Paul says his faith prevents him from attending;

Paul TenHaken This event was promoted before I had the opportunity to accept and my schedule does not allow for me to be there. The mayor’s office is a 24/7 job, but Sunday’s are for faith and family and not campaigning. I have had a chance to meet many of you over these past few months and I look forward to talking with all of you in the near future.

While I won’t defend Paul’s excuse, because I do not attend religious ceremonies on Sunday, I have a feeling he knew the piling on would occur. All the better for Loetscher I guess.

26 Thoughts on “TenHaken will not be attending Diversity Forum on Sunday

  1. I wonder if he has re-framed from doing anything campaign-related during all these past months he has been running for mayor.

    Looks to me like a cop-out!

    If elected, he is essentially making the statement that he will NOT represent ALL SF residents.

  2. Mayor Race on April 21, 2018 at 1:14 pm said:

    100% agree with Paul, if they want him there then do it another night. Sunday is for family and faith. One day off the campaign trail is a good healthy break.

  3. Or maybe they intentionally picked a Sunday?

  4. What if there is a severe blizzard on a Saturday and Sunday is the first day our City officials can gather to begin to clean up from the storm? Need we wait until Monday?

    I don’t mean to be cute, but as a fellow Christian some of the other faithful need to discover the “Good News” and get their heads out of the Old Testament.

    Although, I respect others’ religions or not as a politico, as a Christian, however, I encourage and challenge some of my brethren (men and women) to truly embrace the meaning of WWJD?…… What until Monday?

  5. D@ily Spin on April 21, 2018 at 2:13 pm said:

    Probably a good idea for TenHaken to pass on this one. Gets him points from the religious right. Sponsors are off the wall.

  6. My Mistake Mike on April 21, 2018 at 2:49 pm said:

    I wonder how he’ll handle conflicting schedules with Tuesday Council meetings vs his kid’s soccer game?

  7. My Mistake Mike on April 21, 2018 at 3:21 pm said:

    I just read his email turning down the forum. A bit condescending, and it NEVER mentions not campaigning on Sundays.

    PTH is running out of mulligans.

  8. What? on April 21, 2018 at 4:05 pm said:

    Reminds me of how the Dutch Mafia closed down everything but hours long church services in nw Iowa on Sunday.

  9. Oh, he’ll always be at the soccer games, because kids contribute too……

  10. Sioux Falls: The Next Colorado Springs?

  11. Zip it on April 21, 2018 at 6:39 pm said:

    The critical attacks on the Dutch and their beliefs reminds me of the anti-Catholic rhetoric before JFK became president. How many of you today would criticize a muslum running for office? It is time for a few of you men to apply a little tape on your lips.

  12. What? on April 21, 2018 at 6:51 pm said:

    JFK made strong pronouncements decrying the creeping of religion on affairs of state.

  13. I guess we must remind some once again, huh? I would also say that PTH’s comments in a recent FHA newsletter are in violation of what JFK once recommended, too:

    PTK, 2018

    http://fhaaction.org/sioux-falls-mayoral-candidate-survey/

    JFK, 1960

    “I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute – where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote – where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference – and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him.

    I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish – where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source – where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials – and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all.”

    John F Kennedy

    [Remarks to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, September 12 1960]

  14. Lemming on April 21, 2018 at 9:26 pm said:

    Create a thread…and Very Unstable Genius will answer himself over…and over…and over…and over…dude, get a hobby!

  15. Let’s be clear what happened here. They sent invites to all candidates on 4/8. Paul declined on 4/12 saying that he wanted to (A) focus on the televised debates and forums given the limited time of the run off campaign and (B) that he wanted to save Sundays for his family and church during the campaign. The group behind this event promoted it as a two candidate forum after Paul declined. Then they were only later outraged he wasn’t planning on coming.

    We ran a mayoral forum for 1 Million Cups in early March and made sure the candidates were coming before publicly announcing it. Our group of organizers were also supporters of multiple candidates and were from multiple political parties. This event appears to be largely organized by pro-Loetscher supporters and it’s unclear if Paul would have gotten a fair shake if he did participate.

  16. Zip It on April 21, 2018 at 10:46 pm said:

    I am not talking about what JFK said. I am referring to the large amount of the anti-Catholic rhetoric out in the public, among the average citizens, against JFK because of his religion.
    And I am not catholic or Dutch. Furthermore, I do not know either Paul or Jo.

  17. MP- exactly what I said. A piling on.

    But this is often your best opportunity to prove people wrong. In the face of diversity, face diversity.

  18. Zip It,

    JFK never brought it on. PTH has, however, with his FHA newsletter comments.

  19. Lemming,

    I appreciate the constructive criticism. I have many hobbies. One of them is reading your comments. And I especially love it when a hobby is hysterically entertaining. 😉

  20. In the email he mentioned a couple things. Limiting commitments to 1. Broadest audience 2. Viewership 3. Diversity will be discussed by other run off events. Than he kindly gives thanks for the invitation.
    So despite the several coalition coming willing to hear him out he says y’all are too few, you don’t have media reach and I’ll discuss diversity with others that fulfill those requirements.
    I wish he would have asked to 1. Reschedule 2. Mentioned his beliefs or 3. at a minimum invite the group to his Saturday event where he sat down with a few individuals last minute in an attempt to do damage control where he specifically invited individuals he knew are voting for him. He never sent an invite to the rest of those willing to hear him out. Last, if he did ask to reschedule as one individual mentioned, why hasn’t no one step up and said “I personally spoke to … and asked this individual to reschedule.” Is there an email or a person to provide proof of the reschedule request? No there isn’t, why because they’ll say anything to do damage control.

  21. TenHaken has had to do a lot of damage control:

    Began his campaign by saying, if elected he would focus on those under 40.

    Endorsed by a church.

    Accepts thousands of dollars from crony, Eric McDonald, in the name of McDonald’s children.

    Refuses to attend a Mayoral Forum focused on diversity.

    Past behavior is predictive of future behavior.

    When someone says something to you the first time, believe it.

    This is enough for me to vote “NO” for TenHaken on May 1st.

  22. Warren Phear on April 22, 2018 at 10:38 am said:

    Public service and religion? The two should never, ever mix. There is a very compelling reason for the seperation of church and state. More on that later. I also strongly believe in separation of the work place environment, and employee choices in life when off the clock. How many here have worked for a boss or company that “encourages” TOGETHER time off the clock? Whether it’s drinks at the company watering hole, company team activities, or bible study groups, it is always, always a bad idea. Nothing good ever comes from them. Those that buy the boss a drink at that favorite watering hole, cheerlead the loudest at the company softball game, or quote their favorite bible verse in a publicly owned meeting room, are doing two things. They are kissing a$$, and taking valuable time away from their own families.

    This is the type of environment ten haken will cultivate.

  23. Fluff McFluffin on April 22, 2018 at 10:40 am said:

    L3wis, a piling on to face the diversity? Like anything any conservative says will ever change the mind of a liberal, let alone a group of liberals come together. Since we are being all religiousy, let’s not forget how Jesus was able to face his critics in the temples. How did that turn out? Before everyone comes of the rails, PTH is not Jesus and his message is not important like Jesus’ was. I’m just saying.

  24. Rachel on April 23, 2018 at 2:42 pm said:

    Well, I guess at least Paul is “open” to “diversity” regarding the age of his donors.

  25. Rachel on April 23, 2018 at 2:45 pm said:

    Also, pay attention to those who only do/say the “right” thing when it’s being televised or broadcast in mass.

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