Richardson Campaign Calls Mayoral Proclamations Divisive

By Paul Gable

The fourth edition of full-page ads promoting the candidacy of Ken Richardson for Conway mayor was published in local media last week. The first three ads were basically a world salad of claims without any specifics.

Last week’s ad hit a new level of inscrutability. It claimed in part, “…Yet, lately we’ve seen division seep into our city’s fabric. The current mayor’s unilateral proclamations have left us feeling fractured…”

Wondering what caused claims of division and fracturing, I did a random search of Conway City Council Agenda to find these supposed divisive horrors. There were mayoral proclamations issued for “National Garden Week”, the “50^th Anniversary of the United Way”, “Donate Life Month”, “Conway 10 and Under Fast Pitch Softball State Champions”, “Conway 12 and Under Fast Pitch Softball State Champions”, and to “Sargeant Major KaJuan Butler for 30 years of service in the U. S. Army”.

The ad for the Richardson campaign mentioned “unilateral proclamations” (plural) not any specific proclamation. Again, the public is being treated to general statements with no specificity from the Richardson campaign. General statements that fall into the category of word salad.

What is so divisive and fracturing? Is it that not everybody has a garden so those who do shouldn’t be recognized? Is it only the United Way was recognized and not the March of Dimes or the American Heart Association? Maybe it is the fact that not everybody is an athlete so recognizing softball state champions is divisive? Is it divisive to recognize tissue, organ and eye donations because not every person chooses to be a donor and those who don’t may feel bad? Or is it that only an Army veteran of 30 years of service was recognized while veterans of the Air Force, Navy and Marines were not?

Is it less divisive for Conway if the mayor issues no proclamations recognizing the accomplishments or efforts of persons or organizations? Considering the wide ranging types of groups and individuals who have received proclamations, such would appear to be the message of last week’s ad.

Over the course of four weeks, the campaign ads have gone from the ridiculous to the absurd. Last week’s ad mentions, “Under Ken’s leadership, we will set new community standards that embrace the power of unity.”

How? A search of Richardson campaign missives, to date, shows they have yet to mention any type of unifying theme.