tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post114657952339437746..comments2023-10-11T05:17:09.763-04:00Comments on Athens Politics: ChuckUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1149461483158475302006-06-04T18:51:00.000-04:002006-06-04T18:51:00.000-04:00PLEASE do not associate Chuck Jones with the Colle...PLEASE do not associate Chuck Jones with the College Republicans. Jason Winders was mistaken in his analogy; we do not support or endorse Mr. Jones in this race in any official capacity whatsoever. We believe in integrity and honesty in all cases, as well as open and above-board tactics.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1148756801635671452006-05-27T15:06:00.000-04:002006-05-27T15:06:00.000-04:00I always thought that most of the Commissioners we...I always thought that most of the Commissioners were very good at blowing smoke. Oh well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1148670379811325722006-05-26T15:06:00.000-04:002006-05-26T15:06:00.000-04:00Pursuant to Elton Dodson's public smoking ordinanc...Pursuant to Elton Dodson's public smoking ordinance, the "smoky back room of the Internet" is now a smoke-free zone.Cufflink Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14800684128912206226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1148668220692670162006-05-26T14:30:00.000-04:002006-05-26T14:30:00.000-04:00Alrighty I'm back, let's see what I missed.Anonymo...Alrighty I'm back, let's see what I missed.<BR/><BR/>Anonymous - the Interfraternity Council would likely have those statistics. Every fraternity and sorority I know has adopted at least one highway in Athens. (Someone needs to adopt those streets in Cobbham though). In fact, at the April Commission meeting, immediately after hearing a bunch of people stereotype fraternities with hateful comments, Mayor Heidi Davison made a proclamation concerning Kappa Alpha Psi and their adopt-a-highway efforts.<BR/><BR/>JMAC - the point I am trying to make is that the fraternity in question was following all the rules, and then suddenly had the rules changed on them, AFTER they paid $750,000 for their house. Now, I will bet anything that they had already contacted Planning and were told that everything was ok - no one would spend that much money without checking on something like that first - and then, after they had already been told "unofficially" that everything was good, THEN they had the rules changed on them. <B>Changing the rules in the middle of the game is not ethical.</B><BR/><BR/>Charles R - I think that instead of putting our focus toward judging our neighbors, we should put our focus toward working with them to be <I>good</I> neighbors. Sure, the easier thing to do is to judge and stereotype. It is easy to do that on both fronts - for example, I heard of one fraternity who gave their neighbors $100 gift certificates to the Basil Press when they were going to have a party - the neighbors would go to dinner at about 5, get back at 7, then call the police. Would it be easy to paint all of the fraternities' neighbors as these horrible people who would do something like that? Easy, yes. Fair, no. I have never been satisfied with what was <I>easy</I>, I am interested in doing what is <I>right</I>. <BR/><BR/>Right, to me, is sitting down and having a dialogue - not using the power of the government but just sitting down as potential neighbors and trying to reach out. Just as Patrick suggested. Kappa Alpha, for one, has done that in my opinion. They have gone to all of those hate-filled meeting at the Hill Street church, they have given out magnets with numbers on it to call if the noise from the house gets too loud, etc. And they have cancelled their party, which they had every right to have, as an olive branch to try and show that they can be good neighbors. Has this mattered? I submit that it has not. The neighbors will not listen - they have already made a pre-judgment. And it is very difficult to get past one's prejudices.<BR/><BR/>Patrick - hearing and approval was not required. The fraternity was perfectly within the zoning law to locate in that area, no special use permit or zoning variance was required. THEN they had the rules changed on them. Again, changing the rules in the middle of the game, especially after someone has already paid close to a million dollars for their house, is unethical.<BR/><BR/>Let me say one final thing - I have discovered why the Cobbham people were so angry with me about making up a pseudonym to get on their list. If any of you are reading this, let me just say that I did not intend for it to go that far. I did not intend to seize upon your emotions - I'm sorry. I am not sorry for trying to get into the smoky back room of the Internet to find out what hateful things were being said, and I am not sorry about doing whatever I have to do in order to see that fairness prevails in this case. But I am sorry that it got so far and that your emotions were involved. For that I apologize. I only intended to use a pseudonym and put up a story to make it believable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147162421768511402006-05-09T04:13:00.000-04:002006-05-09T04:13:00.000-04:00No, I've been otherwise occupied with more serious...No, I've been otherwise occupied with more serious things. I will respond sometime soon I promise.<BR/><BR/>Most people here raised at least marginally reasonable points. And I would love the opportunity to comment more on them. Just give me a little bit of time until the cases I am working on settle down.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147132641597717252006-05-08T19:57:00.000-04:002006-05-08T19:57:00.000-04:00No more Chuck? Were dick's comments the straw tha...No more Chuck? Were dick's comments the straw that broke the camels back?GPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04295384614831150528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147099996914503872006-05-08T10:53:00.000-04:002006-05-08T10:53:00.000-04:00Here's a second for Hillary's excellent question a...Here's a second for Hillary's excellent question above - perhaps the answer was buried in the details of the myriad subsequent posts . . .<BR/><BR/>The Greeks seem to stay focused on Children's Miracle Network and Make a Wish etc. for their big-push charitable fund-raising efforts. Any statistics available about what they do on a local level (besides adopting highways - all jokes about DUI community service aside . . .)?<BR/><BR/>One could argue that the transient relationship students have with Athens not only makes it impossible for guys like Chuck to mobilize their vote, but keeps their charity focused on broader issues than those specific to the local community.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147094200681949552006-05-08T09:16:00.000-04:002006-05-08T09:16:00.000-04:00This would make for an excellent podcast. Just say...This would make for an excellent <A HREF="http://www.gapodcastnetwork.com/" REL="nofollow">podcast</A>. Just sayin'...Amber Rheahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02109708537597646450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147089237034953122006-05-08T07:53:00.000-04:002006-05-08T07:53:00.000-04:00Chuck? Misleading?Bite your tongue, sir!Chuck? Misleading?<BR/><BR/>Bite your tongue, sir!Cufflink Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14800684128912206226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147087588492609502006-05-08T07:26:00.000-04:002006-05-08T07:26:00.000-04:00So you're saying that all the "t's" were crossed, ...<I>So you're saying that all the "t's" were crossed, the "i's" dotted, they had the permits in place and signed, and the County was OK with everything right up until the Commissioner and the Cobbham group got invovled?</I><BR/><BR/>From what I remember, the only fraternity to be affected by this process was the one which <I>hadn't</I> finished with the processing and completing of the appropriate procedures. One of the things both Alan Redish and Bill Berryman kept repeating was that if the commission did choose to wait on the moratorium, it would do no good for the fraternities contemplating the move since they would have already completed all the necessary paperwork.<BR/><BR/>Some fraternities <I>were</I> affected, but everything wasn't finalized. But another <I>was not</I> because it had finished its necessary work for the move. Hence the 'urgency' behind David Lynn's action.<BR/><BR/>It's lousy either way in my book, but to suggest the commission is completely trampling over the rule of law and procedure, as Chuck may be alluding to, is misleading.Jmachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13949705691074218937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147061765325233022006-05-08T00:16:00.000-04:002006-05-08T00:16:00.000-04:00I think Patrick makes a very good point there: if ...I think Patrick makes a very good point there: if the moratorium's ostensible purpose is to give the public a voice, then "thepublic" also includes fraternities, who are either immediately or indirectly affected by the moratorium, and who are then tasked with presenting themselves as the responsible and considerate citizens of a community they are claimed to be.<BR/><BR/>Chuck, since my concerns from <A HREF="http://athenspolitics.blogspot.com/2006/03/registering-student-voters-myth.html" REL="nofollow">before</A> went unaddressed, perhaps you can respond, or not, to a much simpler version of them. As I understand the "one link chain" argument, an acceptable discrimination of <I>any</I> kind opens us up to <I>any</I> discrimination of acceptable kinds (it's a shift in modality), so if we are to stand firm against discrimination, we must stand firm at the first signs of it. You've also linked together bigotry with discrimination, along with prejudice. These words all seem to refer to the same kind of judgment. So, here's my question: is there <I>ever</I> a time when one's experiences gained over time can be used to make a judgment about someone or something? And, if one's long-standing impression from many and repeated encounters with some groups of people is either negative or positive, can one make such a judgment?<BR/><BR/>It seems like nobody is permitted to say or think negative things, at all, about fraternities, because this leads to undemocratic governance being made acceptable (is this, in the end, what the complaint is?). And nobody is permitted this <I>even if the reasons for why a person makes such negative judgments are warranted</I>. Are there, ever, warranted reasons to make negative judgments about certain fraternities? Speaking for myself, I have had very few positive and very many negative experiences in my interactions with the fraternities that seem, to me, to be more directly affected with the moratorium at this time. But earlier it was insinuated that I was like a grumpy old man who calls the cops at the drop of a hat. Like, but not is. And you yourself admit that there are certain occasions when you had negative experiences. But you also claim that there are more rewarding experiences, such as the benefits to the local community provided by the charity of the fraternities.<BR/><BR/>It seems we have the formal structure, then, for an argument for why we should not have legislation making it a felony to be undocumented in the state of Georgia. Afterall, who is the more materially disadvantaged by the prejudice and bigotry of a community, the white fraternity brother or the latino poultry processor? Perhaps your sympathies in defeating the first link of a chain of bigotry begin when it is a fraternity brother being harassed for what he chooses to do with his ample freedom. My sympathies, and I think the sympathies of many, are with those who are already put under the weight of the chain itself. That is, I think, the problem here. You see a chain soon to be forged upon someone, and make that your public commitment, claiming that this will help those who are <I>already</I> weighed down and tied by the chain. It just isn't clear that helping fraternity brothers live together to party and study and drink and pray will make life for the Athens homeless and poor and dispossessed safer, healthier, more liveable, and more comfortable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147051769109699642006-05-07T21:29:00.000-04:002006-05-07T21:29:00.000-04:00Chuck, thanks for answering my question. Those an...Chuck, thanks for answering my question. Those answers, do, of course, lead to others.<BR/><BR/>You said: "<EM>[The fraternities] were perfectly within their rights - and they relied on that in paying $750,000 for their home. Then, the rules suddenly changed on them. I don't think that's a proper way to govern. Some might call it "bait and switch".</EM><BR/><BR/>So you're saying that all the "t's" were crossed, the "i's" dotted, they had the permits in place and signed, and the County was OK with everything right up until the Commissioner and the Cobbham group got invovled? I just don't buy it. I might be way off base here, but anytime a church, business, bar, restaurant or a large development of any kind moves into an area, there has to be a public hearing - whether everything is legally OK with code or not (at least that's the way it is in my neck of the woods). From my limited knowledge of zoning and code, no organization can just buy property and put up whatever they want without the input of the public.<BR/><BR/>If public hearings had already taken place, and all the residents of the area had already had their say, and the county had OK'd the construction <EM>before</EM> they enacted a moratorium, then you may have a case.<BR/><BR/>One thing that always struck me about the "smoky-room deals" with the County Commission was the fact that so many decisions were made without public input. But those always involved decisions allowing investment and construction. This is the first time I've heard of an action that stopped new construction from happening in order to <EM>give</EM> the public a chance to weigh in on an issue.<BR/><BR/>It would seem that the best way for Fraternities to handle it would be to speak with their neighbors and address their concerns directly.Cousin Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04445894373136726700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147015228698700252006-05-07T11:20:00.000-04:002006-05-07T11:20:00.000-04:00I was really skeptical about Chuck’s claims regard...I was really skeptical about Chuck’s claims regarding the impact Greeks have on the indigent in our town, so I decided to do some investigating. I contacted some very old and dear friends of mine who have been down on their luck for a few years now. They are Dan and Janice, two bums here in town. They know hardship all too well, trying to raise their infant twins on the mean streets. I knew where to find them: bum’s row, on College Avenue. As I approached, Dan pivoted on his single crutch, turning to me. I just stood there a moment, regarding him, regarding me. <BR/>“Dan, I need to ask you a question,” I said. “How do you feel about people in fraternities and sororities?” He smiled his lovable, crooked smile – the kind of smile you can only achieve after decades of near-missed opportunities. <BR/>“They are angels, sent from on high,” he said. “There’s this one fellow, his name is Tad. But to me, he will always be Sir Tad of Gwinnett. “ Dan then began to regale me with a tale of Tad’s magnificence. Just last night, Sir Tad passed by Dan’s way, stumbling to his Land Rover (Chariot of Fire, as Dan put it), after a well-deserved night of mirth and merriment. Dan offered a salutation. Sir Tad responded by hurling every last loose cent he had directly at Dan, yelling “Get a job, bum asshole!” I asked Dan, “How did that make you feel?” Dan responded, “If you had seen the pure zest and zeal of Sir Tad’s philanthropy, you would know I had no choice but to feel empowered to change my life.” Pretty moving stuff.<BR/>Janice had a lovely story of her own. “The other night,” she said, “Sir Skyler of East Cobb came upon our squatter’s hut. There must have been twenty of us bums just hanging around there. Well, Sir Skyler got the whole lot of us drunk with a single Schlitz. I’ll never forget that.”<BR/>So, Chuck, you win this one. We’ve got to keep those sainted frat boys happy. Not just for Dan, but for Janice and those poor twins.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147015088294608822006-05-07T11:18:00.000-04:002006-05-07T11:18:00.000-04:00Chuck, I stand with Patrick here and again say ......Chuck, I stand with Patrick here and again say ... what is this information you have? You've alluded to something uber-secret, but I don't know what it is. You call for us to cease focusing on how you got the information, but refuse to pass on said information so we can actually evaluate it and discuss it as you so passionately call for us to do.<BR/><BR/>Have we jumped on a bandwagon? If we did, it was one you were driving full-speed ahead. You haven't changed the story in a week, but instead offer confusing defenses of the Greeks (which, it must be noted, <I>none of us</I> have come out and supported the moratorium) and claim you're the one being persecuted, despite the fact that you haven't denied deceiving the public for your own personal gain (and what I mean by that is, quite frankly, to get elected).<BR/><BR/>Furthermore, not one person here has come out and said we won't elect you because you're a 'conservative' or 'Christian.' I may not be classified as holding to a conservative ideology, but I do consider myself to be a strong Christian and ardent defender of my faith.<BR/><BR/>Have I treated you with little respect? I think not. I think I gave you the benefit of the doubt, and <I>you're</I> the one who proceeded to trample all over us here by concocting a story you claim will bring light to a dark underside of government.<BR/><BR/>And what is that darkness? Is it that David Lynn acted foolishly and irresponsibly in getting the moratorium on the agenda? Well, for lack of a better term ... duh.<BR/><BR/>I covered that already <A HREF="http://safeashouses.blogspot.com/2006/02/fratty-fraterson.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>, and, again, no one - not even ardent defender of all things David Lynn, Hillary - is saying he was right in doing what he did.<BR/><BR/>Respect has to be earned, and the respect I initially held for you for having the gumption to post on a blog with a more Democratic slant than you began to evaporate when it was reported you engaged in this silly business about fabricating a family.<BR/><BR/>And, if I can offer a little advice to you, when you build your campaign around the notion that you want to give a voice to those shut out of the political process and challenge the powerful few who control this community, it's not a good idea to make your big splash in the area by backing the children of people who are, more often than not, the rich and powerful. There are plenty of disenfranchised voices in this community, and despite my serious concerns over this incident, I have no reason to believe you don't seriously <I>want</I> to help them. But, heed Andy's suggestion and let this lie.Jmachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13949705691074218937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147013829532430302006-05-07T10:57:00.000-04:002006-05-07T10:57:00.000-04:00"I do believe that in standing up on this issue I ..."I do believe that in standing up on this issue I am standing up for the poor in this community, those truly in need of charity. I would hate to see what would happen if all of the Greek philanthropy in Athens was taken to Oglethorpe or Oconee Counties."<BR/><BR/>How very condescending. Your premise that Greeks would take their charity work to bordering counties as a result of the moratorium is ridiculous. Due to your history of questionable methods of tracking down information, I find it doubtfull that Greek organizations have even communicated that intention to you.<BR/><BR/>Do you beleive that the community should be indebted to Greeks for the services they perform? Should the negative actions of Fraternities and Sororities be brushed aside because they do charity work? Give me a break. <BR/><BR/>There are better (more direct) ways that you can "stand up for the poor in this community" then by focusing on the charity performed by Greeks.<BR/><BR/>How does the community "take take take" from the Greek organizations?<BR/>You haven't chosen to focus your campaign strategy on helping the poor, you've chosen instead to focus on helping the privileged.GPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04295384614831150528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1147009426174405142006-05-07T09:43:00.000-04:002006-05-07T09:43:00.000-04:00I am still extremely uneasy about saying it is ok ...<I>I am still extremely uneasy about saying it is ok to discriminate against 'those' people. Whether 'those' people are african-americans, or other minorities, or rich white folks, really does not make any difference. With the first link, a chain is forged. As soon as we begin to tolerate discrimination against 'those people', then how long will it be until we ourselves are regarded by the ones in power as 'those people'?</I><BR/><BR/>Right, and this kind of slippery slope argument is where we disagree. I'm also not saying it's okay to tolerate discrimination against "those people," even if they are Greeks, just to make things crystal clear. I'm saying that acting like discrimination against Greeks is on the same level with discrimination against African Americans is loco.<BR/><BR/>Here's a genuine question, asked in all ignorance: What organizations committed to fighting/helping with poverty do Greeks give to? Mostly, what I see is charitable actions designed to fight some sort of disease. I'm guessing Habitat for Humanity is one. But do they ever throw big parties to benefit the local health center?hillaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11115290007190070450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1146991680665213392006-05-07T04:48:00.000-04:002006-05-07T04:48:00.000-04:00What an extremely appropriate username. (Speaking...What an extremely appropriate username. (Speaking to Adrian, of course!)<BR/><BR/>Patrick - I disagree that they are asked to follow the same rules as everyone else. Under the rules that existed at the time they bought their house, they were perfectly entitled to have their house in that zone. They were perfectly within their rights - and they relied on that in paying $750,000 for their home. Then, the rules suddenly changed on them. I don't think that's a proper way to govern. Some might call it "bait and switch".<BR/><BR/>What I discovered were the hateful comments. I can understand not necessarily wanting to live next to a fraternity. I can - I used to live in a student housing complex and I can't tell you how many times I wanted peace and quiet while my neighbors were playing their bass cannons. However, such hateful comments having to do with drugs and prostitution are of quite another tenor. I also discovered the "smoky back room" nature of the moratorium, how Commissioner Lynn contacted all the Commissioners and got their ok before the public even knew about it. At the April Commission meeting, Commissioner Hoard stated that a lot of people in Athens feel that the Commission's decisions are made before the gavel comes down, and that the public comment periods are mere formalities. I discovered this was an example of that, leading me to believe it is a symptom of a much greater problem.<BR/><BR/>I am still extremely uneasy about saying it is ok to discriminate against 'those' people. Whether 'those' people are african-americans, or other minorities, or rich white folks, really does not make any difference. With the first link, a chain is forged. As soon as we begin to tolerate discrimination against 'those people', then how long will it be until we ourselves are regarded by the ones in power as 'those people'? <BR/><BR/>As I said earlier, I do believe that in standing up on this issue I am standing up for the poor in this community, those truly in need of charity. I would hate to see what would happen if all of the Greek philanthropy in Athens was taken to Oglethorpe or Oconee Counties. This is not a hostage situation as someone put it earlier - this is a situation of there needing to be give and take. If the community will only take take take take take and not give any, then it will not be long before these charitable organizations decide to stop giving, or to give elsewhere. Is that really in the best interest of anyone? Besides the (ironically, rich white) Cobbham people?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1146967495644809782006-05-06T22:04:00.000-04:002006-05-06T22:04:00.000-04:00So, this guy signs up to run for d9. Then, he mak...So, this guy signs up to run for d9. Then, he makes up a bunch of shit to prove that residents of some other district don't like Greeks. Finally, after 20 minutes of right-clicking, this Winders fellow discovers said bunch of shit. Our hero the candidate then spins another pathetic web of outrageous lies and deception to cover the first one. This bullshit is seen through even faster than the first line of bullshit. Do I have this right so far?<BR/>I have to ask, Chuck: why do you think people are even talking about you? You aren't a serious candidate. You are, more than likely, a habitual bullshitter (and not even a good one). People are talking about you because you are the bearded lady of the political carnival. "Everybody look...it's the 26 year-old who tells gigantic lies about meaningless bullshit and then denies he's lying like a child." You can't defend yourself, even given the chance on this very blog time and time again. Just go away. I've had my yucks at your complete failure and ineptitude. Your work here is done.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1146950651524329372006-05-06T17:24:00.000-04:002006-05-06T17:24:00.000-04:00Chuck, I'll ask again: "What did you discover?" ...Chuck, I'll ask again: <STRONG>"What did you discover?"</STRONG> How is the secret Cobbham group opressing the Greeks in town? I also ask one question further: did your methods justify the discover of such information? I'd like to know. <BR/><BR/>I'd also like to know how the town 'opresses' the Greeks. From all I've read, it seems just like the City is asking them to follow the same rules as anyone else. <EM>Any</EM> business or organization planning to build big buildings is required to go to hearings where the community can voice approval or disapproval at the move. How is this any different from when a Church or a new business moves into a neighborhood?Cousin Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04445894373136726700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1146943103970745472006-05-06T15:18:00.000-04:002006-05-06T15:18:00.000-04:00Maybe if you didn't continually act like a dumbass...Maybe if you didn't continually act like a dumbass, you wouldn't rile everyone up into opposing you, Mr. Jones. I'm not saying the moratorium is okay. I've opposed it from the beginning. I'm saying that taking the side of the not exactly underprivileged (in life, not in the ACC) is an odd thing to do and an especially odd thing to build your campaign around. Not understanding that fighting on behalf of the rich, white, and only temporarily in town doesn't garner you as much respect as standing up for the poor and brown is bizarre. It doesn't mean you can't use it as your issue. It just doesn't seem like the most important one in town.hillaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11115290007190070450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1146929423773603272006-05-06T11:30:00.000-04:002006-05-06T11:30:00.000-04:00I'm in favor of a blog entry discussing the legali...I'm in favor of a blog entry discussing the legality of the moratorium. For instance, what is the moratorium on exactly? (If it was to keep new frat houses from being established temporarily, why does it extend to permitting for existing houses?) How long can the moratorium last to maintain the status quo without violating public notice requirements? Etc.Adrian Pritchetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02882153475065578209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1146889017721393912006-05-06T00:16:00.000-04:002006-05-06T00:16:00.000-04:00My bad - that attitude of it's ok to be prejudiced...My bad - that attitude of it's ok to be prejudiced against <I>those</I> people is Hillary's attitude, not Publius'. My mistake, a thousand pardons.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1146888912301936322006-05-06T00:15:00.000-04:002006-05-06T00:15:00.000-04:00PS - what personal gain are you speaking about? T...PS - what personal gain are you speaking about? The personal gain of being spoken about by Jason Winders as if I'm a four year old? Whee. The personal gain of being bashed up and down on this forum by people who won't even listen to my side? Oh joy oh rapture. <BR/><BR/>No, this was not done out of personal gain. This was done to get at the facts and to expose the blatant hatred of a few people in this community who have the ear of the Mayor and Commission.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1146888579923044092006-05-06T00:09:00.000-04:002006-05-06T00:09:00.000-04:00Instead of focusing on how I got the information, ...Instead of focusing on how I got the information, why not focus on what the information actually is? Why was everyone so quick to jump wholeheartedly on the bandwagon of such an slanted column? They had already tried and convicted me before they even heard my side of it - and they will not even listen now to my side of it, because they've made up their minds. Especially using such ridiculing and derogatory language toward me. <BR/><BR/>That seems to belie, does it not, your statement about treating me with respect?<BR/><BR/>In any case, it matters little. As I tried to make clear on my website, I am not reaching out to those ultra partisan ideologues who immediately made up their minds about me as soon as they saw the word "conservative" or the word "Christian." I do not want their votes. I want the votes of everyone else, all those who are ignored by the select few currently in power. All those who are the victims of prejudice based on Publius' attitude of: Oh, it's ok to be prejudiced against <I>those</I> people. All those who, time after time, get their rights trampled by the vocal few. They are the ones whose votes I seek.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15887184.post-1146885862221655402006-05-05T23:24:00.000-04:002006-05-05T23:24:00.000-04:00So people enjoy folks who completely fabricate thi...So people enjoy folks who completely fabricate things for their own personal gain? Chuck, even though we disagree I've tried to give you the benefit of the doubt and treat you with respect, but this latest instance - minus any clear explanation from you on why you did what you did - has really made my seriously question that.<BR/><BR/>And to suggest that such a deception would actually <I>increase</I> your popularity shows such a lack of understanding of the populace (particularly in a heavily Democratic community), that it's staggering.Jmachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13949705691074218937noreply@blogger.com