WASHINGTON; 8:15 Following a crowd of protesters, Mayor Owen Shen left his Fremont office early, trailed by a string of taunts and jeers. Hes not one of us. He shouldnt be the one in charge. He doesnt know what its like to skip meals and live on the streets. By far the most vocal critic of Shen, Humza Khan speaks openly about his dislike for the Mayor. Though born in Fremont, Shen left the city to study abroad before its rapid urbanization and subsequent economic distress. Studying law at Cambridge, the Mayor quickly ascended the social echelons in the UK, and became a well-known and affable political figure. The town he returned to was not the amiable suburbs of his youth. Scraped raw by ambitious construction projects, high-rises tower over the busy streets, and poverty is rampant. Well-armed and educated, Owen was the popular choice to bring order back to a city gone to seed. Backed by a host of supportive voters, Shen quickly won the election--but soon lost the people. Following his rise, his drastic measures to implement reform have been met with some apprehension, even by some die-hard liberals. Im not sure what he thinks hes accomplishing by doing all these measures. If Shen wants any hope of reelection, hes going to have to cut back these changes. The people cant deal with change coming this fast, Michelle Huang, a political analyst for the New York Times. After a demonstration outside his office last week, protesters once again gathered today and rose a racket, drawing a crowd of curious onlookers to the scene. It should be worth noting, however, that Shens ambitious policies have not entirely contributed to his disgraced public image. Since his entrance into office, poverty in Fremont has hit a decade low, and his Helping Hand Act has provided over 100,000 residents with the means to support themselves. Still, things do not appear to look up for Shen in the near future. Khan is sure a suitable candidate will surface next election. We want someone like us-- someone who will not bring too much change. We want things to be good and stable, and someone will come. *Boy, was this fun to write.
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 04:00:13 +0000
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