Comment of the Day

Reader: Councilwoman Carla Madison changed my idea of what a local politician could be

Patricia Calhoun's tribute to city councilwoman Carla Madison, who lost her fight against cancer this week, prompted one reader to share memories of a most uncommon politician.

Here's the kind of eulogy that Madison would no doubt have loved.

FenceChat writes:

I moved near 5 points last year and prior to that, had the usual "local politicians do nothing for us" attitude. I had no idea who my representative was or would be. Carla introduced herself and single-handedly changed my impression of what a local politician could be. She was not a public servant, she was a public champion. Always willing to do the crap that we all take for granted, got things done, and got them done with a smile so that even when she met with resistance, her positive attitude and earnestness won people over and undoubtedly worked persuasive magic on her detractors. I didn't know her personally, but know enough of her work, ethic, and results to say that the loss of her is a loss that we all suffer. She was a shining example of what "community" means, and could be, and I hope her example, at the very least, inspires us to be more neighborly.

For more memorable takes, visit our Comment of the Day archive.

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Michael Roberts has written for Westword since October 1990, serving stints as music editor and media columnist. He currently covers everything from breaking news and politics to sports and stories that defy categorization.
Contact: Michael Roberts

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