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Norfolk Civic/Government issues


vdogg

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As a resident of the 4 ward I can tell you... it is unlikely he will be replaced any time soon. There are many who disagree with his statements. (As a city council member...you dont -publicly- blast your own police dept.) But he has a very strong base of supporters. Anyone who would run against him would get "Fraiser'ed" - as in Ali Vs. Fraiser and called everthing but an child of God... Moderate Black politicians have to walk a razor thin tight rope. Look at what happened Daun Heaster. If your too pro-black you put off whites and if your are to well liked by whites many blacks assume you must not be for us. Even Barak Obama has already been called the white man canditate in some circles..... Anybody who runs against Riddick would run that same risk.

Welcome to the forum Case. :)

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Thats whats so disturbing!

Shouldn't voters vote for who is the best candidate, not who represents just a segment of the population?

It's like those who vote down political party lines, it doesn't matter to them what the candidate stands for because they belong to a particular party!

I always vote for who I feel is the best candidate, not which party they belong to, not what color they are, not where they come from, not by what clothes they where, not even their sexual orientation.

It's not always easy to decide who is the "best", or even define what is "best". Everyone interprets that differently.

What candidates say in campaigns is often just rhetoric, and when it comes time to get serious with an official position or a vote they don't often say what you would expect or vote as you wish.

Candidates with a track record are easiest to evaluate, but it is tough and perhaps unfair that newcomers to politics have a harder time being noticed.

Throwing a ham seems to have worked well for Paul Riddickulous.

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Friends, Foes, steamed over recall move

This is exactly the sentiment I was referring to. If this action had been intiated by a run of the mill citizen, I think it would've been easier for people to digest. The fact that the very same institution that Riddick critizes, and institution that like it or not most constituents in is ward are very wary of, makes this recall effort seem like an attack and it carries no legitimacy. I don't think this helps Norfolk at all and the sooner we get this issue resolved the better. Perhaps a 3rd party to act as a liason between the two sides to find some common ground will be in order.

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If Mr. Riddick has issues he would like to address, there are far more appropriate ways of bringing them up.

It seems to me that he brought up racial issues just to try and get attention off of the fact that he had a trashed up yard!

Where was it relevant to bring up racial problems when getting cited for a junky yard?

He needs to be a leader for all his constituants in ward 4 instead of trying to be a "hero" for "his people" who happen to live in ward 4.

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Riddick is an absolute imbecile who is as racist as the people he screams "foul" against. I am truly amazed and even alarmed that a man like this reached such a breadth of power in the city of Norfolk. It is unfortunate that racial lines have been drawn like this, especially when - to me - the situation seem so obvious and (I swear, no pun intended) black and white; Riddick is a racist and imbecilic tool of society who should be forced out for his ridiculous and inflammatory behavior. Call me racist or whatever you may, but if he was white or Asian or any other race or ethnicity, I'd still say the same. He's a leech to the city and should be removed accordingly before he further denigrates the reputation of a great and growing city. He is no hero to anybody; he is a loudmouthed and immature old man who needs to either get off his soap box or be pushed off forcibly for instigating such ridiculousness. Just my two cents... (and off the soap-box I go, myself...) <_<

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Riddick recall effort is blocked for now

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?...250&tref=po

:shok:

:lol: I rather like the first comment, but I guess this is a bit of a bittersweet turnabout; for one, I think it sucks he can't be recalled, but it might be a good thing in that it'll be pushed to the backburner, and -as the article said- the City of Norfolk can get back to business.

But I'm anxiously awaiting July 1.

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"Hey, Guys! Our city council system has helped alleviate racial tensions over political rights by having a racially balanced council"

Glassoul: In a city that is about 50/50 white/black I don't see how a council with 3/8 members (38%) who are black is racially balanced. The wards should be redrawn without the stupid "superwards" to better reflect current demographic shifts. However, this would probably result in less representation for the West Side of Norfolk so we probably won't see it.

Riddick must stick to his core group and probably reflects their feelings well. Sort of like when Fraim approved then scuttled the Union Mission plan to build a shelter near the HRT 18th Street lot. His constituents in Ghent did not like it.

Overall, I think that Riddick plays more to these dramas but behaves behind the scenes (in approving the projects that benefit downtown and thus the city as a whole). For many years, blacks in Norfolk were shut out by the all city wide voting (sort of like VA Beach... but that is another story) so at least with this set-up, his ward gets what they voted for. He likes to llok like he is standing up to "the man" when he cuts deals with him all the time behind closed doors. In other words, he's a politician.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Riddick Ousted

Daun S. Hester, who lost the vice mayor's post to Riddick in July, was the only council member who sided with Riddick against his removal.

She argued that she had been removed from the position because she couldn't be controlled - she had clashed with white members of council over the best way to switch to an elected mayor. Now, she said, Riddick was being removed for the same reason.

"It's not only setting precedent, but it's showing the lack of our ability to lead our community and make decisions for all," she said.

This is the first time I've heard anything from her regarding her removal. I cannot recall one Riddick like incident involving her during her tenure. If she feels this way, it really makes one wonder. She is not a race baiter by any stretch of the imagination but i'm starting to get concerned about what goes on behind closed doors at this council. As for Riddick being removed, only proper action to take. He has always been a divisive figure and should have never been put in the Vice Mayors post. I think Norfolk would benefit from some fresh blood though. It would be nice to see some new people come to the political scene, perhaps then we can start moving past this mess.

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Help me understand, is Paul Riddick falsely stirring the racial pot in Norfolk or is he simply expressing the views of many in his ward. I agree that sometimes Riddick's statements are over the top, but the core question is are they true? It seems that Norfolk constantly wants to cover-up the institutional racism that lies just below the surface. Maybe what everyone is concerned about is Riddick expressing an inconvenient truth at a time when Norfolk is seeing unprecendented revitalization. I really did not want to wade into this discussion, but now that I have I cannot help but think that some of what Riddick has been saying is actually good for the city of Norfolk.

I would caution Mr. Riddick though not to make accusations without evidence similar to the charges he leveled against that nightclub on Granby St.

I have a question for the citizens of Norfolk on this forum, do you want a city council made up of members that sort of go along with the good old boy, business community and never raise embarrassing questions or do you want a city council made up of independent minded members representing the interest of thier wards and the city as a whole?

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Help me understand, is Paul Riddick falsely stirring the racial pot in Norfolk or is he simply expressing the views of many in his ward. I agree that sometimes Riddick's statements are over the top, but the core question is are they true? It seems that Norfolk constantly wants to cover-up the institutional racism that lies just below the surface. Maybe what everyone is concerned about is Riddick expressing an inconvenient truth at a time when Norfolk is seeing unprecendented revitalization. I really did not want to wade into this discussion, but now that I have I cannot help but think that some of what Riddick has been saying is actually good for the city of Norfolk.

I would caution Mr. Riddick though not to make accusations without evidence similar to the charges he leveled against that nightclub on Granby St.

I have a question for the citizens of Norfolk on this forum, do you want a city council made up of members that sort of go along with the good old boy, business community and never raise embarrassing questions or do you want a city council made up of independent minded members representing the interest of thier wards and the city as a whole?

Well I don't see his points being valid when this guy does things wrong and then blame it on racism. Like all the back taxes he owed to the city for his funeral service. He screamed racism when they told him to clean trash up in his yard. What kind of city council member is he? He can't follow city regualtions and laws and screams racism to smoke screen his wrong doings. No one is saying that racism is dead but he is using it to cover things up.

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