Mount Vernon faces financial boycott over Glenn Beck

[sabra]

Source: KING 5 News

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. – On Saturday native son Glenn Back will be handed a key to the city of Mount Vernon, but protesters are trying to stop a ceremony to honor such a controversial and conservative commentator.

Some of them are even threatening a financial boycott of the city if the show goes on.

Wednesday night, protesters handed over some 16,000 signatures at the city council meeting, urging the mayor to cancel the event.

Dale Ragan is a business owner and a Mount Vernon city councilmember. He knows you don't mix business with politics.

"I don't see any measurable good for our city of Mount Vernon or the area coming out of this," said Ragan, a vocal opponent of the mayor's plan to give the key to Beck.

Shop owners like Ragan have been flooded with calls from people who say, if Beck gets the key, the city won't get their business.

Read more: http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_092309WAB-glenn-beck-key-to-city-protest-TP.1ac7a3271.html

[LisaM]

1. The city council distanced themselves from this decision

they made it clear it's all on the mayor. I understand their position, but I will think twice about spending money in Mt. Vernon (I actually do go through and spend money there fairly frequently - we just bought a $2000 wood stove, so this is not an idle threat).

[juno jones]

29. I just bought my new chef's knife online rather than

drive down to the restaurant supply there. Pity.

[LisaM]

31. Well let the restaurant supply store know.

It's the business commumnity that will ultimately suffer, and they will at least know enough to get a new mayor next time.

[juno jones]

55. Thank you.

I have thought about it in regards to what I have seen posted here, and I will be telling the store, the mayor and the council what I did and why. It's not much, but I was prepared to spend up to $200 full boat to buy local. Instead, some cheapie internet volume store got my business.

I also get silly in restauarant supplies. I would have easily walked out with a new egg pan and a knife case (tongs, butter spreaders, baking geegaws...) if I'd felt like perusing.

Mebbee if they dump the mayor who is apparently footing this shindig now...

[Cha]

39. Good for you..I know that's what I'd be doing, too. Post #

31 has a great suggestion!

[Styxiv]

58. Like here in Utah

I know what you mean but being about the redest state they do it anyway. Beck hosted our 4th of July selebartion this year AND last anbd before that was Hannity and I think that's BULL CRAP!! I know for the most part most people have some sort of political opinion and are usually of one party or the other BUT I don't want to know and for them to pick HATEFUL pieces of crap like these people pisses me off! This is an AMERICAN holiday no matter your party affileation you have, and to have PARTISAN hacks is an insult to those of us in Utah who don't share their views.

I refuse to do to any of these events.

[robo50]

2. I am loving this! A really effective boycott. I am willing to

bet this Mayor person runs for office again, after pulling this foolishness, s/he won't be re-elected.

[BlooInBloo]

3. Burlington has McDonald's and gas stations too. Sign me up.

[rd_kent]

6. Why are you so condescending to this town in EVERY thread about this?

Why? Do you have some deep hatred toward Mt Vernon for some reason?

[Howardx]

7. quite possibly

its all the redneck dumbasses that infest the place. because you happen to live there doesnt mean a free pass for mt vernon.

[rd_kent]

9. Do you live here? I really have trouble finding these redneck dumbasses you speak of.

Now, if this were Sedro Wolley.........

[Howardx]

12. i lived in western washington for 38 years

i know of what i speak.

[rd_kent]

13. SO ALL of Western Washington is infested with rednecks? The election data says otherwise.

All of these rednecks vote Dem by an overwhelming majority.

[Howardx]

16. show me the election data

the overwhelming majority you speak of probably comes from king and pierce counties.

[BlooInBloo]

21. WA is similar to IL - outside of the main metropolitan area, the rest is basically a hick state...

I have no problem with hicks - both sides of my family are hicks, which makes me a hick-transplanted-to-a-city. I love Free Bird as much as the next guy.

Just because I'm a hick though, doesn't mean I have to support hick jackassery.

[imdjh]

23. What is with you people and Free Bird? Are you cosmically joined with rural Georgia?

Seriously, what is with that fucking song? Is is some kind of anthem?

[BlooInBloo]

25. It's just a thing. Don't ask.

:P

[imdjh]

26. Oh this is sick.

“"free bird"” results 1 - 20 of about 10,200


“"america the beautiful"” results 1 - 20 of about 3,000


You Tube

[BlooInBloo]

27. Ok fine - It's just a *BIG* thing.

:rofl:

[pattmarty]

48. I know. Free Bird is a good song, but after you here it for the 300 thousandeth..............

................time it gets a little old, kinda of like Stairway to Heaven. Skynrd's COOL song is Simple Man, that's the shit. Anyway, I'm from Illinois and the one post was right. Outside of Chgo it's pretty rural and awfully flat. I retired to northern Arkansas mainly because of cost, weather and the laid back atmosphere. What was the original post about again????

[Zorra]

54. The second movement of the tune is very high energy and the triple guitar work

contains some very cool hooks, licks, and arrangements. Personally I like the crescendo near the end of the second movement.

Music is a matter of taste. If you don't like rock and roll, have some pre-conceived general bias about music from that era, or are not a musician, you might not get Freebird. But I have to say, I've been a professional guitar player for a large part of my life and I have a lot of respect for the originality, energy, and skill represented in the guitar work on that song, and have never seen any other band pull the song off relatively decently.

It's not hard for me to understand why it appeals to a large number of people across several generations.

It's really a great fucking tune.

[bertman]

59. Anthem, yes. Just like "Sweet Home Alabama". Sad but true.

[imdjh]

60. Around here we have Parrotheads.

[grantcart]

33. lol I resemble that remark

[murielm99]

49. So now you are going to insult Illinois, too?

That is ridiculous. I have lived in rural Illinois all my life. There are good progressives and liberals here just like anywhere else.

[BlooInBloo]

51. Your poutrage meter is about to break, dude...

As I clearly said, being a hick is not an insult. I and my entire family are hicks.

I'm sorry *you* think being a hick is insulting, however.

[snooper2]

80. Illinois is a small step up from Missouri

Be happy about that :) I remember the best part of Illinois is we would take the Martin Luther King Bridge over to East St. Louis after 2:00AM as the nightclubs/"gentleman's clubs" were open 24/7 there :rofl: I even found some pictures...never go there alone :)





good times....

Missouri born hick here :)

[quakerboy]

63. You mean like virtually all the states?

[WestSeattle2]

56. Mt. Vernon and LaConner are chock-full of liberal artist types...

I don't get the "redneck" impression that others on this board seemingly have. Besides, every community has rednecks, some are just more stealthy.

[BlooInBloo]

14. "Now, if this were Sedro Wolley" - Like 2 short people arguing who's shorter.

:rofl:

[rd_kent]

15. I had to throw that in!!! I am not immune to moments of what ails you as well.

[BlooInBloo]

19. :)

[Cha]

41. "I am not immune to moments of what ails you as well."

:D

[Howardx]

18. bingo

:toast:

[imdjh]

24. "But I live like in a really good part of encino so it's okay"

[ooglymoogly]

72. Clue....check the mayors office.

The folks who voted him into office could certainly not be red necks and bigots. (do I need a sarcasm button here) Beck is a redneck bigot...The mayor is sending him up with a key to the city...ergo the mayor and most of the folks who voted him into office are bigots and rednecks. And try looking under a few rocks.

[BlooInBloo]

11. I criticize jackasses in the south, in Connecticut, in Cali, and even in my own back yard...

It would be hypocrisy for me to criticize some jackasses and not others.

[regnaD kciN]

50. What a fucking stupid idea...

Mount Vernon went for Obama, Gregoire, and Larsen (local Democratic congressman) in 2008. They also elected Democrats to their state senate seat and both state legislature positions. Also, as should be clear from the decision, the city council is not a bunch of right-wingers. Most likely, the mayor got elected as a "stealth candidate" based on his ability to handle local matters as opposed to any national political positions.

So, you think it's a great idea to punish a Democratic town (and one in serious economic trouble right now) because of the actions of one official that the city government as a whole repudiated, and that vast numbers of the local citizens oppose. Brilliant move, brainiac. Next, are you going to urge a boycott of San Francisco in general, and the Castro District in particular, because of Prop 8's passage?

:banghead:

[BlooInBloo]

8. Pro tip: Yelling at the Beck lovers in your area would be more helpful.

[rd_kent]

10. Am Tip: I will be, on Saturday. Till then, I could use your support, not your degradation.

[BlooInBloo]

17. Cool. Let them know that there are people who are more than happy to spend their money in Burlington

Because of the town leadership's jackassery.

[Thornleylv]

66. No! For Glenn beck! Get it! Nt

:kick: :puke:

[rd_kent]

4. PLEASE DON"T BOYCOTT MY TOWN!!!!!

I will give every spare moment toward electing whomever runs against Bud Norris (what a shame, he's been a really great non-partisan mayor, too) in the next election.

[appamado amata padam]

20. If he's been a

"really great non-partisan mayor," he should now realize what an idiotic idea this was, and back down from it.

[rd_kent]

22. No one can figure it out!

It makes NO sense. He wants this so bad, he is paying for it himself.

[kristopher]

40. Check his bank account and see if he is being paid to do it...

How much is this worth in publicity to Beck and Faux.

[NoSheep]

46. In my opinion he may as well have invited the "Devil himself".

[yellowcanine]

57. Nothing non partison about this though - he should be recalled imo.

[Bluenorthwest]

78. See, if you call that 'great and non partisan'

the voters in that town are the problem. A shame he's going to be replaced? A shame?

[rurallib]

5. Wish I lived there. I would send a letter to the paper and the Chamber of Commerce

stating that if the city leaders as represented by the mayor would give credence to the likes of Glenn Beck and his rantings by giving him the keys to the city, I would take all my business elsewhere. And I would follow up with letters to let the merchants know that I bought my car, my groceries etc. somewhere else.

[Missy Vixen]

28. I called for a financial boycott of Mount Vernon two weeks ago on my blog

I had to laugh at the comments. There was one almost immediately from a woman representing herself as "a mom with four kids" who supposedly doesn't comment on blogs, but couldn't wait to tell me that Mount Vernon didn't need my (or anyone else's) tourist dollars. In other words, I must be getting enough hits now to get astroturf comments on my posts.

The Skagit Valley, where Mount Vernon is located, does a HUGE tourist business yearly. It's one of the reasons they survive economically.

I asked her if she was also writing to the Seattle Times to let them know Mount Vernon didn't need our tourist dollars. After all, wouldn't it be good to get that out there? ;-)

In the meantime, it'll be interesting to see what happens next; the paper is reporting that 6 out of 7 council members are distancing themselves from the Beck observance.

[tomm2thumbs]

34. well it is a stupid, stupid move but who said people who run towns aren't politically stupid

afterall, they did get into politics in Mount Vernon in the first place. everyone knows you do that sort of thing in Washington DC <g>

[Missy Vixen]

53. People who run for office in small towns do so for a variety of reasons

Here's a few.

1. They're using it as a springboard to higher office.

2. They like the "fame".

3. They actually want to get involved.

I held office in our town of 5600 for fourteen months several years ago. I did it because I hoped I could change things. Unfortunately, I had to deal with six other people who were either seeking higher office, or liked the local fame (and other perks) which came from holding political office.

We get the candidates we deserve...

[quakerboy]

65. 4: no one else wanted it

That's what got my dad into small town local office. He saw from the voters pamphlet no one was officially running for city hall, and felt someone had to to it, so he went to kinko's, ran off 500 copies, handed them out on the weekend, and won.

I seriously considered running against him, because I knew more people in town than he did, but I figured that being on city council would have been a hindrance to going to college many miles away the next year.

[tsuki]

71. I don't understand. Doesn't the Board have to approve the expenditure?

Does the mayor control the budget?

[LisaM]

30. Mt. Vernon is not really a hick town

Sure, it's got its share of rednecks and Republicans. However, it also has a thriving arts scene, and hosts a number of festivals and tourist activities. They also have a great brew pub in town, antiques marts, and a Shakespeare festival. They have reason to be concerned over the Beck thing. In fact, Glenn Beck is so unrepresentative of some aspects of the town, I was quite startled to learn he was from Mt. Vernon.


Tulip Festival
http://www.tulipfestival.org/

Shakespeare
http://seattleperforms.com/index.php?action=main_view&Org=505&option=com_nathevents

Food CoOp
http://www.skagitfoodcoop.com/

Mt. Vernon Arts Commission
http://www.ci.mount-vernon.wa.us/page.asp_Q_navigationid_E_353


Farmer's Market
http://www.mountvernonfarmersmarket.org/

[LakeSamish706]

32. And has a great Costco to.. n/t

[OregonBlue]

35. Then everyone needs to stand up to the mayor and make it clear you don't want this hatemonger

given the keys to your community. Unless you speak up, you will all be painted with the same brush and your city will suffer. Have you called the mayor's office? Have you called the city council members? Have you written a letter to the editor? Go get 'em. Al the people defending your city need to get active and make your views known. Let your town and your mayor witness your own tea bagger party!!

[NoSheep]

47. The citizens should protest. Let them know he is not welcome.

[OregonBlue]

87. Right on. And then make sure they get a new mayor!!

[BlooInBloo]

36. Lots of hick towns have some cool people in them. Decatur, IL, Connellsville, PA...

and many many others. Those are just two examples that I'm familiar with.

[LisaM]

37. Mt. Vernon seems to have a split personality

There really is this great arts scence, and the Tulip Festival drives their economy. But, there are a lot of right wing people there too. There's kind of a Costco side and a Wal-Mart side.

The city council has completely distanced itself from the mayor on this. I don't know when their next election is, but I'm also guessing he'll be a former mayor as soon as possible.

[BlooInBloo]

38. "he'll be a former mayor as soon as possible" - It'll be a better hick town if that happens.

[LisaM]

42. They depend on tourism and he's put a real blot on their community

luckily, most of the town seems to object. Again, it's not really a hick town.

[BlooInBloo]

43. I'm happy to skip that hick town until he's gone, or takes away The Beck Award...

I hadn't planned on a Vancouver trip in the near future, but possibly I'll change that.

[regnaD kciN]

52. Oh, he'll be a "former mayor" all right, but that won't fix the damage...

...that's going to be caused by assholes like the people here who label it a "hick town" and call for a boycott that will mainly hurt the progressives who run things like the "great arts scene." It won't do a thing to hurt the "Walmart side," which is actually outside of Mount Vernon in places like Burlington.

Some of the knee-jerk boycotters here make me ashamed to be a progressive. And anyone who calls Mount Vernon a "hick town" earns a place on my ignore list. If that's "calling people out"...tough shit! :grr:

[totodeinhere]

44. Do you think Glenn beck really cares if he gets the key to the city or not?

He made about $23 million last year and he has one of the top rated programs on the cable news channels. He was also just on the cover of Time Magazine. I think our efforts are better spent on other things.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/glenn_beck_the_23_million_dollar_man_118154.asp

[saigon68]

70. He is a Racist Mother Fucker

Supported by a Racist News company filled with bigots

[R E N]

45. Glenn Beck Protest

I see this a huge gift to the people of Mount Vernon.  This is
the chance of a life time to humiliate Mr. Beck.  Can you
imagine how he would feel if we fielded enough protesters so
he couldn't even get to the event!  Whatcom / Skagit counties
better not blow this chance.  I figure about 10,000 people
would be enough to create a massive traffic jam.  Rejected by
his own home town--it doesn't get much worse than that!

Let Beck reap what he has sown.

Thank you Bud Norris!

[DainBramaged]

61. Welcome to Du, may your stay be long and prosperous

[Trekologer]

77. That is actually a good idea

Invite him there and then publicly call him out and insult him to his face.

[alp227]

62. I take it that Washington State/Mt Vernon=pretty progressive area?

Sorta like Vermont?

Let's see, in presidential elections, Washington's electoral votes went to the Democratic candidate in every election of the '30s and 40s, swung Republican in the '50s and 1960 (what? most Washingtonians rejected JFK?), then back to the blue in '64 and '68, then Republican again in the '70s and early '80s. The majority of Washington voters have picked the Democratic candidate since 1988.

In 2008, Skagit County (where Vernon is located) voted for Obama by ~54% to ~44% for McCain. So I wonder if Vernonians will appreciate the mayor granting honors to someone who stupidly calls Obama racist and smears Obama, the left, and Democrats in general day after day after day after day on a basic cable channel. Heck, in the city itself (the 40th legislative district, see results by legislative district), the margin was 55% Obama, 42% McCain, 1% Nader.

Generally, I find the mayor's decision disgustingly honorable. I'd like to ask the mayor: Why are you honoring this monster Glenn Beck, when Cape Girardeau, Mo. hasn't done the same for Rush Limbaugh, New Canaan, Conn. for Ann Coulter, Franklin Square, N.Y. for Sean Hannity, or Levittown, N.Y. for Bill O'Reilly? And I have yet to hear any liberal commentators like Alan Colmes, Ed Schultz, or Keith Olbermann get a Key to the City from their respective hometowns.

[alp227]

68. PS

Current Congressional representative in the Mt. Vernon, WA area? Rick Larsen (D)
Current State Senator and Representatives in the 40th district? Democrats!

[ElboRuum]

74. Er...

"Generally, I find the mayor's decision disgustingly honorable."

I have read this sentence seven times now, and every time I have, I LOL'd.

[BrklynLiberal]

64. Someone in Mount Vernon made a REALLY BAD decision...

Why would any sane person want to honor Glen Beck?

[Mind_your_head]

67. The answer is....:

First, to repeat the question:
"Why would any sane person want to honor Glen Beck?"

Because the corporations, with ALL the money, will PAY the city to "honor" one of their corporate shit-stained shills. That's probably 'why'. And it's not 'sane' or reasonable.....it's just a "business" expense, but not "reasonable" or "sane" AT ALL! :mad:

[BrklynLiberal]

86. Ah-ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[greiner3]

69. Our family has spent the last several years there;

We'd spend about a week at the Holiday Inn. Everybody would scatter off to their favorite spots in the city; Skagit Gardens, Wells Nursery, I'd stop at Josh Anderson's Allstate office to get additional coverage if we decided to go north by car, we were there so frequently that we keep a bunch of vacation gear in a 10'x12' storage at Ace Self Storage over on Riverside. We'd eat every meal out; one night at Max Dale's Steak place, another night at the Cranberry Tree and then at Thai House Restaurant. My uncle lives in town and that's the reason we spend so much time there. However, I did not know beckkk lived there. I am upset that that creepy little mayor went ahead and invited that psycho to get the key. I'm pretty sure the family will not be so anxious to go back there next spring and John Jr. is even thinking that he no longer wants to attend Skagit Valley College anymore. All this has happened over the course of a few weeks. Can't the town council impeach that clown of a mayor?

[jeremyfive]

73. What Kind of Depraved City is Mount Vernon?

What kind of depraved city would want to honor crazy-as-hell Howard Beale--obviously emotionally distraught and a ticking time bomb.

[SeattleGirl]

79. Mt. Vernon is not "depraved". This was the mayor's idea. n/t

[scarface2004]

75. i say we have a national 'glennn bek can go to hell' day!!

jelly beans for everyone!!

[makeanoise]

76. my thoughts....

Look, being from Virginia, I think if the Mayor wants to give Glenn Beck a key, that's fine.
I think if people want to protest his action, that's fine.
I think if next week the KKK wants to come to Mt Vernon, that's fine,
and I think if people want to protest that action, that's fine.

Because really, it's about freedom of speech, and since we are talking mainly about Glenn Beck,
if we don't believe in freedom of speech for the PEOPLE we most DESPISE, then, we don't believe in it at all, do we?

just a thought!

carry on!

[Deep13]

83. The free speech argument is less pursuasive...

...when it is the hired mouthpiece of a man who owns a TV network. If it was a case where we could all say what we wanted on our own TV networks, it would be one thing. As it is these expertly delivered lies dominate the media and constitute a real threat to democracy.

So I'm all for Beck having free speech. I just don't think he should be doing it on national stage that few others get to share.

[liberal_at_heart]

81. fuel on the fire

I think people have the right to boycott if they want. However, people like Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and many others are nothing more than shock jocks and the attention protesters give them only boosts their ratings and their income. My personal approach is to just ignore these people.

[Deep13]

82. Can we protest the event while carrying firearms?

If that is okay when it's the president, it should be okay for this hunk of walking suet.

[Deep13]

84. We should find out where Rachel Maddow grew up...

...and through a big party for her.

[Arkansas Granny]

85. Apparently, this whole affair is the brainchild of the mayor of Mt. Vernon.

I read this in our paper today:

-----------
Mount Vernon Mayor Bud Norris came up with the idea to honor Beck, proclaiming Sept. 26 as "Glenn Beck Day" as a way to honor his success as a nationally known broadcaster. The event at which Beck is scheduled to speak sold out.

<snip>

Norris said he had worked on this visit for over a year. He's paying for it himself. But that doesn't matter to people. They see a mayor who unilaterally chose to honor a polarizing figure such as Beck.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iRNriGY3MaU3TlkygUll5o78elngD9ATVF0G0
-----------

[wordpix]

88. good---people should stand up against liars and dangerous morons getting keys to a city

:evilgrin: