The Octopus Conspiracy



The Octopus Conspiracy

While running for City Council I started to hear about several conspiracy stories. Let me say for the record that I am not big on conspiracy theories. From stories that the United States government blew up the World Trade Towers, to the government having a UFO hidden at a secret military base, to who killed JFK, I just don’t put much stock in them. But people everyday are swept up in the next theory on why this happened or why that happened. In my humble opinion the reason people are so willing to believe in such things is that real life can be boring. Conspiracies offer an exciting reason to why things are happening and justification to someone’s personal failure, “They’re keeping me down.” People will turn off rational thought, add their two cents to the conspiracy and then pass it on to the next person as if it was a fact. I don’t know about other cities but in Memphis there are three ways to pass on information: telephone, television and tell a whopper.

Being so busy campaigning, diabolical plans were the last thing on my mind. Not until I started to hear about a conspiracy that involved me. I, like many other candidates was busy trying to shore up support for my campaign. The reason I ran for office was that I honestly felt I had something to offer the citizens of this City I love so much. I prided myself on the fact that I had spent so many years working behind the scene fighting for community residents. In doing so I felt I understood politics. Over the years I thought I had seen politics from every point of view. But even I was not prepared for this one. I had known of a group of young men and women who had formed a campaign consulting firm called New Path. The mission of New Path is to support bright, honest and community focused candidates for office. I decided to approach them for support. It turned out that nearly all the other candidates in my race had already sought this group’s support. I gave my best speech and waited. A few days later New Path contacted me and said, “We’re going with you.”

It is important to note that at no time before or during the campaign did New Path staff suggest or even hint to me that they expected something in return. I was very impressed with their professionalism, and dedication. This being my first time running for public office New Path helped me put together a campaign strategy. I truly appreciated their support. That is why I was so offended when I started to hear lies being told about them.

The conspiracy went like this. A group of powerful (It always starts off this way with powerful figures lurking in the shadows.) business people who decided if they could not control the Mayor's office they would take over the City Council. Somehow they were able to get control of the Commercial Appeal, The Coalition for a Better Memphis (which is a nonpartisan, nonprofit group composed of a diverse group of over 100 Shelby County individuals, businesses and organizations that works to educate the voters by having candidates for public office complete a lengthy questionnaire and be questioned by a volunteer panel on issues such as: Economics, Ethics, Experience and Vision. They then rank the candidates and present the results to the public. This is something that has been done in other cities for years. Regrettable Memphis is so far behind on issues of civicness that groups like this are just taking hold here.), and as I said earlier New Path. They would, by some means unbeknownst to the rational mind, control all these people and make them hand pick a group of mostly well educated and civic minded candidates for City Council and with skills greater than Houdini hypnotize these candidates into doing their bidding.

This conspiracy for the most part was only being spread in the Black communities. And sadly enough it was being spread by Blacks. In fact I personally heard a couple of candidates in my race spreading this lie. It’s strange these same candidates had gone to these same groups earlier seeking their endorsement, and the moment they didn’t receive their support somehow these groups became corrupted. Do you think if they had gotten these groups’ backing that they would have been singing a different tune? Of course they would have. Well I can tell you why some received the support from New Path, the endorsement of the Commercial Appeal and the highest ranking from the Coalition for a Better Memphis, and that is because they earned it.

I am certain that some will feel I should not bring this up. I should just let it go. Well if I wasn’t a civic activist I might, but I am, so I can’t. What these people who were spreading this LIE were trying to do is manipulate YOU! In their desperate attempt to gain office they were willing to do anything, even lie to people who looked to them for the truth.

Another reason I decided to talk about this was that on an earlier post of mine someone had made a comment that he/she knew for a fact that there was a conspiracy and he had “the paperwork to prove it.” Well I challenged that person to send me a copy of this so-called proof. I waited and waited and it never came. I guess his proof went poof.

You don’t have to go looking for the evil white man trying to control us poor color folks. The truth is they are a lot close than you think, in distance and in color.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

What about them trying to set the mayor up with that women. Now that was real.

Anonymous said...

Right on Reg! Hopefully u will be on council in 4 years

Anonymous said...

But this is why nobody votes everybody is lieing. They just want to get in office and when they get there you never here from them again. They should be able to check out this people because we can't. We don't know what is true or not.

Anonymous said...

That's it!!!

Our own people are using us, whats worse is we let them!!!

We are going to have to stop acting helpless and start taking charge!!!

Anonymous said...

11:25

P-L-E-A-S-E, have you heard anything else about this now that the election is over? Huh, have you? You want a conspiracy theory then I have one for you. I call it the Street Sweeper Conspiracy. The government has all these street sweepers sitting in a hanger called Area 51 and they only will use them around election time.

Anonymous said...

I guess they should have read the bible.

"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners."
1 Corinthians xv. 33.

Anonymous said...

The more things change the more they stay the same. First we had Boss Crump, then the Ford Machine, and now King Willie. In the end it's all about the power. But as long as people let this go on they get what they deserve.

Anonymous said...

This last election was indeed something phenominalto behold. I got a good inside look for the first time. Pbviously, people spend lots of time, honing themselves for pubic office. The stage is set every so often for the local "Hollywoodies" to come on stage and this is exactly what happens at election time. Auditions began and at the end, a few selections are made. Even now, some people are positioning themselves for the next election. Some got their sea legs and are now ready for the deep swim. See, winning an election, it's all about who you can impress. When it comes time to make serious, quality decisions regarding city goverment, and the people who live in a given city, impressions have no part there. A person who has no interpersonal skills can be a good leader. People need to stop trying to impress and be real. After all, the real person can be easily detected, whether they know it or not. After Tennessee Waltz, it's going to the hard for the crooks to get by as easily as they have in the past. I hope the current, future and all interested office holders will consider the weighter matter.

Anonymous said...

It's me and my blood pressure again Mr. Milton. Now look at our police force. So which is it? Are our police officers lazy and goofing off on the job or is the head of the police department acting like vigilantes and attacking officers they don't like? Does it matter?

Poor Leadership = Poor City

Anonymous said...

It's me and my blood pressure again Mr. Milton. Now look at our police force. So which is it? Are our police officers lazy and goofing off on the job or is the head of the police department acting like vigilantes and attacking officers they don't like? Does it matter?

Poor Leadership = Poor City


Blood Pressure: Everything seems to upset you and send your blood pressure on the rise. You have problems indeed. M & M ... Medically and Mentally. That explains why your comments don't make sense.

Anonymous said...

Stay fresh and on line Mr. Milton! If we keep pushing for change, we WILL change. New Path is the best group of young forward thinking people that has ever happened in Memphis. The newspeople should have done their homework before having to "apologize" on air for tainting these dedicated young Memphians.

Reginald Milton said...

3:45 PM

I didn't delete your comment this time. Normally this would not have made it because it is only an attack. Be specific. How is "Blood Pressure", sorry it seems like a good name, wrong in comment? The goal of this blog is to have discussions, not meaningless attacks.

For those of you who have had your comments deleted I did so not because they were attacks, or I am a control freak, but because they offered no examples or were not specific or did not offer suggestions for improvement.

Come on! I know you people are smart. No matter what others might say, Memphis has a lot of intelligent people. Use that gray matter and focus on ideas and not just attacks.

Feel free to criticize me or anyone else, but be prepared to make an argument to why you are doing so.

Anonymous said...

3:45 pm you want to know what makes me so upset?

In the 14th Annual America's Safest and Most Dangerous Cities - www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0921299.html Memphis was the 13th most dangerous city in america and what do we hear on tv? Director Larry Godwin telling us we should be outraged over the behavior of some police officers and then police officers calling in to talk-radio to say we should be outraged over the behavior of Larry Godwin.

If you ran a business you would never go to the customers and say, Look at how bad these employees are. Because they would say well didn't you hire them? Don't you train them? The Mayor said this is his police department. Where is he?

So you want to know why my blood pressure is going up? People are afraid to go outside their house and this is what we have to deal with? My question is why isn't your blood pressure going up? Please respond.

"Blood Pressure" The name don't bother me.

Anonymous said...

Good for you,

That's all we get in this city is trash talk. The bloggers, the talk radio host, the tv news, and even the local papers. Its all about what is bad in Memphis. Everybody wants to talk down to people. Thats why I stop watching local news and only watch CSPAN and CNN news. You're right to control the trash on you site Mr. Milton. It will only get worse and run decent people away. You wouldn't let somebody come in your house and talk trash would you? People feel they can say whatever they want because they are anonymous. People aren't nice anymore. That's why so many people are getting shot. Somebody bumps into someone and he has never been taught how to say I'm sorry. The other guy gets upset and nobody taught him how to control his temper so he pulls out a gun. Another homicide in Memphis. I think this is going to grow to be a very popular blog. You seem to understand that it is information people need and not another shock jock. I wasn't in your district Mr. Milton but I think I might have voted for you if I had been. Keep up the good work and I will keep posting here.

Anonymous said...

I didn't delete your comment this time. Normally this would not have made it because it is only an attack. Be specific. How is "Blood Pressure", sorry it seems like a good name, wrong in comment? The goal of this blog is to have discussions, not meaningless attacks.

No, this is not an attack. How is expressing the fact that your blood pressure goes up relative to a community issue sane at all. Is this person an associate of the Memphis Police Department? If not, how can they truthfully describe the Director Godwin's actions as those of a vigalantie. (One who ignores due process of law and enacts their own justice) How can they say the he is attacking officers that he does not like? Are they one of the officers reprimanded? This is totally unfair to the Director.

With the rate of crime, especially murder, in the city of Memphis, any sound minded human being should be grateful that the Diretor cares enough to see to it that the officers he is given charge of are on duty when required. If Director Godwin had done nothing after discovering the matter, "blood pressure" would have sounded off at that.

If "blood pressure" had had an emergency to occur during the time the officers were alledged to have been lax in their duties, "blood pressure" would have been "stroking out" with complaints and disapproval.

Director Godwin stood up to the plate like a "real man", now "blood pressure" is still unhappy.

Suggestion ! "Blood Pressure - sign up for the next Police Training Academy and see if you have the intellect to be accepted. I doubt it. Try keeping your one block safe for one hour. Report your findings. If you can't do either, don't ever criticize our Memphis Police Director ever again. That is not nice.

You would be glad to see one of the officers he sent back to work arrive on the scene when a gun is pointed at your head. Trust me, you really would. Only say kind things about the Memphis Police Department.

Anonymous said...

2:04 PM Auggggggggggggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!

Now my blood pressure is really up. You didn't even read my post! I said.

"It's me and my blood pressure again Mr. Milton. Now look at our police force. So which is it? Are our police officers lazy and goofing off on the job or is the head of the police department acting like vigilantes and attacking officers they don't like? Does it matter?

Poor Leadership = Poor City"

My comment wasn't saying Godwin was a vigilante. It was what the officers (no I'm not a police officer)were saying on the radio. Leadership is the issue. Where is the Mayor was my concern.

You seem to be a supporter of Godwin, fine. My point is we don't know who is telling the truth, but we can say that there is a problem at the top and it need to be corrected.

Baby you got my heart pumping now. I love this blog!