Democracy should not be de-mocked

Just when Malcolm was about to concede and give up this blogging lark for a better offer, along comes a heart-warming story, courtesy of the Washington Post:

A last-minute write-in campaign to prevent a self-described Holocaust revisionist from serving on a civic body in Reston has succeeded with a landside, the organization's former president said today.

Ken Meyercord, who had been running unopposed for an at-large seat on the Reston Citizens Association's 13-member volunteer board, received only 23 votes after his provocative views on Jews created a backlash.

Colin Mills, the write-in candidate for the at-large position on the board, received 1,157 votes, according to Mike Corrigan, the civic association's former president and a member of the election committee.

The action was so hectic:

The turnout for the election, which was held Saturday and Sunday during the Reston Festival at Reston Town Center, was so heavy that elections committee members photocopied additional ballots.

Debra Steppel, who had been a member of the civic association committee, had picked up Meyercord's name from a church circular, and recognised it again from the list of candidates. Within a week she had mobilised the vote.

Meyercord sold himself with a subtle bit of ethnical, sorry about that-- ethical snobbery:

The title of a booklet I wrote in 2001, The Ethic of Zero Growth, pretty much says it all. I would welcome the opportunity to find ways to implement the philosophy expounded in my book. My wife and I have every intention to live out our golden years here in Reston. We like Reston the way it is and would hate to see it turned into the Queens.

As Dewey Finn, Jack Black's character in The School of Rock has it: "Read between the lines."

Perhaps her task was made easier by Reston being Virginia's "best-educated community": two-thirds of the adult population have a degree-level qualification.

Reston (named for R E Simon, who begat the place in the 1960s by buying a tract of land with monies from the sale of Carnegie Hall) is also a "planned community".

Congratulations all round.

Sphere: Related Content