Comments for Up Against It at http://www.theind.com , comment 1 to 18 out of 18 comments http://www.theind.com Wed, 22 May 2013 21:40:18 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22251 We all have history wouldn't you agree? What happend to good ole Town Hall Debates? I would love to see these 3 individuals in a debate talking to the voters of there district, answering questions from the voters of those districts, while sharing thier ideas on how they plan to move there districs forward while maintaining integrity and patience....????????? - " JUSTICE ' Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:37:01 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22227 Hardly too busy cutting Joey's Lawn... - Heavy one Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:22:45 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22180 beheard: Hardy won DESPITE!! Durel!! Give the people credit for knowing the once-in-a-lifetime appearance was a joke and just a set up for future concessions, which, Hardy thankfully knows he does not owe!! Hardy is on the trail of corruption and doing a fine job of clearing it out. His opponents will destroy themselves with greed. - realitycheck Sun, 18 Sep 2011 21:12:50 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22155 yesidoknow, Hardy won because Emperor Durel led an all out campaign against Chris Williams. For instance, the man was shaking hands at the Northside Wal Mart with Hardy; probably his first and only visit there. With that being said, Hardy is a "tap-dancing clown", who seeks to destroy anyone who is a threat to him becoming a FULL TIME lawn cleaner and house washer. - beheard Sat, 17 Sep 2011 21:57:55 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22154 Williams, Pierre and others of that ilk, and there are many of that ilk. - NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN Sat, 17 Sep 2011 20:59:43 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22090 @nononsense, This is the exact kind of attack that Chris Williams, Wilfred Pierre and others of that ilk attempted on Rickey Hardy in the last election. It failed then, it will fail again. When Hardy wins again, it may be time for the old political players to leave town. - yesidoknow Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:48:31 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22088 I think Rickey truly wanted to take part in the debate, I feel the debate organizers dropped the ball. They should have gotten Mr. Hardy the following things: 1. a translator 2. paper and crayons 3. Webster's dictionary 4. a direct line to Stoshak to get answers - nononsense Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:21:46 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22040 "Firstly, Porsha was in a junior staff position at DHAP and was doing exactly as she was instructed by her superiors." The "I was just following orders" defense is the last refuge of cowards and liars. Both Beatrice "Porcha Evans" Wilson and Handwerk seem to fit that mold quite well. - Old Paint Thu, 15 Sep 2011 07:01:13 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22033 Well, I really don't read the obscure news rag called the independent, I read the "Dependent" wich is more truthful. - Brother J Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:17:48 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22029 Maybe true about AOC's viewership but the important issue is that our community doesn't get an uncensored, unfiltered-face-the-public look at any candidate without AOC - no commercial media will handle it. When a candidate can't face the questions in a public forum (like AOC or whatever leaves their words untouched) the voters lose. Then again they lose if they vote-bad choices abound, some play games, some play media and they all play the voters - holeinthedonut8 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:54:14 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22018 I am not worried. No one with a brain watches AOC. - Gunga Din Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:10:38 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22014 “Up Against - Himself…” Stephen Handwerk, Executive Producer of Acadiana Debates takes issue with Walter Pierce’s One-sided OpEd “In my role as Executive Producer of these programs (I was chosen by the Lafayette Democratic Executive Committee and Acadiana Progressives to lead this effort with my experience with AOC, knowing the rules, policies and what I believe to be my standing in the community) I feel I must respond to this column. “Walter Pierce took to the pages of The Independent today to help Representative lie to his constituents in what is likely the first, most certainly not the last, campaign stunt by the incumbent. “From the start we have placed in safeguards to assure that NO candidate was going to be ganged up on, abused or targeted. In fact NONE of the questions we are posing to the candidates are personal in nature. The only time a challenge or “follow up” question is given is when a candidate doesn’t answer a question… or if we know what the candidate is saying is false (such as voting records or statements made in public). Acadiana Debates is being attended by the furthest Left of the Democrats and the furthest Right of the Republicans in the districts we have chosen to host. Why else would Don Menard or Anthony Emmons choose to attend? Clearly our group is not likely to agree with much of these candidates but they were adult enough to come to our forum and tell us how they would legislate – something all candidates for office, yes even incumbents, should have to do. “To the claim that Representative Hardy makes that Miss Porsha Evans (Her radio name)/Beatrice Wilson may have an axe to grind with him and he brings up her past crimes. Firstly, Porsha was in a Junior staff position at DHAP and was doing exactly as she was instructed by her superiors. Secondly, the allegation with regard to her past problems with drug abuse. These crimes all happened well over 15 years or more ago. I have known Porsha Evans for the better part of this decade, one in which she has done little but try to improve the community for ALL OF US – to bring help to those who need it. As for her past… I ask the kind readers here – When has someone paid their debt for mistakes of the past? Does what she did more than a decade ago haunt her for the rest of her life so that she can’t work anywhere? Does she no longer have the right to participate in civil discourse? NOT once did Representative Hardy OR his Legislative Assistant J.P. Stoshak EVER voice any complaint, concern or even mention Miss Evans to me. “Finally I think the larger issue is simply this. Representative Rickey Hardy lied to his constituents when he confirmed with us that he was going to attend the event. And The Independent helped him perpetuate this lie. Clearly if the Representative had issues with any of the members directly involved with this production we would have substituted them out. A prime example of this is – Miss Evans worked for several years for the State Senator Don Cravins. Since he is running for that senate seat, she will not be on the panel during that forum. This was a decision made by us weeks ago. “But at the end of the day what we have here is a political stunt. One that voters are tired of… why are the tired of them? Because it doesn’t’ help educate one child. It doesn’t help fill one pot hole, it doesn’t put one person back to work or create one job. What could have been solved by one phone call, man to man, from Representative Hardy sharing his concerns so that we could have had a real debate – was lost for this stunt that was in the making for well over a week. So I ask you? Was it worth it? There are no other debates that we know of happening for this race. The incumbent will largely go unchallenged and not have to answer the questions the voters have. Perhaps come election day, then MR. Hardy will have wished he handled this differently and not as a game.” In full disclosure, Stephen Handwerk serves in many roles that intersect with this project. He serves on the Louisiana Democratic Party’s Executive Committee, State Party Central Committee, Lafayette Parish Democratic Executive Committee, Founder of Louisiana Stonewall Democrats and is currently the Board President of AOC. This release he is speaking clearly for himself from the position of Executive Producer and NOT on behalf of any of the organizations he is currently associated with, SAVE the Acadiana Debates. - Stephen Handwerk Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:14:53 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22011 Glad that The Independent exposed this dog and pony show. Rep. Hardy shouldn't have to tell the Lafayette Democratic Executive Committee about any objections to Porsha Evans. She already been exposed as a convicted felon, but they still chose her as a questioner. It appears that Rep. Hardy's opponents - both Jones and Pierre - don't want accountability in schools or corruption exposed. They want the old-school politicians to get back in power so the that crooked business practices that landed their supporters under criminal investigations will continue. Remember Wilfred Pierre's sham tutoring center and the LHA debacle. - yesidoknow Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:50:06 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22010 " Plenty of questionable action by all involved, including the Independent." Hear, hear! Wise words indeed. - ragin_cajun Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:49:41 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22009 Ragin......Obviously there's more than one problem, don't try to make this a one way issue, Progressive, conservative or showboat they're all playing games. Plenty of questionable action by all involved, including the Independent. - holeinthedonut8 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:14:08 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22001 "Acadiana Progressive and the Lafayette Parish Democratic Executive Committee" hosted this debate. And they got a convicted criminal to moderate it. That tells you exactly where the Dems and Progressives are at, doesn't it. " theft, drug possession, battery and drug distribution"...but the problem in all this is that Ricky Hardy is a showboat? - ragin_cajun Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:12:43 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-22000 holeinthedonut8, your post was edited. We have no proof that your allegation of arrest is accurate. - Leslie Turk Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:51:52 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/9001-up-against-it#comment-21998 I'd bet a million dollars that if Hardy had called the debate organizers and said "I can't answer questions from a criminal" and "I'll only attend the debates if there's a more objective questioner" the producer of the debates would have made changes. This Evans woman has been involved in politics for years, she's clearly a political opponent of Hardy's and he has every right to ask that someone else handle the debate. His reasonable argument turned into an opportunity to showboat, so the the showboat took the opp and ignored his constituents rights to hear his answers to the public's questions. Games - only games and the Independent is holding Ricky's hand while skipping along. No mention of Rickey's arrest for credit card theft?? - holeinthedonut8 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:35:52 +0100