Nat the gnat – you can swash buckle about all you’d like but as you watch from your perch and continue to do NOTHING just remember you REAP what you SOW! And you are right I do HAVE IT! Measure for Measure – we will save the children one (1) RESPONSIBLE adult at a time. And... as my Blog’s tagline says: “If not 'I' then 'Who'? -- Owning My Space!"
Olive – sorry you failed to see Doc’s disrespect to me, which quit honestly has been going on for over a year. I guess we are the living example of enmity the scripture speaks of… However, I assure you my respect has nothing to do with someone’s race, religion or any other personal attribute. It has to do with giving respect to get respect. The fact that I publically stated at the council meeting (watch the tape) that I was there as a citizen when prompted by the Council President to speak, and yet Doc chooses to record my actions differently, only further confirms his inability to see the unbiased facts in matters involving me. It’s quite tiring.
Additionally and as a final note: “paying taxes” and “lifting a finger” come from two different places of social responsibility/community. One is a legal obligation while the other is a matter of the heart, or more specifically -- what matters to your heart.
And for the record – I didn’t blame the bloggers for the lack of attendance – I blamed them for THEIR LACK of attendance. Two different things folks!
PEACE!
P.S. Doc the play was called "DOUBT"...
Hi Renata.
ReplyDeleteI understand the frustration about the attendance at the play -- I've been there when I was promoting the NJCO opera company productions in town.
I don't think frankly people knew about it. If they don't know about it -- they can't make the decision whether to attend.
Maybe the district can create a space on their website for people to post these kind of activities -- promote that is the place to find about what is going on in the school district?
In reading doc's blog, I've found him to be critical of city council, BOE, people -- but I've never found his language to be disrespectful. I've worked with doc when Muhlenberg was being closed down. He has a lot of wisdom to offer, like many older people do.
Being critical does not equal being disrespectful. If you tell someone that what they are doing is wrong -- that's not disrespect, that's giving feedback. I do agree with you that people tend to point out the negatives too much, instead of pointing out the good. It's something in our society that people talk about the bad much more quickly than they talk about the good.
Criticism is tough to take, especially when you are doing your best. I think when someone criticizes, the best course is to invite them to help problem-solve the issue. I personally think the way to grow and become more than you are right now, is to be open to criticism. We all can do better.
I've had people say hurtful things to me, I've experienced prejudice. I understand it can make anyone angry. But, the best way is to rise above it -- treat everyone better than they treat you. It's hard to do (because we all are human), but it's something most expect from a leader.
Plainfield has a lot of issues -- they are big issues. We are in a terrible recession, which I think is going to last for years. People are hurting and angry. We need everyone's input on how to solve the problems.
Email me, let's talk olivelynch7@gmail.com
Olive - I couldn't agree more. But when you critique you provide alternatives. It is not enough to say this is bad without providing suggestions for what "good" looks like. Old Doc and I have gone back and forth for like I said at least a year and I do take personal what he puts my name on. I am a Board Member therefore reference to the Board is about me. I don't respond to everything that is simple opinion. However when it's racked with judgment and disrespect and in MY OPINION questions my character -- I respond.
ReplyDeleteIt's not about the criticism in all honesty -- that matters the least. It is about the judgment and further when it is based on opinion and has nothing to do with what actually is, ergo facts. You yourself wrote how wrong it is to "judge" yet that is what Doc does.
It is different to say the Board needs to do X,Y,Z then to say the Board is Ignorant and doesn't know their fiduciary responsibilities. The response to these statements would be very different. The conversation would be different. Old Doc talks AT ME not to me and thus I do the same.
He and I have had civil discourse via personal emails and when he seeks clarity and understanding I respond in kind, but when he is offensive and disrespectful, I too respond in kind.
I will email you later this evening.
Renata --
ReplyDeleteI think that's a problem in a lot of communities -- people base their opinions on the facts they know, they've been told, they interpret (we all "hear" different things hearing the same conversation -- it's your perspective). I know at a town hall meeting people didn't hear the same thing -- it's easy to miss what people are saying sometimes.
Maybe the way for all of us to talk about issues is to state our opinions, based on the facts we know or heard. If everyone can agree on what the facts are -- then at least we all know we're talking about the same thing!!
It's kinda like blind people touching different parts of the elephant -- to everyone the elephant is different, they disagree, yet they all are right.
When someone has a different opinion than I do, the first thing I think is to ask the other person how they came to that opinion. I could learn something I didn't know -- or could understand the issue from a different perspective than mine.
Maybe all of us just need to be plain kinder to each other. People do fail, come up short, mess up, stumble. That's human -- and personally, I believe in failing (and learning from that failure), is how all of us grow.
But Lordy! In our society if you dare to fail publicly, then you are drawn and quartered. Because of that, people don't like to admit when they mess up. I don't think any successful leader is without mistakes, failure or poor judgement. I do think people can get into positions that they are over their heads (I've seen that a lot in private business/banks) -- people get promotions, and they just can't cut it.
In the end, I think we all should attack the problem, not the people. If we don't like a solution someone is offering, then we should offer alternatives, then brainstorm together to figure out the best solution. In the end, there never is a perfect solution (we don't live in a perfect world), there are always compromises that someone is going to be unhappy.
PTK--please contact me ASAP; rahernandez@plainfield.k12.nj.us or 908.510.5474
ReplyDeleteThank You.