Thou Shalt Not Rat Out Our Friends – Part 2

This story begins with Part one.

Cheryl Lien is a very good teacher. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX taken out at Art Johnston’s request XXXXXXXXXXX

MRS. LIEN HAS BEEN GIVEN A REPRIEVE BY A MOST UNUSUAL BENEFACTOR. AS YOU CAN SEE THERE ISN’T MUCH LEFT OF THIS ORIGINAL POST. ALL THAT IS LEFT IS THE FIRST SENTENCE AND THE LAST CLAUSE OF THE CONCLUDING SENTENCE. I TOOK THE REST OUT AT ART JOHNSTON’S REQUEST. HE CALLED ME AT CHURCH CHOIR PRACTICE TONIGHT AND TOLD ME HE DIDN’T WANT ME TO FACE A LAWSUIT FROM CHERYL LIEN FOR DEFAMATION.

I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE HOW IRONIC THIS IS. CHERYL LEIN FORMED A SURVEILLANCE GROUP TO SPY ON ART AND HIS PARTNER. SHE GOT MIXED UP INTELLIGENCE AND USED IT TO SET OUR VINDICTIVE SCHOOL BOARD OFF ON A QUARTER MILLION DOLLAR WITCH HUNT ACCUSING ART OF RACISM, VIOLENCE AND ALL MANNER OF HORSESHIT. TO THIS DAY PEOPLE LIKE OUR GOOD DR. KIRBY BELIEVE THIS CRAP AND ARE GOING AROUND IN THE PRESS BLAMING ART FOR ALL THE PROBLEMS OF OUR GOD FORSAKEN SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT SO BADLY TO NIP THIS IN THE BUD BUT ART IS STOPPING ME.

I HAVE ONLY TOLD ART’S SIDE OF THE STORY IN DRIBS AND DRABS TO DATE. I WANT TO COUNTER THE PERSECUTORS WHO SUCCEEDED IN NAILING HIS REPUTATION TO THE CROSS AND THE EDITORS WHO SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER BUT STILL TRUMPETED THE WRONGHEADED OPINION THAT ART WAS THE PROBLEM AND OUGHT TO JUST GO AWAY.

TO SAY I’M A LITTLE DISMAYED TO HAVE ART REQUEST I TAKE THIS POST DOWN IS PUTTING IT MILDLY. I FELT LIKE I WAS CLEANSING MYSELF WRITING IT. I KNOW THE DEFAMATION LAWS WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT I’M PROTECTED FROM CONVICTION IF NOT LEGAL HARASSMENT BY 1. HAVING TOLD THE TRUTH AND 2. TELLING IT WITHOUT MALICE. WITHDRAWING IT LIKE THIS MEANS THAT THE POSSE OF ART JOHNSTON HATERS CAN CONTINUE TO SPIT ON HIS REPUTATION.

BEFORE I GUTTED IT THIS POST WAS UP FOR ABOUT SIX HOURS. JUDGING BY MY STATS I SUSPECT IT HAS BEEN READ BY ABOUT 100 PEOPLE. IF ONE OF THEM PRINTED IT OUT IT MAY SHOW UP SOMEWHERE ELSE. ITS SAID THAT NOTHING ON THE INTERNET EVER DISAPPEARS. I WOULDN’T MIND IF IT DID TURN UP. THIS POST WAS ABOUT A VERY UGLY EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF ART JOHNSTON’S PERSECUTOR. TAKING IT DOWN IS UNDESERVED GOOD FORTUNE FOR ART’S TORMENTOR.

ART WANTS IT DOWN BECAUSE HE SEES IN THE TRIB’S COVERAGE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION THE FAINT POSSIBILITY OF SOME REASONABLE COVERAGE. I HAVE MY DOUBTS. I SAW WHAT CHUCK FREDERICK DID TO THE SUPERLATIVE ALANNA OSWALD BECAUSE HE WAS MAD AT ME. FORTUNATELY, I HAVE MORE FAITH IN THE TRIB’S ACTUAL REPORTERS.

NEITHER DO I HAVE ANY FAITH IN THE GROUPIES OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MAJORITY. THEY ARE BENT OUT OF SHAPE BECAUSE ART AND I HAVE HAD THE TEMERITY TO POINT OUT WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT THEIR HALF BILLION DOLLAR RED PLAN HAS BEEN. I YEARN TO CONFRONT THEM WITH THE OUTRAGES THEIR HEROES HAVE FORCED ON OUR CHILDREN, OUR SCHOOLS AND THIS COMMUNITY. GOSH, I KNOW THIS MAKES ME SOUND AS VENOMOUS AS ART’S DETRACTORS BUT I HONESTLY LOOK AT IT AS SIMPLE JUSTICE – LIKE THE JEWISH PEOPLE WHO WILL FORGIVE BUT NEVER FORGET.

I JUST SANG MY GRANDSONS TO SLEEP WITH THIS VERSE FROM “I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING:

I’d like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
For peace through out the land

IT’S A LOVELY SENTIMENT BUT IT SEEMS SO NAIVE WHEN I CONSIDER HOW OUR SCHOOL BOARD HAS ACTED OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF.

MY WIFE HAS JUST HELPED PRESENT THE WONDERFUL TOUCHSTONE AWARDS FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE MADE DULUTH AND THE SURROUNDING AREA A BETTER PLACE. SHE WOULD BE APPALLED BY MY HEART’S DESIRE TO EXPOSE THE SEEDY TRUTH THAT ART JOHNSTON HAS BEEN THE VICTIM OF THE SELF RIGHTEOUS AND NOT THE VILLAIN THEY HAVE CALLED HIM FOR YEARS.

OK, ART. I’VE PULLED THIS POST FOR NOW BUT I’M FEELING VERY ORNERY. I DARE ANYONE TO RAISE THE CHANT AGAIN THAT ART JOHNSTON IS THE BAD GUY ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. FRANKLY, HE’S DWARFED IN THAT DEPARTMENT BY MOST OF THE REST OF US.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX taken out at Art Johnston’s request XXXXXXXXXXX that didn’t make it consensual.

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Thou shalt not Rat Out Our Friends “ Part 3 (I had planned to continue this tomorrow but I may not. In fact, Art asked me to remove this post. He wants me to curtail the telling of the story that will clear his name. I’m not so sure that’s a good idea)

Next: Thou Shalt Not Part 3

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