During Episode 76 of The People Before Politics Radio Show, Sunday, I read a spoken word piece on the state of things in Mount Vernon and the media over saturation of Mayor Richard Thomas. I have personally spoken with the mayor on the phone and in person, tweeted him, texted him, instant messaged him and even read a open letter addressing him and the Council during a recent city council meeting but it seems my words have fallen on deaf ears.

I feel I am in a unique position as someone who worked on his campaign, supported him and voted for him who has been disappointed by his actions of late so I have continuously reached out to him. But at some point you have to realize you are wasting your time and the journalist in me had to be stronger than the Thomas supporter in me and I walked this walk in hope things would eventually change. They are changing but not for the better. There is an ongoing Civil War between the Thomas Administration and the City Council, City Clerk and Comptroller.

But it was until the actions that took place over the past week or so, precipitating with the firing of Public Safety Commissioner Robert Kelly and the aftermath that followed. I composed this spoken word piece to the mayor to express my frustration with his action in his first 100 or so days in office. I share it here on BW for those who missed the show, Watch the video with my words written underneath and feel free as always to express your feedback, thoughts and concerns in the comment section below

If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword, that’s a proverb in the form of a parallel phrase,
to paraphrase the author of the gospel of Matthew with this phrase that pays,
because numbered are the days
if you are not cautioned of our ways.

The same can be said about the media,
live by the media. you will die by the media
and when that happens their will be no place to hide, not even on expedia.

Mayor Richard Thomas it’s time for some inner reflections,
because it’s obvious you have a loss of connection,
which has caused this misdirection.

Its time to end this pageantry of vanity,
and take a pause for the political profanity
like you’re suffering from digital insanity
are you our commander and chief or the cause of this calamity

again it may be time to hit the auto correct
and refresh and reconnect
enough of the slight of hand and the misdirect
there is no more time to be political correct

and when I say this I don’t mean to be mean
but where is the root menu to get us back the previous scene

Forget best snowman competition and snapchat challenges
and let truly nurture all this Mount Vernon talent
programs for the youth we need you to address
we don’t need to see you on anymore pintrest

seriously can we give the selfies a break
cause we really don’t need to see every little step you take
every periscoping period your partake
every digital footprint you make

almost as if you think how you govern is graded by follows and likes
well let’s say it is, then I must click unlike
on your behavior which has been childlike
stop tweeting your whereabouts on the trains, planes and and jersey turnpike

Maybe the mayor is just misunderstood
or too damn smart for his own good
either way, I’m here to say,
we just what you to do what you said you would

please don’t let your touch screen, make you lose touch with reality
get off the anti-social networks and your in the media much too much for me

wait let me pause,
not trying to crucify you without cause

but we are in a desperate situation
now you know I know social media can influence political participation
and this is more of an explanation than an allegation
but I must say Mayor Thomas, you are suffering from media over-saturation

Mayor Richard Thomas, Stick To Your Promises