Missy Crutchfield:CitizenWatchHCD Gives A Voice To Citizens - And Response (3)

  • Saturday, July 26, 2014
  • Missy Crutchfield
CitizenWatchHCD was launched to raise community awareness, to give voice to those who fear speaking out, and to “Speak Truth to Power” and work for Freedom and Democracy not just in other parts of the world like Israel and Palestine, and Egypt, but also right here in Chattanooga, Tn.

 Did you know? Top city officials are funding PACs, one of which is working to pass hotly debated city legislation, which is on the August 2014 ballot for voters to decide “yes” or “no.”

 Did you know? Local business people and residents say they are being threatened and feeling fear of retaliation if they disagree with the “Powers that Be,” even getting phone calls and being questioned if they “Like” a Facebook post that is not in favor of the heated Chattanooga Sound Ordinance debate and Track29 and Adam Kinsey’s Change.org petition.

 I have spent the last year working mainly on global issues, partnering with Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson to start the Gandhi Global Center for Peace, a virtual hub for education and community building furthering Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence and peace.

 But as I work on global issues, I have been keeping an eye on local issues in my hometown of Chattanooga, and i have been witnessing a growing culture of control, fear, and intimidation in Chattanooga that concerns me greatly.

 Starting off as Gandhi’s Be Magazine editor-in-chief and human rights activist I am raising some tough questions via my Facebook page that has developed into a forum where residents feel validated for voicing their questions and concerns.

 Some local residents have expressed they are fearful, since voicing concerns about issues that are affecting them and their communities to the administration and media. They have commented that as a result of speaking out, some levels of bullying have been experienced.

 This feedback and the need for a community voice asking the tough questions has birthed a new blog and Twitter feed, which can be found at www.medium.com/@CitizenWatchHCD and www.twitter.com/CitizenWatchHCD.

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Missy Crutchfield starting an online "Citizen Watch" webpage is baffling to me. At best, it's an attempt for attention.  At worst, it's retaliation against a new mayor and administration who did the right thing and eliminated her wasteful and grossly overpaid position.

Maybe Ms. Crutchfield has forgotten but she had her own long list of allegations during her time in city government, and they were more than just gossip and hearsay.  Starting a for-profit website on the taxpayer dollar and investigations by the city auditor of financial mishandling of the Tivoli and Memorial Auditorium petty cash account are both pretty serious charges. As the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported in 2012, the mismanagement of both auditoriums under Ms. Crutchfield's watchful eye cost the taxpayers an estimated $805,000 in just one year.

Call me crazy but I think in order for a citizen to start a Watchdog group, they should start by taking a serious look at the sins of their own administration.

Samantha White

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I don't live in Chattanooga anymore, I live outside of Memphis, but I always read this site to keep up with what's going on.

I clicked the link to the new Citizen Watch website to learn more about people feeling intimidated in Chattanooga and I think that's awful if it's the case. My granddaughter is being bullied online and she has been this entire summer. People write horrible things on her Facebook page and it has really hurt her and our family.

But looking at the Citizen Watch site, I honestly didn't see anything on the site that made me think that the city workers were bullying people. I think people disagree but everyone disagrees about some things.

I don't know Missy Crutchfield but it looks like she is some kind of celebrity in Chattanooga. But I did notice that she posted pictures on her website of city employees from what it looks like is their personal Facebook or myspace page. That is wrong and I think that's bullying if she didn't get their permission.

Mrs. Pat Walden

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Is it April Fools Day? Disgraced Ms. Crutchfield, daughter of disgraced Ward Crutchfield, is keeping an eye on the new city leaders for us? What?

What are her qualifications? A career in adult entertainment, an overpaid gig with the Worst Mayor Ever, Littlefield.

Take one look at her BE website (you know, the one us taxpayers paid for) and it's pretty obvious. This is a publicity stunt to get her face back out there in the spotlight. But seriously, what is she talking about? Taking a break from global issues? I really have no words. 


Marty Knowles 

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