Mayor not listening
Regarding Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan’s Oct. 30 commentary, ″While Sage Lewis postures,″ Horrigan needs to be addressed because attempting to belittle Lewis because of a bruised ego or hurt feelings is pathetic and cowardly.
Mayor, you’ve presented readers with a disturbingly paternalistic view on Akron’s homeless citizens. You also seem to have little grasp of the actual problem, regardless of how many visits you make to shelters. It might behoove you to stop being uppity to people who are trying to help and actually listen to what they’re telling you. You want to criticize these citizens for living in tents because “living in tents is beneath human dignity,” but who are you to tell anyone else what slights their dignity? Some are likely living the most dignified life their circumstances will allow.
You don’t get to decide what Sage Lewis’ intentions and assistance should look like. Like you, he’s doing the best he can with what he’s got. He may not be an expert on the issue of homelessness, but I’d pit his knowledge and experience with it over yours any day.
You don’t want people to think you’re putting people out on the street at Thanksgiving, but isn’t this literally what you are demanding? Sure, the timing is bad — not a nefarious government plot — but the chips are falling where you wanted them to land and now you’re whining about the optics.
If this is how you talk to people who don’t agree with you, it’s no wonder you’re having trouble with Lewis. Grow up. You’re just the mayor, get over yourself.
K.A. McMullen, Akron