Toledo - Semper Perfidious

For those of you never burdened with a Catholic education in the 70's, the phrase in the title stands for "always faithless", a takeoff on the Marines semper fidelis or always faithful motto. Of course this is not the truth about the way that the people Toledo feel about the Marine Corps, but it is certainly the impression that has managed to be created in the last couple of days. And the fun continues as more and more information comes out on the Mayor's eviction of the Marine Corps from their weekend training visit in downtown. (here's a link on the story for those of your who have missed it).

Personally, I would like to be able to just move on at this point, as people often do when confronted by embarrassing situations; but like Michael Corleone said, "every time I try to get out, they drag me back in". So, much as I would like to take a pass on this, I will weigh in briefly on the subject.  

As the son of a Marine who served honorably in World War II, I was offended at the treatment offered this unit out of Grand Rapids.

I do not question the Mayor's patriotism (though I probably could), only his intelligence. This was a dumb move, made worse every time that he tried to fix it.

This was never about safety, or scaring people, or lack of notice. This was about the Marines using a bunch of empty buildings in downtown Toledo that the city would prefer didn't get noticed. The Mayor knows that they are there and has no plan that can change it. He thinks that no one else has noticed however, and would rather that it didn't get around. 

Come on folks, we are talking about downtown Toledo here. You know the plywood window dressing capital of the Midwest. How many people are actually here on the weekend and would be inconvenienced, chased out, or scared off by the troop movements? 

The truth of the matter is that a smart city government could have used this to people downtown to "Support the Troops", bringing people and their wallets to an area that does not appear to be terribly frequented. 

The last that I heard, 6 Senators were trying to get $2.3 million in federal funding cut from Berkeley, CA for opposing a recruiting center. What repercussions can we now expect for Toledo, having committed this national faux paus? 

OK, so maybe I am just being cynical about the situation. Maybe we should take the Mayor at face value. If that's the case, how can the elected leader of a city be so clueless about the things going on in it? From how the bills get paid, to the losses at the Erie Street Market, to not knowing that the Marines (who had been coming for years) were coming again. 

This mayor seems unable to keep track of what is happening in Toledo. If he isn't a hot-tempered, self-centered, maniacal ego maniac, he's senile and an idiot. Either way, he deserves neither understanding nor support for this latest transgression.  

Well, I am posting a little early (or a little late actually, as I look at the clock this evening). For those of you interested (or simply jealous, it is a balmy 76 degrees here in Port of Spain, Trinidad as I finish writing this, with an expected high tomorrow of 85. I wanted to get something out during the week, even with the travel; and it has been strange and more than a little sad to see Toledo, Ohio in the news even here. I know that it's tough right now, but look at it this way, things don't smell as bad in the cold.