Disagree Without Being Disagreeable

By Jose Vilson | October 23, 2008

Disagree Without Being Disagreeable

By Jose Vilson | October 23, 2008
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Remember how in the Time Out NY Mag, I called Mayor Bloomberg out for being on every damn list I’ve read. From TONY’s 41 to Esquire’s 75. No problem. For better or worse, he’s New York City’s mayor and I harbor no hate for his hustle.

However, I’m really not feeling his policies.

I completely disagree with the massive overdevelopment of NYC, the rent hikes, the infiltration of KIPP and charter schools and the corporatization of public schools, and the latest coup de grâce, a referendum to keep voters from having any say as to whether he gets to run for a thid term.

But it’s like I’ve said: NYC is Rome. It’s the Empire City in the Empire State, the Capital’s Capital, and now, we have our benevolent dictator. Or even plutocrat. His money’s his muscle so few people have the courage to stand against him when he really only sees NYC as his blue chip and not as a city with actual people living in it. And not all of them have tons of money either.

Yet, and even still, I wouldn’t wish the same fate of Julius Caesar to Bloomberg. I can disagree without being disagreeable. I’m just not so sure some of my other colleagues will be as good-natured.

jose, who’s taking a cooler approach to everything …


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