I suspect that the number of anonymous posters to this site is contained to a small handful of people, all of the same persuasion, I am assigning any comment I might have on them to this post and the subsequent list of comments.
It is a shame that a good question was posed this afternoon to a previous post. I would like to include it with the post mentioned, but alas. It is sent by someone who wants to remain anonymous. Too bad.. it was a good question.
Michael Rowland
A person writes to complain that they are mad that this site isn't an open place to post. I counter with the same assertion others have made in public that comments worthy of debate are signed, unless a fear of retribution would occur in doing so. To date, not one comment has been posted anonymously that did would fall under that category.
ReplyDeletePeople need not fear retribution for saying what they believe. If you can't put your name on it, then I suppose that it has a value attendant to its messenger.
ummm....what criteria do you use to decide if a comment is worthy of debate? Can we at least debate your criteria? Just asking.
ReplyDeleteThe postings are usually from my observations. I have solicited for ideas and stories of interest from others, or people can go out, do some research and present a subject for posting here. If someone is truly interested in presenting a different view than the one I have, it must be clear, based on facts and not personally attack anyone who is the subject of the proposed post.
ReplyDeleteYou cannot debate my criteria, because they are mine alone. Why would you want to debate a set of criteria with facts and reason (my argument), vs. something other than that?
Secondly, why would you want to debate criteria behind your cloak of anonymity? Certainly, arguing the rules for a debate isn't something you fear your job or community standing over, now is it?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteThese are facts: you are asking for debate and strangling the voices before they can speak. You want civil debate? Too bad. With the good must come the bad. I invite you, sir, to grow a pair, and let your reason be tested the only wait it can be - by facing down people that do not share your views.
People are easily scared by rumor. And the rumor is that jobs, livlihoods, and perhaps ways of life are on the line. We live with a corrupt form of government on at least one level, and that is a fact a person cannot deny.
If you want people to speak, let them speak. If you don't, shut off the option to comment. It is as though you already have, until you have a point to prove.
While you trumpet your tolerence of debate, you post none of the opposing side's comments, and I must assume there are at least a few.
Why are you afraid to defend your opinions against true debate?
Hariot,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all you are posting under a psuedonym. As such no other postings you send will make it to the pages of this pub. People have spoken for and against my positions. I have nothing to fear from debate, but as Ibs Young calls out, along with a majority of people at the City Council meeting last week, the fact that they choose not to put their name on their postings means their comments are not terribly important to the readers.
Someone (who will not reveal their name) has alleged conduct that raises to the level of a crime has occurred in one of the City Departments and I cannot publish the details without confirmation. The charge would destroy the career of the named person and frankly, I believe in innocent until proven guilty.
If you have something to say, please put your actual name to it. If I cannot confirm your identity, don't bother posting. I have multiple posts as comments that are waiting someone to put their name on it.
You do not know me very well if you think I lack the courage to stand and debate my positions in public. I turn your argument back upon you and invite your to show your own, "pair."
Last night I received two comments via anonymous posters. One was a threat and the other one questioned whether or not I am in, or should be considered "media."
ReplyDeleteThe threat was that the radio station or newspaper might like to have the contents of a police report involving vandalism of my property several years ago, while I was out of town. The report says more about the person who did it, rather than me. A threat, but not much of one.
The issue of considering myself media is a fair question. I look at the available offerings for news and viewpoint in this town and I see little choice. Many of you know me and know I will speak my mind. There are a lot of people who do not get represented here because they don't advertise or they are not part of the "chosen." By chosen, I mean those aligned with certain businesses or political people.
My original purpose was to present a contrarian view of things that were going on. No one cared when I talked about national issues, but when I talked about the choices that our local government made, all the knives came out. I have said that I don't hold any axe to grind against any member of the city government personally. I do have problems with the way they allocate tax dollars and for that, I don't deserve to be threatened or ridiculed. It is a difference of opinion and majority wins.
It is clear to me that City Council wants to go a particular direction and a group of people want to preserve the status quo. That group has set about clanging drums and beating pots with so much fervor that it is stifling any form of debate. I am willing to see what the City Manager and the City Council come up with. In the end, they will come up with something and the public will be allowed to participate fully.
I would like to point out that an anonymous comment was inadvertently passed through and made public on this site. It was particularly nasty and frankly was not intended to be made public for reasons I have previously detailed.
ReplyDeleteThe comment has been removed and I would like to thank the two people who brought it to my attention.