Derrick Boazman. Stuck on stupid, on the down low.

Flashback to July 2005, when the Georgia Aquarium opened...

"Bernie Marcus, the billionaire co-founder of the Home Depot, is one of the chief benefactors in the massive construction project known as the Georgia Aquarium. This aquarium situated in the heart of Atlanta has been trumpeted as the largest Aquarium of its kind, with fish from around the world. This aquarium is also expected to bring millions in tourist dollars to the city, not to mention the jobs it will provide for Atlanta residents.

For some local politicians, however, that isn’t sufficient. Local activist and former city councilman, Derrick Boazman has issued a threat. Hire the homeless and back off support for a downtown panhandling ban or we will shut down the aquarium thru protests.

This blowhard of a politician shows all the hallmarks of an up and coming young demagogue. Boazman’s threat highlights two inescapable realities. In the first place the left can turn anything, however good and beneficial it may be into a negative and secondly these so-called activists will do anything to grab the media spot light.

Indeed, Marcus has done more for the homeless than Councilman Boazman could ever claim, having donated over half a million dollars to a local homeless shelter. This is unimportant to Boazman, just has the financial benefits of this tourist attraction are also unimportant.

What is important is media attention and the rush of power and influence he believes he has. Boazman’s actions should not come as a surprise, it is the expected result of an entitlement attitude. In Boazman’s mind, there is nothing wrong in demanding jobs for the homeless, regardless of whether or not they may be qualified for such positions. This is the typical entitlement attitude, one which is based on the premise that people should be rewarded regardless of merit.

If Bernie Marcus was smart, he would call Boazman’s bluff, demolish the aquarium brick by brick and take his multi-million dollar investment to some place where it will be appreciated."

http://wsbradio.com/news/0725homelessmarcus.html

so here we have a local rich dude, who donates a nice tourist attraction to help revitalize downtown....He is met with scorn by Derrick Boazman.

Now, Grady Hospital is going broke. It cannot operate at current levels due to insufficient funding, or so 'they' say.

The City of Atlanta seized the airport years ago, and takes all the $$$$, yet can't seem to fund 'free healthcare' for the poor or illegal immigrants.

"The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce in July proposed that Grady change its governing structure to create a nonprofit board to control daily operations, though the current board would retain ownership of the health system. The plan has been met with skepticism from activists and citizens who fear the change would threaten the hospital's mission as a safety net hospital that cares primarily for the city's poor.

Under the resolution adopted Monday night by the Fulton Dekalb Hospital Authority Grady's current 10-member board the Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation would be created as a 501(c)(3) and composed of 17 members, four of whom would be members of the current board.

The nonprofit board would have a lease agreement with the current board. Several conditions of the proposal hinge on that agreement, including a $200 million, four-year commitment from the business, charitable and philanthropic communities including $50 million in cash or in escrow before the lease agreement is executed;

A commitment to raise $100 million in private donations over three years by the same groups;

An additional $30 million from the state of Georgia, to which the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the house would commit in writing."

Okay, what seems so 'wrong' about that?

"State Sen. Vincent Fort and activist Derrick Boazman were involved in a scuffle with Grady Hospital security outside of the hospital board room shortly before the meeting was moved across the street. Fort told the board members that he was skeptical about the proposal.

``Y'all ought to be ready to stay here all night,'' Fort said when board members asked him to conclude his speech. ``The fight ain't over. If some of us have to go to jail, so be it.'"

http://wsbradio.com/news/112707grady3a.html