Published: September 07, 2008 12:12 am            

MARREN: Hopefully this won't be politics as usual

LOCKPORT — This week, as I’m sure you read in our Friday paper, Common Council President John Lombardi decided to back sheriff Deputy Brian Grear in his bid for George Maziarz’s state senate seat.

Good for Lombardi. Good for him to stand up for what he thinks is right and against what he says has held Niagara County back for so many years.

But here’s the thing: Why is this being called political suicide?

All week I heard “he’s slitting his own throat” and “he’s committing political suicide.” Wow. Does anyone else think those terms are a little insensitive. I mean were talking about politics here. And City of Lockport politics at that.

OK, so maybe I can get past the free use of suicide this past week with regard to small-city politics, but who gets to decide that what Lombardi is doing is wrong. Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t the voters decide on candidates?

I know with every level of politics, support from the party is key (that’s the sad part), but there is something to be said for a sitting Common Council president to say and do what he believes is right. That alone should garner some votes for Lombardi if he runs again.

Some said Mayor Michael Tucker should demote Lombardi from his appointed post as Council president. That would be a bad decision on Tucker’s part. It would prove politics rules over productivity and public opinion. It would prove all of the point for all of the cynics.

Politics is ugly. You saw that on a national level this week with the shots at VP candidate Sarah Palin. You’d like to think small-community politics wouldn’t and shouldn’t be that “cut-throat.” But we’ve seen that it is.

Hopefully, if Lombardi runs again, the voters will determine whether his decision to back Grear over Maziarz — to follow his personal feelings and not the party — is worth their vote.

Anything else would just be Niagara County politics as usual.

•••

9/11 ANNIVERSARY: “We will never forget.” Those were the words used so often following Sept. 11. I’m starting to wonder if natural human condition is leading us to “we will never forget ... or at least not on major anniversaries.”

The seventh 9/11 anniversary is Thursday. It’s not a major anniversary like five or 10 years, but it’s the largest attack on American soil. Kind of a big deal. So far, there’s just one local event at 4 p.m. at the Gasport Marina, 8647 Telegraph Road.

Again, I think it’s human condition to celebrate the “milestone” years and not everything in between. I just find it interesting that “we will never forget” can be turned on and off so easily.

Managing Editor Tim Marren’s column appears every Sunday.

He blogs daily at lockportjournal.com/blogs. He can be reached at 439-9222, ext. 6238, or marrent@gnnewspaper.com.

        

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