Yes, the councilman really said that…

In her letter to the editor in the Barrow County News 10/23 edition, Gwen Hill endorsed me as a candidate. She also outlined a couple of shocking incidents that seem to indicate that the incumbent councilman, Bob Dixon, at least at times, lacks respect for women.

Here is what Gwen said:

At another DDA meeting, he actually shook his finger at me during a lecture on Senator Russell, as if I know nothing about him…What has happened to good old fashioned respect for others?

Lorin will give you a chance to be hears & show respect for your ideas.”    

Another of the women, Helen Person, wrote her Barrow Journal column about the incident:

“At a local authority meeting last Monday, the councilman who serves as liaison to that group informed two other women and myself that he appreciated our passion regarding the local landmark the City is determined to demolish rather than turn it into a productive piece of the downtown landscape, but that if we’d bring our husbands to a meeting, they’d be willing to talk with us.

One part of me believed his remark did not deserve the dignity of a reply. But the remark has gnawed at me all week. Is this how all of our male elected and appointed officials feel? Do they all wish we’d just go play in the traffic rather than hold them accountable for the choices that affect us all?

 A lot of prayer has gone into the decision to make this public, but I believe the folks of our city need to know the attitude of some who are running things. So, at the risk of this turning into a Women’s Rights column, I have a few questions for the good Councilman who believes women have no place at the table.

How many of Winder’s businesses are owned by women?...If not owned by women, how many of them have women running the place? I am of the impression that Barrow County Schools and our local campus of Lanier Tech both have women at their helms. Don’t many of our schools have women administrators?...Don’t we have women judges sitting on the bench and women attorneys?...How many women property owners do we count among the population of our fair city?... Of the civic organizations and churches in Winder, how many women chair committees and work to make projects successful so their organizations accomplish their goals?.. And, by the way, Mr. Councilman, how many City Hall department heads are women? How efficiently do you believe City Hall would run without them?

When people — men AND women — feel they are valued members of the community they invest their hearts, minds, and dollars to make it better. Citizens should always be made to feel that their contributions — business-related or otherwise — are strategic to the overall progress of the place in which they’ve chosen to live, work and play.”

I, too, have witnessed Mr. Dixon lose his temper at a public meeting and verbally demean a female business owner. (She has since, moved her business out of Winder.) This behavior would certainly be considered unacceptable at the Fortune 500 company Mr. Dixon worked for. Is it acceptable behavior for a Winder City Councilman? Not at all.

Winder voters, you have a choice on  who represents you. I will listen to and respect all of the citizens, not just the ones who wear pants.