I was born and raised right here in Whitehall Ohio. I was raised neither particularly religious nor particularly gung-ho/rah-rah American (and yet, my family has been here and helped to build this country up before it was even America). In my travels and using my brain to figure things out, I had to come upon my own perceptions and understandings of those concepts as I stumbled upon them. Neither had been forced on me or given me by others. What and how I feel about these two topics are what I worked out on my own as an adult with independent, critical thinking skills. The results of which are my own private business. However…

My appreciation and love for this country and in particular, those who serve, have been assailed by the Mayor’s husband, Alex ‘Rusty’ Maggard in a venomous letter dropped off at citizens homes in Ward 1, done so to entreat them to vote for their pal, the four-term- worst-absentee-record-16-year-seat-filler-council-rep, Chris Rodriguez. He used his time in the letter to suggest my critical viewpoints and assessments of my elected public servant, Mayor Kim Maggard, were actually attacks on his family, and went further with that line of reasoning to suggest that if I attacked his family, well, then yours will be next (Your non-elected, non-public official/private citizen family!). I take great exception to his insinuation and line of reasoning because it fails to consider 1) my own family’s sacrifice and 2) one of America’s strongest and most crucial rights; the 1st Amendment, that which gives us our right and freedom to criticize our elected officials, something we couldn’t do with King George III. Mr. Maggard concludes then that any attack on his wife (the Mayor of Whitehall) is actually an attack on his family, but, here’s the thing; I didn’t criticize his wife or any of her family members who have served, I criticized my mayor. Who she’s married to, what her family situation was or is, is none of my affair, something Mr. Maggard failed to include (for his and her benefit) in his blindered endorsement of Mr. Rodriguez. So, I respond.

The photo to the left is myself and my Grandniece Caitlyn at the Daughters of the American Revolution museum just a stone’s throw from the White House in D.C. where my 9th Great-Grandparents, Ludwig and Berta Haricourt Keim’s wedding box is kept. That which their Great-Grandson, Johannes Keim, brought to America in the early 1700’s when he helped found the Oley Valley in Berks County PA. My family has been in this country at least 300 years, if not longer. We have built up and worked hard to make this country great as it is today. My Great, Great, Great Grandfather, James Solley, was a part of the GAR, Grand Army of the Republic in the Civil War.

Ph. Mate 2nd class Kenneth L. Dixon US NAVY

This is my Father and Uncle, his brother, Johnny. Both served this country with honor in World War II. My Father was lucky to be one of the survivors. His little brother was not so lucky. After his battalion (the 28th) helped liberate Paris, he went on to penetrate the Siegfried Line, entering Germany near Aachen. He was blown up in a foxhole near Harspelt Germany on Sept. 14, 1944. His remains were buried in the Burgermeister’s yard and were later disinterred by U.S. troops claiming the dead. He is doubtless interred in a mass grave in Luxemborg (no one is certain), but that is where his name is inscribed on a column at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Belgium. He never made it home, dead at 20, his remains never visited in Europe, his family unable to afford such a                                                                                        luxury.

PFC John W. Dixon US Army

The plinth at Henri-Chapelle where his name is inscribed

My Uncle John’s only memorial

While living in Los Angeles, I contacted the Defense Dept. and inquired about the circumstances of my Uncle’s death. Not only did I find out what the details were but I also learned he had a memorial and that he had been posthumously awarded several medals his Mother or brother knew nothing about, outside of the flag and Purple Heart they’d received. As it turned out, he’d also been awarded the Bronze Star and the World War II Victory medal. I found out there was a concern where you could order these for families that had either lost or never received them. I ordered them and in 2010 or so I assembled everything in a memorial box and presented them to my nephew Kyle, the only new generation male Dixon. I took great pride and care to keep Johnny’s flag that my father entrusted to me and made sure everything regarding John’s earthly artifacts be safely and soundly ordered and passed on.

My brother Tim and I holding John’s flag aloft before folding it into the memorial box.

The presentation with my nephew Kyle and Johnny’s cousin Bob who knew Johnny as a kid. I had Bob present it to Kyle as a living continuum from John to Kyle.

Proudly protesting tyranny at John Bishop Park with a friend and a Whitehall Vietnam vet

Then there is this post where I called out Whitehall officials and defended a Vietnam veteran who was, essentially, harassed out of his home by the city’s code enforcement department. I spent hours and hours trying to help Dave Deluca against the city’s onslaught but they’re too big to fight with so few people engaged in the battle.

https://votedixon.com/2015/11/01/the-petty-tyranny-of-whitehall-code-enforcement-part-four/

Then there was the harassment of Navy veteran Tom Mentzer, a Whitehall native of 60-some years who was, again, the target and focus of Whitehall Code Enforcement. That is recounted in this blog post:

https://votedixon.com/2015/09/21/the-petty-tyranny-of-whitehall-code-enforcement-part-one/

At the end of the post I tie it all up (with new additions here) into the very essence of the problem with code enforcement and exactly how it dishonors veteran’s service to our country, no matter whose family you’re in.

Code Enforcement is, in part, used as a weapon against:
The fearful and timid
The poor
Those ignorant of law

This is done to:
“Make the city look nice”
Exert authoritarian control
Chase out ‘undesirables’
Maintain property values
Standardize the populace for business and corporate approval (as opposed to the other way around)

It is hostile to:
Freedom and Liberty…
…which disrespects veterans and dishonors their service and sacrifice.

This is why I called my mayor out. Her policies in certain areas ultimately dishonor and disrespect that service of all who have served; in my family, in your family and astoundingly, hers as well. SMH

She said this in a Council Committee meeting

There are things I would like to say to Mr. Maggard, on behalf of my Uncle John and others, but I won’t say them here. I would merely suggest to the First Gentleman of Whitehall that he do some homework and understand what exactly the 1st amendment entails and what great and time-honored value open criticism of elected public officials has in our Democracy, that which all of our loved ones who have served did so to protect. It is Mayor Maggard’s efforts to harm those freedoms fought so valiantly for which deserve the full and proper gaze of Whitehall voters, not my having criticized her for it.