By Peter L. Banks
Mayor of Barnesville
It has been suggested that as mayor of Barnesville I’m not concerned about crime in our community. Because I haven’t held a press conference, written a letter to the editor or called a town hall meeting I’m somehow not outraged over the sad and senseless murder of John Dixson which occurred in our community.
Mayor Peter Banks
you can stick your head in the sand,you can close your eye's and keep saying "it's not there, its not happening,it will go away",you can get everybody to hold hands and dance around the love tree singing kum-ba-yah,you can have all the community projects you want,paint the whole town pink!
barnesville has a cancer,you can take the coward way out and cry racism and race baiting all you want but buddy you better wake the hell up.this slime is creeping ever closer to your front door.stop denying the facts and looking for reasons to not address the problem.have the guts to stand up and do something about the problem.
Seriously??? You spent all that time writing and end up really not saying anything? Your strongest statement is how upset you are about the comments in the threads of articles here. Get a clue! You are "dismayed" by the comments? Hey, us little people out here that actually have to live and function in this city without the perks of being the mayor are dismayed by the crimes committed in our streets, against our neighbors and the community at large. I'll put our dismay against yours any day.
You say the number of arrests indicates how good of job our law enforcement is doing? Then I would suggest that the high number of repeat offenders indicate how poor of job is being done by the entire justice system in Barnesville. I'd also suggest that the high number of arrests tells me someone has put out the word that it is open season in Lamar County for drugs.
All I get out of this is you just wasted a bunch of space to say nothing. It makes me think of a guy on a sinking ship saying:
"Hey, everyone! I know the ship is sinking, but come on: let's not let this define us. I mean, it is really a pretty ship and think of all the good stuff on this ship. Sure it is sinking, but if it weren't think of how much fun we would be having. You people are really upsetting me with only focus on the sinking and drowning and stuff."
In case you are missing the analogy, STOP THE SHIP FROM SINKING!
All you have done through this article is make sure I will not vote for you in the next election. And you can count on me advocating against your reelection.
And I concur...
Our Politicians in this town make me sick to my stomach. Whenever I see their smiling faces in this paper, I wonder how in the H*LL can they smile with all that is going on in this town and our community.
How do "Town Hall Meetings " work? Are citizens allowed to talk?
Maybe we're ready for something like that.
And while we are on the subject, any ideas from you or are you saying you believe things are wonderful? Instead of sitting back and being amused, how about you pitch in?
Look at the Police & Sheriff reports. This week they have re-arrested 6 people for probation violations. What does it take for them to understand probation doesn't work and the crimes continue to be more VIOLENT around this town.
The bigger picture is that no one is "safe." You can have the most perfect plan in place and again, there is always a way for a criminal to get in. If a solution rests in the law of our town and county-hold those that let him off if they didn't act accordingly, responsible, but if he was out because of the said laws, you can't hold a mayor or police office responsible. All officials actions are pursuant to law-if they responded to the contrary-then speak out-and when you speak -make sure you have the legality to back it up. No criminal is freed because of hugs and callouses-Citizens-Keep Barnesville safe and work in a positive manner to make changes Stop the attacks and MOVE FORWARD.