For all our articles on free Iron Bowl tickets for Alabama public officials click here.
FOR LARGER IMAGE OF AD CLICK HERE
From Jim Metrock:
This ad is running in the Birmingham News today, October 27, and on Sunday, October 31.
Why spend $2,400 on these ads? Because it’s a cheap way to get the message to a lot of people. However, the biggest reason is there is a chance that Alabama citizens will change Dr. Witt’s mind and he will redirect these tickets to children’s charities. If he does, that could mean nearly a half million dollars could be raised for great causes. That would be a lot of bang for the buck.
This ad had to be finalized a few days. Since that time there has been a report that this year’s average Iron Bowl ticket price has skyrocketed much higher than I state in the ad.
Please consider downloading the PDF file of this ad and email it to friends. You can also email them this link to the ad: https://obligation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/This-has-to-stop-1027101.pdf Please distribute widely.
I have written all legislative candidates and asked them to write Dr. Witt and refuse the tickets. I asked them to send me a copy of their email. Some have, but the vast majority of them have not responded or have said they will keep accepting the tickets. I was hoping that if a large portion of candidates would be rejecting the tickets that would cause the University (and Auburn next year) to end this unseemly practice. That’s not going happen. As always, the people of Alabama have to overcome the burden of our elected and appointed officials. The fat cats won’t voluntarily walk away from these expensive gifts. That’s why Alabama citizens need to speak up.
Some say this is a minor issue. I agree. In the world we live in this is an extremely minor issue. Yet if public officials feel no ethical problem with receiving – very openly – an envelope stuffed with expensive tickets, what else might they feel they are entitled to when no one is looking?
Think about this: There are many first-time candidates running this year. If elected they are automatically added to the free Iron Bowl ticket list. They will be elected on November 2 and almost immediately they will receive the envelope with at least 2 free tickets to the Iron Bowl and a parking pass. (BTW There are no restrictions on the tickets. They can sell the tickets on eBay and pocket the money.) The universities are introducing these public servants to the concept of using a public office to personally enriching themselves. That’s just wrong.
Stopping this one giveaway may, just may, help move us a little closer to ending the current culture of political entitlement in our great state.
