The following is two comments I made on today's Open Mike. They were written quickly but from the heart following an intense discussion with my two kids as I took them to school this morning.
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Driving my kids to school today, my 11-year old son asked me if Rob Ford's father owned a park.
I asked him why...
He proceeded to tell me a story he heard from a friend at school. Apparently this tale was told in the schoolyard and these 11-year olds couldn't believe it.
The story was that Rob Ford and a buddy would go to a nearby park named for his father and drink booze all night, then they would smash the glass bottles in the park.
That's when it hit me... why I find it so upsetting that Rob Ford acts this way as mayor. That story was almost all completely true. There are thousands and thousands of impressionable kids in this city who are literally being told by their moms and dads to "not be like the mayor". Don't abuse drugs and alcohol, don't drink and drive, don't lie, don't smash bottles in public parks and respect and work well with others.
Don't be like Rob Ford. It is indeed very, very sad. Our hopes and dreams for our children is that they not grow up to be like the mayor of Toronto.
This discussion launched a big "disrespectful and inappropriate things our mayor does" conversation with both of my kids.
We talked about the lack of accountability, the drug and alcohol abuse, the bully tactics, the disrespect for parks, the drinking and driving, the constant lies and denials, the homophobic slurs, the racial slurs and the enabling by his brother.
It was this discussion with my kids about the realities of our current situation that made me realize how horrific it's all become, and they were spared the potential ties to murders, beatings and extortion.
This isn't fun, nor funny. This is sad and ugly.
