Let's start with the definition of "bullying":
NOUN
1. intimidation of weaker person: the process of intimidating or mistreating somebody weaker or in a more vulnerable situation
So we must assume that relative to the City Council, the Martinites believe Martin is a "weaker person". This despite the fact that Martin is the mayor in a Kentucky City of the Fourth Class. This class of City is also known as the "strong mayor" form of government. So it can't be Martin's elected position that makes him "weaker". What might it be then? Character? Intellect? Honesty? Integrity? We say all of the above.
Besides, who is really doing the bullying? Who issued an executive order threatening to arrest any employee who testified at the removal hearing? Who is illegally docking pay? Who is sending out press releases and providing confidential employee information to his hillbilly friends to embarrass City workers? Who is constantly threatening to terminate employees? Who is using employees as human shields to hide his wrongdoing? Why, all of those would be the malevolent Martin.
Then there is Martin's brainless hillbilly lynchmob. Stacking the deck at the so-called Civic Club Candidate Forum in a failed attempt to intimidate candidates they don't like. Coming to council meetings asking the same stupid, missing-the-point-entirely questions time and time again. Swirling to the podium to issue thinly-veiled threats of gun violence. The topper? One half-baked hayseed recently used the disgraceful Voice of Villa Hills Facebook site as the forum to describe Police Chief Dan Goodenough as-and we are quoting this Martinite moron directly- "CROOKED ASS".
Now, let's look at "blaming":
TRANSITIVE VERB
1. to consider someone responsible for something wrong that has happened
Who is the hillbilly lynchmob-perhaps successfully-trying to fool? Who has Martin blamed for everything that has gone wrong over the last five years? Following is only a partial list of Martin's favorite scapegoats.
- his father
- the bank teller
- the Chief of Police
- the Assistant Chief of Police
- the appellate court
- the previous City administration
- the previous City Clerk
- the Public Works Director
- the Assistant City Clerk
- the interim City Clerk
- the Civil Service Commission
- the City Council
- the auditors
- the finance committee
- the website
- MARY HARDMAN
- the media
The Martin Chronicles finds it disturbing that there is a sizeable number of people who swallow Martin's finger-pointing and blame-laying hook, line and sinker. They buy in. They lap it up. And the City that was ranked Northern Kentucky's finest just two years ago is now seen as the joke of the Tri-State.
The Martin Chronicles in no way believes that the election of people like Dale Schaber, Mary Koenig, Holly B. What's-her-name or Brian Wischer will reverse the the rush towards "shoddy at best" status for Villa Hills. In fact, we are convinced that the election of these four will only accelerate the end. But it is not our call. That is left to the voters of Villa Hills. It is no comfort that they elected the malfeasant Martin just two years ago.
Our publisher summed up the current-perhaps irretrievable-state of affairs in Villa Hills this way. "Martin and his followers simply do not understand the distinction between 'majority rule' and 'mob rule'. Once that threshold is crossed, and it clearly has been crossed, it is very difficult to ever go back."
Tomorrow's vote may very well tell the story.
