A Rare 2005 Political Moment

In the 2004 Presidential election, Bush wasn’t the only winner. Apathy struck a critical blow, too, in the non-action of the 40% of those eligible to vote who chose not to. Pretty much broke my spirit, even with accepting that not voting can be considered a vote in and of itself, as opposed to the more cynical “silence = consent.”

Anyway, I received an email this morning from the Working Families Party, asking members to support Fernando Ferrer’s bumbling Mayoral run the old-fashioned way…with cash. Of course, I wasn’t terribly pleased…

— “Dan Cantor, WFP” wrote:
This time, we urge you to directly back the WFP-endorsed candidate for Mayor, Fernando Ferrer. He needs and deserves your support.

Dan, et al,

While Fernando Ferrer may NEED my support, I hardly think he DESERVES it, especially not simply because he’s running against a solid incumbent with deep pockets.

I supported Ferrer in 2001, when he seemed to actually stand for something concrete, but this time around, he’s pushed me to the sidelines as he’s become little more than a figurehead for the business-as-usual Democrats. Frankly, I am disappointed in WFP’s endorsement which, because it didn’t have the 2/3rds support necessary to award him the party’s ballot line, comes off as seeming rather wishy-washy. Better to have simply stayed out of the race this time around.

If the election were held today, Mayor Bloomberg would receive my vote without hesitation. If Ferrer wants to change that, he needs to stop complaining about Bloomberg’s bank account and focusing on non-issues like his “snub” of Harlem, and instead take a good look in the mirror and start talking clearly about what HE stands for, not against.

Sincerely,
Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
Bronx, NY

I now return to not giving a fuck.

Written by Guy LeCharles Gonzalez

Guy LeCharles Gonzalez is the Chief Content Officer for LibraryPass, and former publisher & marketing director for Writer’s Digest. Previously, he was also project lead for the Panorama Project; director, content strategy & audience development for Library Journal & School Library Journal; and founding director of programming & business development for the original Digital Book World.

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