|
Something Heard by a Man of Faith (MOF)
By Larry Sykes, Toledo City Councilman
Guest Column
Many years ago, an
attorney friend of mine taught me a lesson on using what I
heard as oppose to what I saw.
He told me about an
elderly woman on the witness stand testifying in a divorce
case. She was asked to describe what she saw. She said, I
heard that Mr. Jones drinks a lot, and I heard
that when drinking, he gets violent and I heard that
he also hits Mrs. Jones.
The defense attorney
objected to the woman’s statement because it was based on
hearsay and not what she actually saw. The judge
asked the elderly lady what did she see and she responded, I
didn’t see anything but I heard. The judge then told the
woman that her testimony could not be used because it was
based on hearsay.
The woman had eaten a big
bowl of pinto beans the night before and her stomach had
been growling all morning. As she walked from the witness
stand she lost control of her body and the judge yelled,
Madam, did you just do what I HEARD you do in my court room?
I’m going to fine you 50 dollars for that! The woman’s
response to the judge was, see there you go, you ain’t seen
nothing but you heard!
In the last couple of
years, Rev. Donald Perryman, who claims to be a MAN of FAITH
(MOF), has written two articles; one about me and more
recently one about Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson, both were based
on something he heard.
The article concerning me
he heard from his “reliable source,” who told him
that after serving 15 years on the Toledo Board of
Education, I was not supporting the TPS levy because I was
mad at some of the board members because they voted against
a recommendation by President Hill and the treasurer to
reimburse me $3,000.00 for attending a National School Board
Association (NSBA) conference.
I asked Rev. Perryman,
this MAN of FAITH, to meet with me to discuss his article
concerning this situation. During our meeting, I explained
to him that I was presently serving on another board which
had a levy on the ballot and I was supporting that
organization. I also told him that no one from TPS had
contacted me about supporting their levy.
I further explained, it
was true that three of the board members voted not to
reimburse me for attendance at the NSBA Conference. Their
refusal to approve my reimbursement was more for their
personal reasons then it was for any professional reason. I
also reminded him that the incident had occurred two years
earlier and I had moved on with my life and career. I had
also forgiven each member for my own peace of mind. I then
told this man of faith that in the future if he had any
questions about me, just phone me and not accept what he
heard as fact!
In the May 18 Sojourner’s
Truth, Perryman (MOF) wrote that the Hicks-Hudson
administration, according to more than one community
activist, has been meeting with the Board of Community
Relations (BCR) members to convince them that since we are
in a strong mayor form of government, City Council
confirmation is no longer relevant and the BCR‘s ability to
hire and fire is no longer necessary.
Perryman went on to write
that the mayor plans to hire
or fire the BCR director and decide its agenda. He also
questioned whether the mayor’s reported strategy is a
legitimate concentration of power in an era of “strong
mayor” governance? Or are the alleged changes a quiet
attempt to quash independent activity that threatens her
authority or that of other political elites?
The really sad part of his
article is that, if Perryman had done his homework, he would
have found out that the BCR is funded by the mayor’s office
and that at any given time the mayor or City Council could
yank BCR funding.
The Rev. Perryman also
writes there is speculation that this is merely an effort to
mute the emerging influence of the local LGBTQ movement, the
Community Solidarity Response Network (CSRN), the Black
Lives Matter campaign, and the clamor for a Citizen Police
Review Board with real power and grassroots efforts to
provide a voice for marginal groups.
Again Perryman (MOF) is
writing articles based on what he heard and not on
what he has seen or knows for a FACT! Shame on Rev.
Perryman!
I have known Mayor
Hicks-Hudson since she came here in 1982. Additionally, I
have had the pleasure of working with her on various
community needs through ABLE, the Coalition for Quality
Education, and other organizations. Together we helped
revolutionize the educational system in Toledo, the State of
Ohio and the Nation.
Rev. Perryman, your sexism
or misogyny, as some people believe, is showing and not far
behind is your jealousy. And you’re not wearing either of
them well. Your continued self-importance and insensitive
comments concerning Mayor Hicks-Hudson is appalling. The
mayor was elected fair and square by the majority of
citizens in this community. The community voted and they
chose not to select any of the other candidates.
The mayor is a brilliant
and honest person who cares deeply for Toledo and Ohio.
Toledo is her number one priority. As mayor in a “strong”
mayor system, she is the chief executive officer for the
Toledo. While the City Council has legislative power, the
mayor has veto power. She directs the administrative
structure and is entitled to appoint and remove department
heads as necessary. As mayor, she is also entitled to
remove, create or combine departments as she sees fit.
There is nothing in the
fine print anywhere that requires her to maintain a
committee or a board that she determines needs to be changed
or eliminated. She is the chief executive officer and is
responsible for the administrative structure of the City
period.
Mayor Hicks-Hudson is our
first African-American female in this top spot for the City
of Toledo. It’s interesting that when the mayor’s position
was filled by men, you didn’t write any negative crap like
this about them. So it’s darn apparent that you thought the
men were good in the position. Rev. Perryman, concerning
women, you sound like Donald Trump and I would not be
surprised to learn you endorsed him.
Your Monday morning quarterbacking on what Mayor
Hicks-Hudson should do and how to do it sounds like you want
to take your ball and go home because you’re not winning or
directing the game. I say go on home OR get a better
understanding of what you’re writing about. As a Christian,
I am going to pray that you find peace within yourself.
Respectfully,
Larry J. Sykes
City of Toledo
Councilman-At-Large
|
