Ralph Doty and I have a long simmering feud going on.
Anyone who has followed Lincoln Democrat long enough certainly understands that I don’t have much use for the tactics of the powerful School District or its ally the colossal Johnson Controls. Under pressure with time growing short I’ve resorted to tactics that I would normally shun. My Momma always told me “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” Sorry Mom, but a year’s worth of honey did me little good.
The District is trying to change the direction of the debate from the value of the Red Plan to the menace of its opponents. Quoting me quoting someone else’s violent sounding comments helps them make the case. Ralph’s column didn’t help them make that case.
That’s because Ralph doesn’t think my words were any more serious a threat to the School Board member than I did. As the Assistant Editor of the Budgeteer he’s paid to give such things due consideration. If Mr. Doty had thought my second hand quote would imperil the Board member he had a duty to spare that official from further unwanted attention. But Ralph not only published the Board member’s name but but quoted the actions which drew the ire of the person I quoted.
My blog is read by about 1000 different people each month. Each issue of Ralph’s column in the Budgeteer goes out to something like 40,000 readers. Ralph Doty was more interested in making me look bad than he was the safety of the Board member I criticized. I presume that Mr. Doty saw no more threat in my words than I did when I posted them.
I was wrong. See the next couple posts for a further explanation.
