rural social justice – Page 21 – Rural Tompkins County

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “It’s not a government; it’s a gang” Bumper sticker

Tompkins County’s elitist clique doesn’t need the public as a source of legitimacy; just a source of funds and goods. Like the bandits in Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai” – they see the surrounding communities as a means of comfortable living; just due for just force. An air of intimidation hangs over every County policy making decision.

What sort of people are these gang members? In a county where the people overwhelmingly believe that the government is corrupt and self-serving — County leaders publicly declare their unbroken service to the people and their commitment to public participation. It’s a measure of their power – and their hypocrisy.

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “Whenever they talk about ‘everybody’” Bumper sticker

Talk, talk, talk: in one chapter of the upcoming “Tompkins County and Tammany Hall” – I deconstructed one of their “goodness and togetherness” policy statements to arrive at the following core description:

“This plan is based on values that reflect the principles of the County’s Legislature. In serving this agenda; We will choose the burdens to place on individuals and businesses, and decide which individuals to restrict in their choice of where and how they can live.”

Not only does it reveal the authoritarian bones in their body of policy making — it showed a mocking and dismissive humor in the way that it was clothed.

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “Rural people have no representatives” Bumper sticker

Yes, we certainly have tax collectors; and tax assessors — and they each ramp up the taxes in turn – while pointing to the other.

The assessment department claims that they are saving us money by keeping the number of employees down – but gather many times the amount of that “savings” from the blanket assessments their reduced size “forces” them use.

Representatives do nothing; can’t do anything; won’t do anything to help rural taxpayers — they just explain “why” this is happening; and feel content. It’s like a doctor diagnosing a gunshot wound without worrying about treating it – rural representatives seem to feel no need to actually help the people they “represent” – they have “larger issues” [more important people] to be concerned with.

In a meeting of unhappy rural taxpayers; the head of the assessment department announced that next year they would reassess homeowners on the other side of the county – Really? I wonder what he’ll be telling them . . .

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “Tompkins County: Proud to be ignorant” Bumper sticker

When there is only one belief; there is no need to look any further. Tompkins County’s doctrine pure don’t try to understand anything different; because it cannot be important – and it’s wrong. When there is only one belief; self-examination is unnecessary. When there is only one belief; there can only be believers. The Urban Colonialism of “New Urbanism” supporters sees only one form of living; spreading from one central seat of power – everyone and everything must conform – or be discarded. We’ve seen this kind of thinking before . . .

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “Go with the flow” Bumper sticker

I’m working with a minor official to make a difference in rural Tompkins County – and I haven’t heard from her in a while; so I sent an email this morning. There has been no reply. Helpful officials see things differently after an initial favorable response. Dictators see threats everywhere.

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “An Age of Reasonable Bigotry” Bumper sticker

Abraham Lincoln said: “How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn’t make it a leg.” — but today’s self-serving society gives legitimacy to assertions of “goodness” that spring from greed, the love of power, and hate: Backing up excuses that wouldn’t fool a child; with an intimidation that would convince almost anybody.

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “It’s the Circle of Lies” Bumper sticker

It takes a special kind of liar to portray a collegiate world of environmental nurturing, ethical policy-making, and public participation — when they know that everyone believes the opposite: and it takes an influential plutocracy to avoid the consequences. Tompkins County: submit to the power – or else.

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “There are plenty of fish in the sea” Bumper sticker

The college experience in Tompkins County used to be characterized as “Centrally located; in the middle of nowhere” – now it’s “Centrally located; in themselves.” So many college students, staff, and alumni are wrapped up in being the “destination” of the future – they’re unable to wrap their heads around anything else.

Being in the middle of nowhere not only eliminates the competition; it throttles any opposition: there is only one source quoted for all information and explanation.

The metropolitan seas may offer a greater variety and number of opportunities; but the Tompkins County puddle offers the opportunity to be an absolute ruler — and for many people here – that’s the destination that attracts them most.

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “There’s more to policy than meets the law” Bumper sticker

“Al“There’s more to policy than meets the law” Bumper sticker

Tompkins County’s policies are legal: sort of — the sort of legality that lets people get away with things – the “fine print,” the meeting the “minimum” requirements, the deceptive phraseology, the shameless assertion, the credentialed cronyism, the “in-house” decision making, the agenda-filled survey, the “loophole,” the gerrymander — it’s actions without ethics; it’s law without legitimacy – but it’s all swept under the rug.

In a college county with a four-year memory: a couple of graduations and a friendly newspaper is all it takes.

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “Tompkins County Legislators” Bumper sticker

Government guidelines are simple in Tompkins County: “Shut up, pay your taxes, and do what you’re told.” — and there’s nothing you can do to change any of it. Even if you talk; they never listen – they know that you have no power; no one can “upset their applecart.” The tax breaks all go the big corporations that run the county. And new laws and regulations are constantly being passed to repress the rural community and drive out the ones who haven’t already been forced out by high taxes. You can still hunt deer to help feed you family: but you can’t hunt up the cash they demand to support their luxury school system. Tax assessors are the only County outreach most rural people ever see.