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News :: Regime |
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Urbana Resident Calls for Mayor's Resignation |
Current rating: 0 |
by Darrin Drda
Email: d_drda (nospam) hotmail.com (unverified!) |
20 Sep 2004
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At Monday night's Urbana City Council meeting, activist and singer-songwriter Paul Kotheimer gave a brief musical performance lampooning mayor Satterthwaite, followed by a short statement in which he called for the mayor's resignation. |
At Monday night's Urbana City Council meeting, local activist and singer-songwriter Paul Kotheimer gave a brief musical performance lampooning mayor Satterthwaite. He followed up his musical commentary with a short statement in which he called upon those members of the Council and community at large who have been subjected to the mayor's recent smear campaigns, threats, and verbal and physical abuse to demand the mayor's resignation.
Dressed smartly in an olive green suit and tie, Mr. Kotheimer was the only citizen to submit a request to speak during the usual public comment section of the meeting. He was asked to step up to the microphone by the mayor himself, who also invited Paul to have a seat during the reading of his statement. Afterwards, Mayor Satterthwaite calmly asked if there were other comments from the public, then promptly moved on to other official business.
Kudos to Paul for his spot-on creativity, unflinching bravery, and distinctive fashion sense. He is a true asset to our fair community and a reminder that true democracy demands dissent and a commitment to speak truth to power. |
Related stories on this site:
"Mannequins for Satterthwaite" mp3
I've got your conflict of interest right here
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This work is in the public domain. |
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Re: Urbana Resident Calls for Mayor's Resignation |
by Stalking nassty hobbitses
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
20 Sep 2004
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Yay, Paul! Makes me wish I'd shown up tonight. |
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Re: Urbana Resident Calls for Mayor's Resignation |
by Sascha Meinrath
sascha (nospam) ucimc.org (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
21 Sep 2004
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Is it possible to get a transcript of his public comments to put on the website? |
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Re: Urbana Resident Calls for Mayor's Resignation |
by stephanie
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
21 Sep 2004
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Oh...how I wish I would have been there...good job, Paul :) |
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Re: Urbana Resident Calls for Mayor's Resignation |
by Carl N Graves
cngraves (nospam) uiuc.edu (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
21 Sep 2004
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Urbana City Council minutes and videos are available at:
http://www.city.urbana.il.us/Urbana/
Unfortunately, there is a 10-day lag before the info is available there. |
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Re: Urbana Resident Calls for Mayor's Resignation |
by gehrig
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
21 Sep 2004
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The meeting videos are archived for streaming at http://www.city.urbana.il.us/, but it takes a little time for them to show up. When this one shows up I'll post a notice here.
I'm also sorry I missed it. I'm particularly sorry I missed the reaction of the other council members.
@%< |
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Song Lyrics and Statement from 9/20 Public Comment |
by Paul Kotheimer
herringb (nospam) prairienet.org (verified) |
Current rating: 0
21 Sep 2004
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LYRICS OF SONG "Mannequins for Satterthwaite"
Performed by Paul Kotheimer in public comment at Urbana City Council meeting of 9/20/2004:
I am the chief executive elected in our town.
As such, the buck stops here on what goes up and what comes down.
The people of our city are one democratic team...
Just so long as "We the People"
means just me and my regime.
My name is Captain Real Estate. I worked for all I own.
By "work," I mean I barked a lot of orders on the phone. (*woof!*)
Democracy is precious! Yea, and so say all of us...
Just so long as all you riff-raff
Shut up and sit down at the back of the bus.
And when we hold a meeting in the city conference hall,
Things would go much more smoothly if you folks weren't there at all.
Why not install some mannequins where your council seats would be,
And they'd all vote with the Mayor
in unanimous Tod-o-cracy.
TEXT of SPOKEN STATEMENT which followed:
"Friends & neighbors, fellow citizens, elected city officials:
"The mayor's current smear campaign against the ethics of our progressive representatives is, in my view, the last straw.
"I am here tonight to state that I have heard, in private, accounts of the Mayor's use of harrassment and verbal abuse; physical aggression bordering on assault; and even the threat of blackmail in his dealings with Urbana citizens and elected city officials.
"Now, my heart goes out in sympathy to those who have suffered from the Mayor's abuse. I understand their desire for anonymity and I keep their identities in strict confidence, BUT I urge all of you who have been vicitimized (and I'm pretty sure you can hear my voice right now) to step forward, make a statement for the record, and call for Mayor Tod Satterthwaite's resignation as soon as possible.
"That's all I have to say." |
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Correction |
by For the Record
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
21 Sep 2004
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The phrase "physical aggression bordering on assault" should actually read "physical intimidation bordering on assault." |
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Musical Commentary Makes the News-Gazette |
by reads it because it's a monopoly
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
21 Sep 2004
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Showing more than their usual acumen about happenings in Urbana, the News-Gazette covered Paul's musical protest of the mayor's baseless attacks on members of his own party on page B-1 of the Tuesday, Sept. 21 edition. |
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Re: Urbana Resident Calls for Mayor's Resignation |
by gehrig
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
22 Sep 2004
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This isn't one of the stories that the N/G put online. What did they have to say?
@%< |
