Thorpe Challenger
Got an email that nearly went into the trash because A)- it went to the att.net address and B)-it was just a website. No explaination or anything. A Mr. Kevin Chapple is running for the ANC 2C02 seat that is currently being held by the colorful Leroy Thorpe.I must say. Mr. Chapple has a very nice looking website. I don't know if he has the 25 signatures needed to run and challenge Thorpe but if I were in 2C02, I'd sign it. It would make for an interesting election at the very least.
posted by Mari @ 16.8.06
24 Comments:
I am in Leroy's district and a year ago maybe even six months ago I was praying that someone would run against him. He sometimes talks too long at meetings and I disagree with him on a lot of stuff, but after people started shooting at each other on our block I have never seen a response from any elected official as prompt and appropriate as Leroy's. I really can't believe I am writing this but he's already got my vote. I have never seen this other guy before you would think if he was active in the community he would have been to an ECCA meeting or two. It seems like this guy wants to run for city council after two years.
Are you serious?! First of all how can people be involved in ECCA when they dont publicize? You support Leroy Thorpe? The same guy who refuses to let ANC 2C have any kind of website or physical office? The same guy who screams at residents at ANC meetings? The same guy who regularly bashes white and/or gay people? Please. The Red Hats are effective thanks to ANC money donated for "computer equipment". Why cant the ANC have a computer? Just one! Please, please do a simple google search, read the history before you make up your mind.
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Ahem, no anon comments. Claim it by this weekend or I delete it.
One, yes very serious. Two, I get an ECCA flyer two days before every meeting which is at the oh so complex time of the FIRST MONDAY OF EVERY month at 7. So you think the Red Hats are effective? Well who is out there walking with the Red Hats? Not me. The ANC funds them? How much money does it take to buy red hats anyway? Like I said I disagree with Leroy on a whole host of issues (offensive comments included), but I kind of have a Maslow’s hierarchy about these type of things #1. Safety- Stop the shooting. #365 Physical ANC office and website (who cares?).
If another candidate who I had heard of before, or someone who could figure out when those secretive ECCA meetings were held was running, maybe I would vote for him or her. But excuse me if I am a little suspect of some ANC candidate shows up out of nowhere with a website spiffier than most congressional candidates.
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Now 2 anon comments are going to be deleted this weekend (I'm thinking Saturday, after I get my hair done and before I waste hours playing Civ III).
Jesselm/Anons, I hear you. Definitely been called a "colonizer" myself. My thing is...where did Kevin come from? ANC 2C is a small area of the city. I haven't even seen him in the neighborhood. Does this guy own a dog? He should consider it! It would at least give him a reason to leave cyber space and talk to his neighbors;-)
Obviously Leroy is very polarizing but it's because he has DONE A LOT for this neighborhood (using effective unconventional means). I don't think we owe him anything based on his past, but another candidate would have to present a pretty compelling case to make me believe they'll be as vigilant on the crime/violence issues in this area.
Mari,
I will take a guess as to the identity of Anon #1...maybe Kevin? Sorry but the post just seemed to be a little over the top. Would you please tell me I am wrong...because if it is Kevin you may want to explain yourself.
Mari, as I said in my email to you...I may not always agree with Leroy...at least he shows that he truly cares about the neighborhood.
Will consider Kevin...but at the end of the day I am going to support the person that is the best for the ANC...and as of right now...that is Leroy.
[Commissioner Leroy Thorpe] goes on to say that “Fenty’s light skin and advanced degrees are acceptable socially to European-Americans; however, his loyalty to … Skinner is incomprehensible to European-Americans who think Fenty should act like those European-American-accepted house Negroes Clarence Thomas, Condoleezza Rice, and Sen. Barack Obama.”
from fifthandoh.blogspot.com
Fantastic! So you have uncovered another Leroy Thorpe "character flaw"...he has an issue with white folks. As a "white folk"...I do not care because I know he cares about this neighborhood and will work with residents (even if he disagrees with you) to fix the most pressing issues in the community...where is Kevin on issues like the gang violence issue and more importantly does he have a proven track record of getting his message to the key decisionmakers in the DC Government.
And you still have not answered my question as to your identity? Come on don't be shy.
I agree with Urban Pioneer. Who cares what he says and I have seen worse quotes than that. I mean there is a significant amount of published political science literature that supports exactly what he said in that quote. Still really can't believe I am sticking up for Leroy this much but somebody needs to come with some good reasons and or candidates to replace him.
Well, when people wonder why he got re-elected, I can point to this post.
Scott,
I know...I know...I know. Leroy and I started off on a horrible foot when my wife and I first moved here but after a brief discussion one day we became friends (he took some classes at a school that I attended and his hometown is a place I hold dear to my heart...Wappingers Falls).
My neighbors CRINGE when they hear his voice or see him...but like that Leroy fixed our walks...took care of two of three crackhouses...and many other things that I will not go into now.
Coming from the political world I have always said politics do not have to be pretty to get elected and Leroy is a textbook definition of that. He listens...sometimes he berates...and then he works his magic. Every time he gives his best effort to make it happen, especially when it comes to kids and trying to change their paths.
He has not always been the best of reps for Shaw...but that was before we moved in to 2C...as a result I am willing to write it off as in the past.
Finally, and this will be my last post on this topic, I ask Kevin to come by my street and introduce himself...I want to hear what he wants to do to change things...
As a long time civil servant, I can say with confidence that Leroy's consistent inability to control his temper or keep his bigotry in check affects the services that this community receives. City Officials are humans, and no one wants to work with someone as consistently rude, and abusive as Leroy. Other ANCs get way better service and more attention from the city because they are able to have a civil conversation and make civil requests regarding the things their community needs. Furthermore, I think it reflects very poorly on our community to have someone who is vocally homophobic as our representative.
Shaw Neighbor...completely agree with everything you say but until I know what I am getting with the other candidate...I am sticking with the person I know Leroy. I agree his stances on quite a few issues are troublesome but he is not running the city.
I have seen various folks at MPD and the Mayor's office roll their eyes...but they still get it done for him. I think that the better move would be taking out either Doris Brooks or Barbara Curtis as they are both merely a second to every motion (but I do not live in either's part of the ANC). I think Leroy's hardcharging combined with Alex's understanding of progress=prosperity could be a great match if the total advantage was removed from Leroy.
Urban...
Stick with the bad guy we have? That's horrible logic. That's the reason many people still think Bush is doing a good job; just because we don't have a stellar Dem/Indie candidate yet, doesn't mean the neocons should stay in power. They are failures, despite the photo ops. LT is a failure also in a diverse community such as ours.
Scott...,
Go speak with Alex Padro who doesn't have any of the negative baggage LT brings with him and is still effective. We deserve better than what we have. Having LT denigrate and divide groups in our community is the same "negative" politics played by the the Carl Rove crew. Maybe you want them to stay in power also. In a crisis situation (which they nurtured) with their bad leadership, they fly in and pretend to save the day, but they actually perpetuate the problems.
Daphne,
I have never been a fan of people who lecture and sorry that was a bit of a lecture. Sorry but the attempt at a national political tie in to this little string fell on deaf ears...apples and oranges my dear apples and oranges. Bush may or may not be a boob...not the point of the posts I have added to this little entry.
Alex is fantastic...I like him...I like his energy and how he swallows his anger as the three legged stool overpowers him on every issue. He understands that it is a matter of time. My thought has always been...if an elected official is getting the job done then my vote stays with the incumbernt...if others disagree so be it.
Second...Leroy actually gets it...he knows how to work the system to his advantage and for that he is valuable. Barbara and Doris are nothing more than paper votes...remove one of them and Alex is Chairman.
I have never been a fan of those who jump into a discussion and turn it into a condecending speech about how someone's opinion is wrong. Daphne, I have decided that for once I will jump into the mudpit and sling a bit of mud...I suggest that next time you jump into a discussion lecturing me about my opintion may want to try google before posting as his name is Karl Rove.
Leave the MFing national figures off my MFing blog.
I'm a mod-con, crunchy con, whatever and many of my friends are one of several flavors of liberal, so I can give a little leeway when one of y'all decides to go off on conservatives in general. However, this is a tangent I gotta nip in the bud right now.
You wanna make snippy (but truthful) remarks about Leroy, Alex, or any of the other unpaid ANCs go at it. But don't come unnecesserily dragging the federal executive branch in here. Take it back to the 1/2 million political blogs that just eat that fertilizer up.
The Queen of this blog has written.
--Mari
In a bad pissy mood.
Good for you Mari...I keep away from the big politicl stuff because I know it is going to get someone mad.
And I typed my little response and mistyped incumbent...my bad.
Sorry, "K"arl! ... my bad, yo! i's all good ...
Nice video:
http://www.chappleanc.com/MeetKevinChapple.html
I need to see this Chapple guy in the flesh, but if he can handle a round of questions and he is half as sharp as his web site looks, I'm sold. I'm sooo tired of settling on mediocrity and the one-trick dog that we have. If Chapple knows how to do more than bark at people to get things done, he'll he's got my vote and maybe the $25 donation that he's alread earnedy with a decent web presence. But I need proof that this guy is for real. Where you at, Kev?
I don't think Leroy Jr. cares about the entire neighborhood. After living in Shaw for 10 year, it appears to me he believes he only represents certain people, and I don't think any of them can be white. He has told at least one white person in his own single member district that he does not represent them. I used to walk an elderly black woman who has lived here her entire life home from the ANC meetings. I specifically remember her telling me how scared she was because when she sided with Alex Padro on an issue, he call her home screaming at her and calling her names like, and I quote, "HOUSE NIGGER"! He told a woman that was trying to take Alex Padro position that she was wasting her time talking to people on the western side of his district (obviously our opinions don't can't, and shouldn't be represented). At ANC meeting, he used to repeatedly prevent people from speaking, or cut them off early, if he knew he didn't agree with them. I stopped going because he single handedly made those meetings a waste of time. He routinely would come to community meetings such as Shaw Main Streets or the convention center neighborhood revitalization planning meetings where community impute is trying to be gathered, and he would listen for about 10 minutes and then get up and say he doesn't agree. Asked for more detail about what exactly he disagrees with - he would usually say all of it. But he never ever gave constructive feedback on what he WOULD LIKE. He is a protestor without and articulted goal. I think he represents only those that agree with him. What it is they agree upon with regard to the neighborhood, other than safety, I think is not articulated. He never engages in those types of discussions. And keep in mind, he is always on his best behavior when walking the lines on election day. Like a different person. I think Shaw can do far better - and Alex Padro demonstrates that clearly.
KS
I applaud Leroy Thorpe for putting forth his best effort over the years. Unfortunately, Leroy Thorpe's best effort is inadequate for Shaw and the ANC2C02 single member district.
Leroy's approach to crime is reactionary at best. Once something happens he barks at police for not doing their job. I agree that police should be held accountable, but I also believe in preventive approaches that focus on the systemic causes of crime. What has Leroy done to ensure affordable housing projects? What has Leroy done to improve the appearance of our neighborhood? Selectively use ANC funds to put tree boxes outside the houses of supporters. How does Leroy help Shaw residents get jobs?
He single handidly crippled the efforts to ensure a true community benefit agreement during the construction of the convention efforts. He has testified before city council against efforts for affordable housing lobbied to be included in the Radio One project.
Simply put, whenever a good idea is not Leroy's, he objects to it carte blanche because he did not come up with it. He is not a consensus builder. He does not listen to all of his constituents.
We deserve better representation. We deserve a commissioner who is not anti-White, not anti-American, not homophobic...Leroy Thorpe has proven time and time again that he is not that person.
Unlike the unopposed election in 2004, we have a choice. Have courage, put aside your apathy and join me in not re-electing Leroy Thorpe on Tuesday, November 7th.
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