“The earth is not dying, it is being killed, and those who are killing it have names and addresses.” --- Utah Phillips
Politicians are ostensibly elected to represent the people, to implement the much talked about 'will of the people''. We've all seen just how often that actually happens.
Here in Louisville, we have a luxury property developer for a mayor. Sound familiar? While he didn't run on making Louisville great again, he's still done a good imitation of someone taking their cues from the developer-in-chief occupying the Oval Office.
They're both cut from the same "For my friends, everything; for my enemies, the law" cloth for sure. In one glaring example, the city's recent data center moratorium conveniently didn't cover the hyperscale data center his old business partner Steve Poe is building.
Meanwhile, the city overwhelmingly (~80%) opposes all hyperscale data centers, and spent the summer making that exquisitely clear at public meeting after public meeting. With Mayor Greenberg apparently still not getting the message, the city decided to take it to him more directly. At home.
Gathering for an emergency rally called by No Data Center 502 in conjunction with other community groups, folks then marched through Cherokee Park and on to the mayor's less-than-humble abode, chanting all the way.
The mile-and-a-half march took protesters through some of the wealthiest neighborhoods of the city before arriving at the mayor's own cul-de-sac. There, a sound system appeared and community members took turns on the mic letting the mayor know all the ways he was letting the people down.
Compared to when we marched to the previous mayor's house in June of 2020, the police response was incredibly mild. No drones, helicopters, armored vehicles or SWAT team, just a couple officers who'd rather have been anywhere but there, fussing over driveways.
After the speakers were finished, folks treated the mayor to a few final chants reminding him that trading public health for private wealth was a losing deal, before forming back up and marching back to their starting point.
Was hoping the mayor wouldn't prevail in his reelection campaign but blue wave that stuck the country on Tuesday seemed to largely miss Kentucky. C'est la vie. One thing's for certain, this ain't over with yet.
Anybody else have tech broligarchs trying to build their AI pipedream in their back yard?