Redneck is a derogatory slang term used in
reference to poor, uneducated white farmers. Usually the rustics who
want to keep their guns and refuse to adjust their cultural values to those of
the “liberal” left.
Because last week
we read a report on the voter apathy of our young people and yesterday I was
told that Jenny McGregor is going to stand for Council again at the next
election. The old war horse may want to return but would this be a good result
for democracy?
She may be well
intentioned, and rumour has it that she sees herself as a “reformer”, although I’ve heard nothing to explain any detail of how
she would wish to reform the council. But my first question would be is she
capable of reforming herself?
Many people share the opinion that democracy is best served
by having elections, not “returned
unopposed” candidates. But when the 2011 elections attracted a number of
candidates Cr McGregor was just not pleased, she turned into Mrs Angry on
FaceBook and flared that the “rednecks”
of Leeuwin Ward, us poor uneducated farmers, were trying to oust Cr Smart.
Hardly a pleasant way to refer to the Leeuwin Ward farming community who were
certainly trying to get a few candidates to stand, but this was in support of
democracy and not aimed at Cr Smart. Cr Smart won, and won well. I would hope
he felt significantly better about winning by gaining most votes rather than
winning because nobody else wanted the office.
Jenny McGregor needs to remember why the local farming
families are doing it tough. This shire has developed policies and plans that
favour out of town property developers. This shire has done nothing to assist
farmers with any diversification into micro-businesses or artisan added-value
production. Why are the agricultural workers left out of all shire
communications, despite Council Minutes recognising that those in rental
properties have all the same citizen’s rights as owners of land? This must be because
it suits the councillors, or they really don’t care. How can they be proud of a
shire where the only significant growth area is empty houses.
We won’t encourage young people to stand for council if they
feel it is somehow “wrong” to stand
for election against a sitting candidate, and only acceptable to put your name
forward if nobody else will. And with such a high number of our young people
renting property we will certainly not attract them to join a group of
councillors who sneer at poverty. It might be refreshing to have a few rednecks
on Council, poor and uneducated does not indicate any lack of intelligence at
all, and keeping faith with your own cultural values can only enhance the
social capital of a community.
3 comments:
You can hear Jenny McGregor's discussion on bushfire and planning and employment here;
www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/03/21/3169820.htm
She said everything was under control in March 2011 and MR had a little fire in November 2011. When she was councillor they certainly had the triple bottom line covered!
Basically, Jenny backed the wrong horse some time ago when she aligned herself with the "boys Club".
She was used and then given the flick when no longer of use !
Not the first woman that's happened to!
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