Unbelievably, unfathomably, some Racine aldermen do not feel the need to remove Mayor Gary Becker from office. Even though Becker was caught in an attempt to have sex with a 14 year old girl, even though his personal computer contained nude pictures of girls as young as ten years old, even though he has partaken in over 1,800 online conversations of an explicitly sexual nature with minors, the Racine Common Council does not see a need to remove him from office.
Who are these people? These are our "representatives"? Does keeping Becker in office represent your view?
Please contact your alderman and let him or her know how you feel about this matter. You can find his/her phone number and email address here: http://www.cityofracine.org/CityGov/commoncouncil/. I've also added a link to our sidebar under Features.
No decent person would allow Becker to remain in office for a second longer. Many of our representatives, though, are playing politics here. They think this is about Becker, and not about the children he has destroyed with his diseased mind. Such a callous disregard for public decency and morality is beyond the pale. Unless they are of the same ilk as Becker (and who knows at this point?), there is no credible reason for their inaction.
Please also pray for the children that Gary Becker has maimed. Thank you.
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I left a message for Jeff Coe, but I believe that he already hated Becker's guts.
Never in my wildest, most OrbsCorbsian hyperbole and madness would I have expected our aldermen to sink this low. Never. They are beneath anything that I could have fabricated.
Robet Mozol is our alderman. I have sent him an email asking him to side with the good folks of Racine to see to it Becker gets the boot. I as a mother of 2 young ones do not feel safe raising children in a city where they allow a MAN(used loosly)like this allowed to roam free, let alone hold an office..............ORBS I know it's only one letter but if all of us send one letter maybe we'll have a voice.
orbs - could you list the aldermen (women) that are hesitant to remove this perv from office? Don't live in Racine, but have some friends and relatives that might find this interesting.
Here's the link to the Journal Times story: http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2009/01/16/becker/doc496fe3f0cd876028540021.txt.
That was posted yesterday, 8:45 PM.
Here's Stu's comment on it, and I agree:
RWWackoStu January 15, 2009 10:40PM CST
6th District Alderman Sandy Weidner 3rd District Alderman Michael Shields 4th District Alderman Jim Kaplan and Alderman Ray DeHahn of the 7th District Should all also be asked to resign, because not asking Becker to resign is the same as supporting him and not defending Racine as far as I am concerned.
And that was just about asking the mayor to resign, not even talking about ousting him from office. Acting mayor Maack said there's no rush. I strongly disagree. This has to be dealt with NOW! It is a festering mess right NOW in the city. No, we do not need to drag the mayor out of his home (or wherever he is) and string him up. He is entitled to every protection available to him under the law. But we need to remove him from office now. It would be an exorcism, if you will, of our community's soul. We need to say as a community that we will not tolerate this behavior, not from anyone, and especially not from the leader of our city.
It's been almost a day since the story was posted, so public pressure may have changed some people's minds. Or hardened them. We'll see.
Thanks! Somehow I missed that article.
Have to say I'm very disappointed in Jim Kaplan. Of anyone on that city council, he's someone I thought would have stood up for morality and decency in leadership. A mayor who has admitted to the conversations in the criminal complaint transcript, is not IMHO, a moral or decent leader.
Furthermore, the distraction and black mark this casts on the surrounding area is unacceptable.
I would but he wouldn't listen to me anyway.....I live outside the city. But I have a hangar at the airport. Does that count?
And I forgot to mention JAK's blog on the same subject, http://www.jtirregulars.com/2009/01/time-to-start-list.html, which got me worked up in the first place.
I understand the issue of "innocent until proven guilty," but when you consider that he was investigated and stung by the state's crack team, and he is the mayor, our "leader," he needs to be removed from that position. I didn't call for his head on Tingle's allegations, or anybody else's, but we're talking about the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation. Pictures. Logs. IP addresses. Yes, let the legal process take place, but do it on his time; don't drag us down, too.
Ron Hart just got my email. Thanks for making that easy, orbs!
They've removed Becker's pic from the city website. http://racinenews.org/?p=10539
Here is an excellent anonymous comment posted on the above story:
"January 16, 2009 at 6:44 PM
"The Executive Committee is meeting on Tuesday - January 20, 2009 in Room 205 (Council Chambers) at City Hall at 5:30 PM to discuss procedures for removing Gary Becker from office. I strongly suggest you attend this meeting and voice your opinion respectfully to them. I also strongly suggest that all of you channel your disgust in this matter by being proactive and actually doing something about it. Call and write your alderman and demand action. Make your alderman accountable for his or her actions. Some are not leaders, only followers. They need to be voted out of office. Call and write the DA’s Office and demand there isn’t a plea deal for Becker. He needs to be held accountable for his actions and NOT be given leniency because he is/was a Mayor. Send a written, signed complaint to the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall stating you are appalled at Becker’s actions and demand his impeachment immediately. Make sure you sign the complaint and have your name and address on it. The address is: City Clerk’s Office - 730 Washington Avenue - Racine, WI 53403. Don’t rely on others to do this - do it yourselves. This is OUR city. The aldermen work for US. We have a choice to either sit back, complain and do nothing more than write on blogs - or we can stand united and demand the removal of this sick person from the office of Mayor. Gary Becker does not deserve to be paid his salary and benefits. That’s OUR money he’s getting. Demand that his City cell phone, P-card (City charge card), e-mail access, keys, etc. be confiscated and given back to the City. We deserve better leadership from our elected officials. Stand up folks and let your voices be heard. We don’t have to take this anymore."
"We don't have to take this anymore" should become our new slogan for a new Racine!
This reminded me of something. Can't believe it was 1976, it is all still very pertinent today.
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ORBS....This is your blog and I won't step on toes but I think some poeple just come on and read headlines. Please post the meeting times as a story of it's own. I will attend this meeting"The Executive Committee is meeting on Tuesday - January 20, 2009 in Room 205 (Council Chambers) at City Hall at 5:30 PM to discuss procedures for removing Gary Becker from office. I strongly suggest you attend this. (your words. THANK YOU! I'd like to car pool with some one.
So sorry I wasn't clear....My car will hold up to 4 more people. If anyone needs a ride I will pick you up for this one. This invitation excludes BEEJAY as I won't come back if I pick her up!
Abby,count me in.
I have question-do residents of Caledonia have a say in this?
Abby, I didn't write those words. Those are from an anonymous comment on the Racine News site. It is much more rational than my writing. Written by someone with intelligence and maturity. I lack the second.
I suppose that because it was anonymously posted on the net, there's no legal/ethical/moral issue with reproducing it in a blog of its own here, but I'd feel weird about doing that. Hopefully whoever wrote it will claim it and post on the Racine News site, or one of the other local sites. I'm also thinking that all the local media will be reporting on that upcoming meeting. If they don't, we can post something.
No, Drew, I don't think so. Is that where you are? Racine is so weird the way some of it is chopped up.
You can cetainly attend the meeting, though. Caledonia residents, as well as Mt. Pleasant, are affected by this. See Caledonia Unplugged's comments above. This is a blot on the area.
Yeah,the Racine borders are real screwy around here. I live less than 500 yards from the borders. I tried to look up my alderman and got nothing. I want to have a say in this.
Well, I don't think any residents of the city will be voting on his ouster. I think that's up to the aldermen, or maybe the courts if it got really sticky. You can still send emails and or letters to City Hall and aldermen. Tell them where you live and that you work in Racine. You are definitely impacted by this, too. And you can go to the meeting.
The Journal Times has posted this story: City to discuss Becker’s ouster from mayor seat.
Thanks for the link!
At least Bill Clinton was smart enough not to play with minors...
Drew; Robert Mozol is our alderman! I will pick you up! I may be a big dummy here but isn't Racine considered all of Racine County? We don't have a mayor of Caledonia or a mayor of Burlington or a mayor of MAC cheese?????????????? Do we? Please enlighten me. Not even trying to be funny,just don't know....
Drew; Robert Mozol is our alderman! I will pick you up! I may be a big dummy here but isn't Racine considered all of Racine County? We don't have a mayor of Caledonia or a mayor of Burlington or a mayor of MAC cheese?????????????? Do we? Please enlighten me. Not even trying to be funny,just don't know....
Received a response from my alderman. His reaction is as strong as mine. He believes Becker's resignation is imminent. (within a few days) If not, he is in favor of his removal from office.
Thanks for pushing me to act on this. I wouldn't have done it without the tiny shove. As many, we are stronger.
Abby, I wish I could have a say in this. Even when I lived up there, I was in Sturtevant and, yes, his actions paint the entire county, however, I believe only the city of Racine residents can demand a call for action by their aldermen.
Go and attend this meeting...the more that show up, the more likely action will be taken if this creep doesn't step down on his own. Somehow I wonder if he has the integrity to take that road. I think he feels he is above the law and the people whom he supposedly represents.
ABBY - Becker was (past tense I hope) mayor of the City of Racine. Racine County has a number of other municipal governments. the City of Burlington, for example, on the west end has a mayor. Caledonia has part-time village president and trustees, same with Mt. Pleasant, Sturtevant, and Wind Point; Raymond and Waterford have part time Town Chairman, etc.
If you don't actually live in the City of Racine, you didn't get to vote for or against Becker. But since the City of Racine is by far the biggest municipality in Racine County, what the Racine mayor does often has a far reaching impact on the other municipalities. Does that explain it or further confuse you?
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