Vote Scott McDonough for City Council

It is with great enthusiasm that we support Scott McDonough for the City Council for District C. We have known Scott for many years and have always found him to be very proactive and enthusiastic in helping with volunteer projects that contribute to making Iowa City the wonderful place it is to live in and raise a family. His commonsense intelligence, hard work ethic, and community spirit, combined with his experience as a small-business owner, make Scott the ideal citizen to serve on the City Council to continue to improve community infrastructure and economic development in Iowa City.

Deb and John Dunkhase

Silencing voices in Iowa City

Air conditioning or the condition of air can be used for torture: too hot — results in drowsiness and inattention; too cold — drowsiness and hypothermia. The Mossad and CIA have used this form of torture for years. On Oct. 7, AC was off in Harvat Hall during the Candidates Forum led by a consortium of environmental organizations. The irony: in the council chamber’s environment — at least 80 degrees — the only air circulating was from the lobby when someone exited the room.

Questions were to be written on 3x5s — nothing oral allowed except by the moderator. This method effectively censored and silenced the citizens (few young people) attended. This reminded me of how the removal of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act silences minorities.

Harvat’s stifling heat almost distracted from the ad hominem attack that Councilor Rick Dobyns made on Councilor Jim Throgmorten in which he accused him of political cronyism and then left the room. Throgmorten shot back that he had only informed his constituent of the federal programs that benefited him as a planner and developer, which is lawful and aboveboard.

After an hour and a half in the oppressive heat of Harvat, I knew the meaning of life in hell as the accusations and rebuttals flew from each candidate — new and otherwise; and that Milgram experiment with AC had worked: I took the Towncrest bus home.

Another forum scheduled: Oct. 22, sponsored by the League of Women Voters. Same format — same room, Harvat Hall.

Question: Will IC’s inbred politics change if the human voice is silenced?

Mary Gravitt