A month ago, I expressed my concern that SouthComm writers had a bit of a double standard when it came to populism: arms-length with Fairgrounds preservation minions; full embrace of Occupy Nashville. The one-sided love climaxed last week with the Nashville Scene's declaration of Night Court Magistrate Thomas Nelson, "Nashvillian of the Year, 2011".
Now, I applaud Judge Magistrate Nelson for turning back overzealous Tennessee highway patrol officers in their overzealous attempt to punish and violate protesters. In my upcoming Best and Worst Metro Services post I mention Night Court as one of the higher points of service delivery precisely because of Nelson's actions.
But SouthComm's relatively untempered allegiance to Occupy Nashville and those who have served it in government has tunneled them into a narrow passage on such an ambitious award as "Nashvillian of the Year".
Today SouthComm writers appear to be walking back their supreme vote of confidence in Judge Magistrate Nelson, given a letter to the editor that disclosed a less-than-flattering picture of Judge Magistrate Nelson's handling of arbitrary and capricious bail he set for some demonstrators who were doing nothing more than holding an overnight vigil. Were they holding it on state property? No. They were holding it at the Metro Courthouse, which begs the question: if Occupy Nashville had occupied the Courthouse rather than Legislative Plaza, would the Nashvillian of the Year have granted a request to jail them?
I have to give some credit to the editorial staff at the Scene and City Paper. Though this credit is of late and perhaps due to a writer or editor (and not Chris Ferrel, from what I can tell), but of late, it seems somebody over there has realized the Dean administration is not all it is cracked up to be. Perhaps they realized this all along and have somehow been able to step out. Or perhaps, they have distanced themselves from McNeely, Piggott and Fox. As an example, it is the kudos given to Jamie Hollis as of late. This could also speak to the possibility that the Dean Machine has broken a few cogs and that the media is reconsidering its role as a repairman.
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