Rob Ford's Toronto

[sweetlou]

Yesterday's War on #topoli was nasty. Wasn't following along, but looking back over several hours of tweets, there were several things going on. As far as I can tell, it began over a difference of opinion on whether or not it's appropriate to pile on to someone simply because they take, and post, a selfie with Ford. The topic then grew into a series of actions that some considered bullying, others considered fair game. Then another layer of people taking sides with the bullies and the bull-ees along with a fair bit of self-righteousness. An outbreak of unfollowing. Later in the evening there was some contrition, peacemaking, and genuine outreach of support. In fact the underlying topic was a good one to discuss, and isn't far off some of the things this thread is addressing - what's effective protest and what's crossing the line? As the Ford drama enters phase 487 (c), how should us folks ramp up the citizen protest against this dreadful man in a way that gets attention, conveys key points, and isn't perceived as throwing logs on the pro-Ford fire.

However what was horrifying was the invasion of what was already a very heated discussion by a posse of posters whose sole reason for existence seems to be to trash posters who are women, of colour, and women of colour. The profanities in both language, threats, and posted images was sickening. One of the principals, a woman of colour, stood up to hours of this shite. A chilling reminder that there are people whose only joy online is to hurt others by propagating sexism and racism of the most violent type.

Food for thought also, next time someone barks at a woman for posting anonymously.

Otherwise, happy Monday. And good luck to Alicia Pang (Neville Park), who is running for Ward 20 this morning. Someone who is really stepping up!

 

[Franks2000inchTV]

Rob Ford is not an Addict; Rob Ford is a Monster



https://michaelvipperman.wordpress.com/2014/07/06/rob-ford-is-not-an-addict-rob-ford-is-a-monster/

This article is written by someone who hasn't got the slightest clue about addiction or recovery.

 

[SFO]

Given how close it is to the election, I highly doubt TPS will make a move now even if they have all the evidence - the last thing they probably want is wading and getting branded as interfering with that (rightly so). I think if anything happens it will have to wait until after October.

AoD

I figure this is the right way to look at it, and pretty much the only semi-positive interpretation of Blair's comment: that TPS will not move before Oct. 27. They may be in a position to arrest him, but they're going to let the election play out so as not to be accused of interfering. You have to admit there would be a huge upside to simply waiting it out; Blair knows people are angry and want to see justice done, but he also knows that Slobbo is politically toast. So what would be more definitive and cathartic to the entire city than Ford simply being defeated at the polls?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

sweetlou:

Yeah, I was on the peripheral of that debate (involving people whom I follow on T) - it was very unpleasant. I have no problem with someone commenting on selfies posted in Twitter given it is social media and public, but I don't think it is appropriate to pile on with rather pointed condemnations - those should be saved only for the principal public figures in the RoFo drama.

re: individual at the centre of the drama - I am rather sympathetic to her plight, though I also feel that her choice of language could have been better, and the way the convo ended was really, really unfortunate. I also found some individuals in the anti-Ford camp stubborn to the point of ostentation.

AoD

 

[Les Nessman]

This argument Is holding increasingly less water. If they need Ford co to let down their guard that means they need evidence of a past crime to surface or are waiting for a new crime to get committed. Short of setting up a bribery sting it's hard to see how the latter one makes sense. And if they don't have enough evidence for past crimes by now it's hard to see how a slip up by Rob will be the missing piece of the puzzle. At this point I'm putting 3:1 odds against charges in 2014.

They most definitely have evidence of a crime. Blair stated publicly that TPS has a "box in" method to control someone who may be driving erratically/ drunk. They know he was driving from Harper's event...the one where Harper's people as well as Doooggie, kept rofo away from Harper. See the pics of rofo in the background stoned out of his mind!

FOFAM has been protected in the past but now its caught up with the protectors because its in the public eye (thanks to Torstar).

Protectors keep protecting (not the public)!

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I really wouldn't be surprised if RoFo is merely a footnote in the TPS play - an accessory, but not the real meat they're going after.

AoD

 

[EagleEye]

Ann Hui just tweeted that a handful of pro-Ford people are at city hall to welcome Ford back and to rattle some chains.

 

[animatronic]

I really wouldn't be surprised if RoFo is merely a footnote in the TPS play - an accessory, but not the real meat they're going after.

AoD

It's always a pain in the ass when they introduce the real bad guy halfway through the third act. We've spent all this time getting emotionally invested in Ford just to find out that he's merely a cog in the wheel? Given how lazy the writing has been this season I expect that Rob will end up garroted and stuffed in the trunk of his Escalade and we'll find out that Mammoliti (having successfully faked a brain injury for the last five years) has been pulling the strings the whole time.

 

[basic]

I wondered the same after reading that quote! I'm leaning towards it being a bluff though to throw people off.

It could go either way. My heart sank when I read that Blair said the focus should be on the political, when the unpunished criminal is the elephant in the room. It does seem like it could be a"nothing to see here"diversion tactic.

I guess what I'm saying is that I, and we, still have no idea what will happen.

 

[tiffer24]

One of those pro-Ford supporters today before council meeting.

cityslikr 9:40am via Blaq for BlackBerry® 10
"You know what? The skies are crying for joy because you're back," a supporter tells the mayor.

 

[YYZ2YHZ]

This argument Is holding increasingly less water. If they need Ford co to let down their guard that means they need evidence of a past crime to surface or are waiting for a new crime to get committed. Short of setting up a bribery sting it's hard to see how the latter one makes sense. And if they don't have enough evidence for past crimes by now it's hard to see how a slip up by Rob will be the missing piece of the puzzle. At this point I'm putting 3:1 odds against charges in 2014.

I don't know. I'm in Nova Scotia, and i can think of more than a few crimes where the police took their time, got close to the people they suspected, and managed to get the information they needed to make an arrest.

Call me an optimist, but I don't think just because we haven't seen charges yet doesn't mean we won't see them in the future. Sometimes they have all the information they need short of one piece to put it all together and that can take time, especially if you're going undercover and working to establish "trust" with someone who has what you need.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Don Peat ‏@reporterdonpeat 1m
Rob Ford campaign volunteers here in council chamber to show support for the mayor #TOpoli

AoD

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

It's always a pain in the ass when they introduce the real bad guy halfway through the third act. We've spent all this time getting emotionally invested in Ford just to find out that he's merely a cog in the wheel? Given how lazy the writing has been this season I expect that Rob will end up garroted and stuffed in the trunk of his Escalade and we'll find out that Mammoliti (having successfully faked a brain injury for the last five years) has been pulling the strings the whole time.

Lest anyone think it is over:

Katie Simpson ‏@KatieSimpson24 51s
Giroux says that his team would still like to speak with Rob Ford. Says the invitation to chat was left 'open ended'. #ToPoli

Katie Simpson ‏@KatieSimpson24 4m
Det. Sgt. Gary Giroux says Project Brazen 2 is still active, moving "full steam ahead". #ToPoli (this is the investigation into Rob Ford)

AoD

 

[pattycakes]

I figure this is the right way to look at it, and pretty much the only semi-positive interpretation of Blair's comment: that TPS will not move before Oct. 27. They may be in a position to arrest him, but they're going to let the election play out so as not to be accused of interfering. You have to admit there would be a huge upside to simply waiting it out; Blair knows people are angry and want to see justice done, but he also knows that Slobbo is politically toast. So what would be more definitive and cathartic to the entire city than Ford simply being defeated at the polls?

I agree, it's all in the timing. Let him lose in October and then the "political agenda" accusations won't stick. He'll just be a "regular" criminal, like all of his friends.

 

[zang]

From the WTF-depths of "I Hate the War on Mayor Rob Ford", comments from a die-hard regular:

I don't know which of the three following is more bizarre; the comments themselves, that three people agreed enough to click "like", or that this woman found Neil Flagg's "Jihad/Jew-Hatred" talk too far out there.