Local Stuff: The YMCA and Crap
I’ve mentioned before that my friend Evalyn is running for Mayor of my small hometown. Mayor Moore has give money to Democratic candidates and that is considered a large sin by her opponent, who, ironically makes a living by taking money from candidates because he’s a highly paid Republican political consultant.
She’s a giver and he’s a taker. In more ways than I can count.
He has a new mailer this week. Take a look at it. Here it is in PDF format.
This arrived at my home last Friday. It also appeared as a half page ad in the local newspaper. I am a 25 year member of my local YMCA. Even though Bubba and I don’t use it much since the kids are grown, we pay our family membership dues because our local Y is important to our community.
This mailer attempts to make it look like Gary Gillen, who is so slick that he can’t keep his socks up, is endorsed by the YMCA.
Yeah, I could bite nails in half. Bubba has to pour water on me just to keep me from bursting into flames. A letter on YMCA letterhead written one month before a hotly contested mayoral race and published during early voting one week before election day is meant to look like an endorsement letter.
I know for a damn fact that phone lines are sparking all over town. I have two friends on the Board of Directors for local Y’s and they are livid. The people I have talked to at the Y say they are meeting today to decide what to do. It better be swift and it better be strong or candidates will know that the punishment comes after the election and it’s not all that bad.
Gary Gillen knows for a fact that what he did is wrong. He was willing to risk the YMCA losing their tax-exempt status to promote his own political future. And he did it on the backs of poor children.
He’s going to hell.
Thelma told me, “Honey, look at the mess he’s made. He hasn’t even been elected yet and he’s already made a mess.” She’s right.
Not only is Jess Stuart doing a bad, bad thing, he/she or it is a terrible writer, with a With That Said tic. Surely there must be a telethon..?
1Maybe the local YMCA needs a quick big banner (and I mean BIG) to hang on their building–
“The YMCA does NOT endorse political candidates.”
“Don’t be fooled.”
That would say it all (and without naming anybody). The local tv and radio stations and the local newspapers probably would pick it up.
2Don’t live in Ft. Bend County, and don’t any longer belong to a “Y”…
However, my eyesight is good enough to read the phone number on the letterhead, nothing is wrong with my voice, and I’m mad enough to have placed a phone call to the Houston Area YMCA, if only to inform them …. that they have indeed put their tax exempt status at risk, by jumping feet first….. into the Mayor’s race in Richmond.
I’m gonna wait and see how swift, and sure, they are with a response, before I place my next phone call to the IRS.
Y’all feel free.
3Can’t you sue him? Make it so he can’t run? Misuse of something? Sue him for the Y—
4I don’t know but this is “just business” for the R’s…so $ is the only thing they respect…
Republican Rules: Laws need not apply.
5The Mr. Reyes of Freemen Town who went to Gary Gillen for help in protecting his children, does he truly spell his first name Manual? Or is this just a Texas thing?
6Oops.
7As director of the Y, he “allows” you all to use the facilities for an event? “Allow?” Hell, what a completely tone deaf gigantic turnip this guy is! I wouldn’t let my kid anywhere near his damn Y unless he is parted suddenly from his job and run out of town! “Allow?” Who the hell made him a feudal lord?
8IF the dude were a good candidate, he would’t have to lie.
9Gillen’s an exterminator. Need anymore be said?
10As a former member of the Y (where I had a working scholarship to pay for all my dance classes), I’m totally offended. May he rot.
11