Rob Ford: still a person

I know that everyone is probably sick of hearing about Rob Ford and his “stupors” (even though it’s kind of hard to get bored of someone when they out-stupid themselves everyday) but I think it’s important to talk about what makes this controversial figure so interesting to Canadians and to the rest of the world. 

In light of a video released today of the mayor drunkenly ranting about killing some unknown person, what parts of this whole Rob Ford ordeal should we really be focusing on? 

The fact that he probably has some addiction problems definitely means that he should step down as mayor of Canada’s largest city but it also indicates that he is a sick person, in need of  help. 

I’m not advocating that Rob Ford and the serious allegations against him should be treated lightly but I think this issue sheds light on certain, perhaps unfavorable elements of human nature. 

On social media and on certain local and international news outlets, a lot of the discussion surrounding the Toronto Mayor is focused on making fun of his drunken misconducts rather than  the implications that these episodes have on Rob Ford’s ability to lead. In Winnipeg and in other cities where we don’t actually have to deal with the mayor on a sociopolitical level, our job should be to inform the situation with facts and not meems that compare the mayor to crack addicted characters on Breaking Bad. 

The more that someone behaves in a way that is inappropriate in the eyes of society’s norms and social morays, the more that person is going to receive attention. It is easy to poke fun at failure and difference. “The bigger person” in this situation, are the people that discuss Rob Ford’s obvious problems in terms of his need for help and not through a comedic lens. We should definitely blast Rob Ford for his horrendous behavior over the last few months and for his response to that behavior, but we should be careful about how we discuss these matters. 

The video below was posted by Toronto comedian, Kenny Hotz who you may know for his popular series Kenny vs Spenny. Hotz has openly despised the mayor since his he was elected to office in 2010. This video is an example of the nature of the content circling on the web that make light of Mayor Ford’s serious substance abuse problems. I’ll admit, it’s hard not to laugh at stuff like this but in the end we’re laughing at a man who is sick and needs help. Being a public figure doesn’t give us the license to forget that he’s a human being.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VzLOaeNZEY