Benedict Arnold had a name as a superb general for the Americans yet that was not enough as he wanted a name known in high society and for that he sold his soul to the devil, became a turncoat and now his name is anathema to any patriot and a synonym for a traitor.
When we were children we were told not to call names, to watch the language and sometimes we listened and other times..... My name is Esther - or Esty - or Ess - or Esterke - or Mrs. Sutofsky - or Mrs. S. - or Esther Devora and that was when I knew I was in trouble - Ima -Mother! - Tata (grandmother) so does each name signify something different? I believe so for all people have separate compartments in their lives. What am I called in the byways of the Israel camp? Brrrr - I shudder to think and yet who gives a damn. For their names are not the names of truth or fair play or anything that even smacks of righteous behavior.
I firmly believe that we make our own name by our behavior, by what we espouse, stand for, fight for, believe in. That name goes on after we have passed on. Friends will talk of us. Family will remember and pass on stories about us just as we do about those who have gone before us. They will hopefully speak of us with love and humor, even with some frustration if they must! People we influenced will speak of us - yet family is the key and if one does not have family then one often strives overhard to leave something behind and often fails by trying too hard or in the wrong way.
That which is left behind is a "legacy". Observe the struggles of Obama to leave one behind and how abysmally he has failed other than in leaving us three wars where we had two before and from which he was supposed to get us gone and yes, his Obamacare, while not perfect, has helped many people I know to have that affordable care so perhaps that is enough for him. And here, at home, we also have another wanna be trying to leave a legacy and it seems that it will be a legacy of broken by laws, abysmal social behavior, lack of people skills, incipient paranoia and megalomania, future bankruptcy and poor infrastructure, fascistic tendencies or should we just call them dictatorial impulses or perhaps Tsarlike tendencies a la Putin, the new Tsar of Russia. Or perhaps we should say it might even have veered over into alleged white crime areas as the laws which govern us here in the Village have been broken and abused as befits his needs and wants. There are definite character issues here.
Make no mistake about it - I could care less about what he says about me. He tells people that I have no part in UCO and why - because he does not like me. Great way to administer UCO. My ego is strong enough, my life fulfilling enough, my past life prior to coming here an eminently satisfactory one which still pays off in shall we say "legacy"? I do not need the official trappings to be sure of who I am or what I am worth, unlike that person.
I have spoken to numerous chairs of committees, and to ordinary people involved in UCO, people have approached me and to a one they all admit they are frightened of this man. They admit they have not the courage to stand up to him, have me on their committee for fear lest they lose it. Ahh, the frailties of human ego and human pettiness. So yes, while Article X of our by laws, the very same ones we have been using all along, section B clause 3 states that an empty seat on the Executive Board be filled by the next in line, David nearly choked when he had to name me and has been desperate to get me the hell off. When he tried to float the balloon of immediate departure I simply reminded him of the consequences so he backed off and now is going at it this way. He even suborned Ruth Dreiss, a woman who should know better, but who evidently does not, to mention this new rule that all appointed people are off as of March and she did so with a smug smirk and a tongue hanging out her mouth as she looked at him with a triumphant face as if to say "see, I did it - for you".
So, David, you have embarrassed two strong names, two proud names - David and Israel - what is your legacy? Garbage, that will dissolve very quickly upon the end of your days on this earth, so enjoy while you can and please ignore the choking laughter of people as they read your self praise article, your unfair use of the paper to toot your horn while the other candidate is barred from the same action. You state that amongst your so wonderful achievements you instituted a better accounting system at your association. Perhaps - but you sure as shootin' did not do that for UCO and in fact, did the very opposite. You brag that YOU made the technological step forward about the expansion joints?! Gimme a break! What else did you invent? The stent perhaps? You claim to have established a free and independent blog site and newspaper? Excuse me while I get some water to help control my choking! What independent blog? What emails to people - only your little pets. What independent newspaper. Oh, are you talking about the Rag, you know, the one which does not present both sides of an issue, has maybe six people to write for it, disrespects people, and has half the paper full of ads - about 34 in this issue out of 64 pages. A wonderful Pennysaver, is it not, but an independent newspaper? I think not. No, I know not.
I believe Shelley said it all in his poem Ozymandias.
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away."
This is what you have left behind and I only hope that the dust you have strewn about and caused to fly about will be able to be remedied after you have gone.
"I am woman, hear me roar." Yes, David, I will roar and so will many of us, a growing mass of people. And Phyllis will be there roaring as well. Time to go and contemplate your navel, dear boy. That will be your legacy.
No comments:
Post a Comment