What is it about the Town of Renfrew that makes its representatives so rude?
I mean, I don’t know if all of them are, but I can definitely say that any I’ve tried to contact officially are. So, to be fair, that would be the Clerk, the former CAO-Acting, the mayor, and every single councillor.
It appears I’m not the only one to feel this way or experience this phenomenon. I just wonder how long it goes, or how many people are rubbed the wrong way, before the pitchforks come out and the mob storms Town Hall.
Actually, that’ll probably happen on its own once people get their property tax bills. Or lose the front undercarriage of their vehicle in a municipal tank trap that advertises itself as a street, and that’s after it’s been “reconstructed” by Renfrew’s default road construction specialists.
But back to the rudeness.
How is it that so many people can be universally rude at the same time? Is it policy? Is this the preferred response to all the mouth flapping they make around openness and transparency? Or is it something else? Something even more petty?
It can’t be arrogance. What would any of these people have to be arrogant about? To be arrogant, don’t you need something that makes you stand out, to be special, to rise above the mean of the crowd? Something like talent, or good looks, bags of money, influence, prestige, gravitas? I mean, arrogance is by no means a virtue, but you at least have to have some kind of juice to pull it off, don’t you? I don’t see any juice in this particular crop. There’s just no there, there. However you wish to look at it, there’s not enough of whatever it is that’s needed to grow arrogance. So that can’t be it.
Entitlement?
Are they entitled, by virtue of their titles, to not respond to questions or entreaties? That there’s something inherently important about them and what they do that means that they’re above responding to the peasant class? Otherwise known as the people who elected them and/or pay their salaries? Wow, if only I could find a job that paid me sixteen grand a year. I’d never have to answer another email. As to those who make more, much more, congratulations on scoring a great gig, but it doesn’t necessarily make you a person a superstar.
Importance?
Um, okay, everybody’s important, I get that. But honestly, that’s more of a “in God’s eyes” thing than it is in the cold, hard reality of everyday life. And in that cold, hard reality, these people all work for the Town of Renfrew, a hiccup on the way to everywhere else. Don’t get me wrong, Renfrew’s my home, but it’s not Parliament Hill or Queen’s Park. The folks that work there actually respond to my emails, yet my local dog-catcher has his nose in the air? it’s a bit perplexing, and maybe a little sad, what those illusions of grandeur can conjure up in an otherwise pedestrian human being in charge of a road sweeper and a couple of traffic cones. Nothing like a little responsibility to wreck a perfectly good person.
Circling the wagons?
Forgive the nod to hostilities inherent in old western movies, but do these people have something to be fearful of? A need to close ranks? An obligation to impose the code of omertà upon themselves as a collective group? The old no chinks in the armour thing? Snitches get stitches? If that’s the case, we’re all in serious trouble, because that means there’s even more bad news under wraps and being kept from us by the keepers of the ledgers. I don’t believe this for one second, because that would suppose that there’s somebody in there keeping and monitoring a ledger, so that can’t be it. Plus, these people leave loose threads dangling all over the place as they trip all over themselves playing “house” with your tax dollars. To think that they could organize a group commitment towards silence is a long stretch, given that organization and coherent thinking are in short supply. Frankly, I don’t think they could pull that trick off if they tried.
So I’m left to consider rudity, which is way more fun to say than rudeness.
They just couldn’t be bothered. Because they don’t have any respect for you. Because they take you for granted. And nobody holds them accountable.
The radio station guy could walk in and they’d fall all over themselves to kiss the ring. But you and me? Not enough shine, I guess.
The thing about today is that it’s always going to be a stepping stone to tomorrow. And how many tomorrow’s will pass before anyone does anything about this?
There are people around who take things like openness and transparency seriously, and they’re not going anywhere. They’re beginning to tire of having to deal with children in grown-up roles. Might any one of these be interested in replacing the current keepers of the flame? I wonder if we could find people willing to respect the people who put them where they are? People not afraid of or beholden to radio station guys. Or any other guys, for that matter.
Politicians can be turfed. Advertisers can pull their dollars. Staffers can be reined in. People can take and make stands. Public opinion can be galvanized.
And there are plenty of pitch forks to go around.
NEWSMAGRENFREW 