don’t see it, it’s okay with us.
Be thankful, we’ll be more like Portland before you know it.
The purpose of Thanksgiving Day is a national day of thanks to the Lord God for who He is, and for His many blessings.
Every day is Thanksgiving Day for Christians, for giving thanks that He provided the Way (Jesus) that we can be part of His kingdom.
So Harvey couldn’t find much to be thankful for. Fits right in with his hatred of CHRISTMAS. Sad.
This reads like a full-on CYA Thanksgiving message — classic politician trying to avoid anything that might lead to ridicule or blowback:
“I could say I’m thankful we had no hurricanes… but someone might accuse me of not caring about places that did get hit, so I can’t say that.”
“I could say we’re a great place to live… but someone might point out a failure of my administration or the city council, so better avoid that too.”
“So I’ll just stick with the safest option: I’m thankful for everyone and everything. Yep. That’s broad enough. That should keep me safe.”
Politicians really are nothing if not predictable. They’ll always err on the side of pablum—just enough to say they sent a holiday greeting, but bland and vanilla enough to mean absolutely nothing.
BOOOOORING.
Say what you actually feel!
* Admit you’re grateful for the ever-present homeless-related crime, the chaos that is Grace Marketplace, because it gives people something to argue about other than the abject failures of government. How much has homelessness decreased thanks to the endless “programs” sponsored by every administration? Wait! Homeless programs have not helped decrease homelessness? Is that possible?
* Admit that the chaos, the distraction, and the noise conveniently bury the fact that government programs deliver zero results while our tax dollars vanish—no accountability, no outcomes, and the same ineffective, incompetent people getting re-elected over and over again.
Just say it. At least it would be honest. Go on! Lean into it! We’ll believe you! We’ll even THANK you for being honest! Really! We will!
Please end this ridiculous practice of holiday letters from elected officials. No one cares, seriously.
Except for our current president, holidays like Thanksgiving are treated by elected leaders as times to put down the partisanship and express good will to all and celebrate what unites us, which it turns out is most things. A few here have followed that practice.
Happy Thanksgiving !