Temporary fix
Once again, I was treated with courtesy and professional disregard when I protested the Union Hotel on Aug. 17.
Sadly, I protest the symbol of the insurgent Confederate army. Its flag is shown crossed with the American flag in their stained glass window.
Happily, within 7 minutes, a male employee handed tape to a female employee standing on a chair so that she could affix a paper United States of America flag over the glass Confederate flag.
I thanked them and went on my way.
I do hope the owner(s) will provide a permanent replacement to the scourge that afflicts their landmark hotel and therefore our lovely city.
C.J. Fitzsimmons,
Benicia
We’re not gonna take it
The cry of the residents is “We are mad and will not take it anymore.” Are the mayor and Susan Street listening? I am not the enemy. I am the friend of the residents. It seems these two have not gotten the message.
The mayor’s group of followers all follow the mayor’s personal agenda and do not waver. That is good, if the agenda is in the best interest of this very fine city and its wonderful residents. In this case, it is not.
In regards to Ms. Street’s assertion that I went over the time limit, I did not use all my time. Look at the video. The glaring fault is Economic Development. We do not have one. That is why I would say we need a change in the council and mayor in the 2018 and 2020 elections. Let’s hope it is not too late. One new councilmember in 2018 with an economic development-based agenda and the chance to move at least one more councilmember in the direction of economic development is a start. The mayor’s hold on one councilmember is starting to crack and weaken. I do hope they see they light. Then in 2020, replace the mayor with the same type of candidate.
An example that I floated by some folks at City Hall was three electric/hybrid car dealerships on the Seeno property. They all liked the idea. There will be no economic development until some members of the council move forward to put it on the agenda. When that happens, good things will happen. We must fund economic development at a level that can get this done. Until then, nothing will happen.
Funding economic development would be a big win for this city. It would now give us the credibility to approach outside businesses and companies to come to Benicia. At present with limited funding, it is difficult. The current staff with money and expansion can get the job done. They are very capable of taking on this big project. It will take hard work, but it must be done. I do believe our city manager and city staff would recommend it also. It may not be the three dealerships, but it would get some sound thinking going in the right direction.
In the next two to four years, this city is facing some very difficult decisions. Just what side do the residents want to be on? I would guess it is strong leadership at the mayoral level with strong councilmembers also. Just two moves would get this done. It would mean that Mayor Patterson is out voluntarily or voted out. In the meantime, we set the standard moving forward with a very strong economic plan and time table. It can be done.
It does appear that the residents are angry and want changes. Time to get on the correct side and start backing the fine residents and this wonderful city. Join in. Bob “The Owl” Livesay will not shy away from the mayor nor her long forgotten backers. I will follow this very closely and write as is necessary.
Bob “The Owl” Livesay,
Benicia
Sharing is caring!
In response to the idea of preserving the Union Hotel stained glass window with the Confederate flag and any Confederate Statues I say this.
No, my African American children and grandchildren do not need to see statues in the public square that venerate those who fought for the continued enslavement of their ancestors. Those Confederate officers were secessionists fighting against the union to preserve and defend an economic system that enslaved black human beings. They were slave holders who were profiting from a cruel and brutal system.
It is important to know the history of these statues. Most of them were built decades after the Civil War to perpetuate a dishonest account of the war. They were erected during the beginnings of Jim Crow in the 1920s and as a reactionary rebuttal to the civil rights movement in the early 1950s and the 1960s. They were intended to terrorize and suppress African Americans, remind them of who was in charge and preserve segregation. It is time to move the statues to museums where their history can be remembered and not revered.
It is imperative that all of our children and grandchildren be taught history lessons that portray an accurate account of what happened so that they can avoid the mistakes of the past. It is necessary that we have an honest dialogue about our shared history. Acknowledge the truth and move toward a better future by addressing the real issues that divide our society.