It’s Friday again and time for another edition of “Friedel Friday.” Where will Gerry take us this week?
He has already taken us to the Splash Pad and the Skate Park, both of which fall clearly within the “nice to have” category he has publicly disdained. Will he take us back to Falcon Field or the Planetarium/Library at McDowell Elementary while he pretends that he provided volunteer or financial support to either project?
Since declaring his candidacy for mayor of #FountainHills, Gerry has tried really hard to portray to show us what a concerned, committed, and honorable person he is. But, sometimes he slips up.
Gerry has very thin skin. When questioned or criticized by constituents he very quickly shifts into attack mode.
And there was the slip that precipitated the disastrous February Town Council meeting. Gerry abruptly summoned a resident to the podium, glared down at her, and announced that she had forfeited her right to request that sanctions be levied against Skillicorn because of an offensive cartoon she posted on social media featuring the former president and a Democratic donkey.
Witnesses to this embarrassing spectacle who were aware of Friedel’s history of racist, anti-Semitic, misogynistic, transphobic and xenophobic posts were appalled by his performance and his hypocrisy.
In this Special Edition of Friedel Friday we offer residents the opportunity to explore the true character of this man who aspires to be our community’s mayor. We will be taking a brief tour of Gerry Friedel’s social media posts.
The first stop on our tour is one of the most revealing of Gerry’s posts. Not only does it show that he is crude and Islamophobic, but it also shows that he suffers from profound cultural ignorance.
The woman in the photograph attached is wearing a turban – not a hijab. The hijab is a long scarf that is generally draped or tied to cover a woman’s hair and neck. The hijab is worn by Muslim women to express their commitment to modesty and as a “spiritual veil” to protect them from negative influences.
The turban is worn by Sikh men and sometimes Sikh women to cover their hair which, as a part of their religion, they do not cut. Sikhism is a religion, separate and distinct from Islam, based on a shared belief in and commitment to religious freedom, equality, community service, and pacifism.
The woman in the photo could be Sikh, she could be a woman undergoing chemotherapy or she could be any woman, including a Muslim woman, who knows she looks beautiful in a turban. One thing is certain, she is not wearing a turban because she has “shit for brains.”
Sadly, many of us will recognize the hideously altered image of Michelle O. that serves as the second stop on our tour.
This “photo” appeared on social media at the time rumors were circulating that Michelle Obama was a transgender female.
Friedel’s use of this image to demonstrate his disdain and disrespect for our former First Lady and transgender women is painfully ironic in light of the moral outrage he expressed at the cartoon image of a donkey’s assault on Donald Trump.
Gerry has targeted members of the transgender community for ridicule, such as with his comment to the “AutoZone” image attached. This will serve as our tour’s third stop.
This post, made after Budweiser featured a transgender internet influencer in an advertisement, is the only one on the tour that has been altered. A red circle was used to highlight Gerry’s comment.
Some may recall Friedel’s bold proclamation that he is viewed as a “champion of women.” The immediate challenge to this claim asserted by both women and men seemed to come as surprise to Gerry. He should not have been surprised in light of the disrespect he has shown for women on his social media.
Would a “champion of women” publish a post that implies that to succeed women must be prepared to sleep with powerful men?
Would a “champion of women” publish a post describing a former Deputy Director of the NIA as a “whistle blow job” and “pink vagina hat wearer”?
No tour of Gerry’s social media would be complete without an illustration of his preternatural talent for discovering and reposting multifaceted bigotry. The sixth and final post on our tour combines anti-Semitism with sexism and ageism to promote a QAn*n conspiracy theory, using a doctored image of Hillary Clinton .
What Now?
Our Friedel Friday Special Edition tour has come to an end. What more do we need to know about #GerryFriedel to conclude that he lacks the character and integrity to serve effectively and honorably as our mayor?
The spitefulness, racism, and bigotry reflected on his social media are in and of themselves disqualifying. Our community’s mayor should make us feel proud – not ashamed. But Gerry has other shortcomings that are also disqualifying.
Gerry did not support the School Bond. Gerry did not even try to correct the disinformation that was circulated by #ROT and other opponents of the bond. Although he claims to value “transparency” he refused to answer any questions posed to him about his failure to support the bond.
Our mayor must be able to work closely and effectively with the staff and administration of the Town’s largest employer, the #FHUSD. Friedel did not support the school bond. How can that betrayal be forgiven or forgotten?
Our mayor must have integrity and be committed to upholding the Town’s Code of Ethics.
Gerry did not vote in favor of sanctioning Skillicorn for his clear violations of the Town’s Code of Ethics because he was afraid that he would be sued and wanted to avoid incurring the wrath of ROT.
Our mayor must be loyal to the Town, its staff, and employees. Friedel voted in favor of directing the town attorney to stop defending the Referendum litigation. Had it succeeded, the Resolution would have forced the Town attorney to act illegally and resulted in an admission that the Town and the Town clerk acted illegally.
Gerry Friedel has demonstrated that he does not have the character, integrity, nor skills to serve as the mayor of Fountain Hills. We cannot elect him.