The Lies Must Stop

• Share

(2 of 2)

Rumor: Giuliani hates pedestrians, taxi drivers, hot-dog vendors, squeegee men, people on welfare, reporters, anyone opposing any of his proposals at any time, and doesn't even get along well with his own wife. Fact: The mayor does not hate these people. The mayor is a temperate man of philosophical disposition. He simply recognizes that those particular individuals tend toward rudeness and thus need to be treated firmly. They must be given rules, and when they break the rules they must be punished. What could be fairer than that? As His Honor has so profoundly said, "Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do and how you do it."

Rumor: Giuliani is nuts. Fact: The mayor has never been declared psychotic by any reputable mental-health professional or committed to any institution for the criminally insane. Though some of his ruder detractors call him a bullying, paranoid "control freak," many experts believe that is the exact personality type required to run a city as rude as New York. Besides, the mayor does not call reporters and other enemies "jerky," "stupid," "silly" and "not really that intelligent" unless they actually are. He has correctly stated, "I pride myself in displaying good judgment about people."

Rumor: Giuliani likes George Steinbrenner. Fact: Of all the vicious, scurrilous things said about our mayor, this is the worst. The mayor does not "like" anyone. He simply recognizes the Yankee owner as a trustworthy and fair-minded sports executive whose goal is to exchange the musty old Yankee Stadium that New Yorkers find so sterile and bland for a sparkling modern entertainment venue in a more affluent district, one closer to theme restaurants and uninfested by rude squeegee men.

Rumor: Giuliani enjoys wearing dresses, platinum blond wigs and high heels. Fact: The mayor does not "enjoy" appearing in drag. He dons female apparel whenever possible only because it is his obligation, as chief representative and symbol of a metropolis whose economy depends greatly on the entertainment industry, to entertain. To refuse to do so would be uncivil, indeed downright rude.

I hope I have finally put the rumors and innuendos to rest.