The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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August 29, 2010

Your View: Brady deserves public's support

John Bipes, Mankato

As Mankato’s honorable Mayor John Brady finds himself in an embarrassing and potentially deadly dilemma, many of us unfailingly continue to love and appreciate him. We’ll stand with him.

On the one hand we can tiredly lament, “Nothing’s new; politicians and public servants never fail to disappoint us.” In this sense, nothing is new about those in office. Nothing’s new about us who vote for them, when the whole truth is told.

Yet, on the other hand, there really is something new, something lasting and worth celebrating about Mayor Brady. Before, through and after whatever comes of last weekend’s events, Mankato continues to benefit mightily by John’s inspiring leadership, his compassion, his kindness. This era of John Brady’s tenure will go down as one of our city’s best.

Sure, a moment’s bad judgment on John’s part put lives at risk. Those of us with kindred losses find tolerance particularly elusive. We may even give in to our lesser selves with public derision. It’s an especially sweet-tasting schadenfreude.

John, a medical professional and for the past four years Mankato’s much beloved mayor, has saved many lives and shaped much good public policy. Let’s continue to embrace conflicted Mayor Brady with at least as much latitude as that without which our own conflicted selves couldn’t survive.

 

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