Wednesday Rewind:
Original Publication Date: September 2006
Following an open vote one week ago, the Archons of the Park have commissioned a monument to honour George Livingstone Barnaby Cuthbert (Jor), The Park’s first leader.
Volunteers who worked at the polling stations reported an “overwhelming” turnout last week.
“I’ve never seen so many come out to vote on a non-political issue,” said Priscilla Porcupine, head of the volunteer force that organized and monitored the vote.
“It’s a measure of the great esteem in which Jor was held — and still is—and of the Animals’ debt of gratitude to him,” said Sierpinski Squirrel, whose accounting firm, A. Corn and Partners, was chosen to perform the tally of votes.
The final figures were released yesterday at noon. To no one’s surprise, the vote indicated that Park residents are unanimously in favour of permanently honouring the Animal who brought peace and prosperity to The Park.
In addition, observers said, the vote proved that Jor’s popularity cut across all lines of species and sex.
“I would say that it proves beyond the shadow of a doubt,” said Camilla Camel, “that Jor was a leader of all Animals and not just of a few Animals.”
The statue, which sources say will be placed near the Water Clock in The Park, will be designed in the shape of a Cat seated atop a throne. Critics of the design say that Jor would not have wanted to be remembered as “regal” but, rather, as more of a “common” leader.
“But there was nothing common about Jor,” said one Archon, who described Jor as “a visionary leader,” who saw the possibilities of zoocracy long before anyone else did.
Born of humble tabby stock outside The Park, Jor was the first to bring the principles of anticipatory zoocracy to The Park. In addition, he was responsible for the introduction of commerce here and, in 7 AZ (1989), he instituted the first Park Commission on Interspecial Relations. Under his leadership, The Park flourished. He died of natural causes in 17 AZ (1999).
