By Judi Curry
I have tried to stay out of the Filner controversy since it started. After all, I was – am – a supporter of his. I have a picture of him with me on my front window, and have cheered him on as he tackles the “good old boys” from yesteryear. To say that I am appalled at the events that have taken place recently is a mild rejoinder. The betrayal that I have felt towards the mayor is pure and simple anger. How could he? He won the election by setting up goals and principles that he is fighting for now.
When Donna Frye gave her first press conference I felt nauseated for hours afterwards. I worked on Donna’s campaign; I respect her more than any other politician I have ever met. And then came her second press conference and I wondered what happened to her. The yelling is so out of character. I was sorry to see her lose her composure.
Then Irene McCormack stepped forward and talked about the things that Filner did to her. She didn’t want any publicity, but she hired Gloria Allred to represent her? I don’t doubt, for a minute, that what she said happened really did happen. But did it happen the way she says it did? I don’t know. I do know that she is a well respected person in San Diego.
And then the interview yesterday from another victim. Let me quote what I took off the internet: “Another woman has come forward accusing San Diego Mayor Bob Filner of making unwanted sexual advances.”
Political consultant Laura Fink told KPBS News in an exclusive interview Tuesday that when Filner was a Congressman he made an inappropriate joke while patting her “posterior” at a fundraiser during the time she was working for him.
Besides the fact that this took place YEARS ago, he thought he was making a “joke.” Many men, put into uncomfortable positions (no pun intended) make what they think are “jokes” only to discover that they are crude, crass, and unwanted. Is this what happened to Ms. Fink? And why is this coming up now?
I have sympathy for the women involved. No one should be put in a position where they have to accept unwelcome advances from anyone, regardless of gender and/or position. There are some women, however, that would not find these two stories sexual harassment. In fact, I know some women that would welcome the attention from the Mayor of San Diego!
The lynch mob that Faulconer and Gloria are trying to put together is as bad as the accusations against the mayor. For the life of me I cannot see how a sexual harassment charge can destroy everything the mayor is trying to accomplish. His goals are still the same – Balboa Park; hotels; Sunroad, etc.
Sexually harassing women – although reprehensible in itself – will not stop those wonderful things taking place that Filner wants to accomplish. No, our righteous councilmen can point fingers and say “we can’t approve ANYTHING that Filner does. After all, he is a “sexual harasser.” Bull crap. And to say that women can no longer meet with Filner alone – whose brilliant idea is that? What if the woman wants to meet with Filner alone? Does that mean she cannot? How many gods are there running San Diego?
People keep saying they are tired of the “due process” statement. Let me tell you about a situation I had years ago. (I have mentioned this before in another article. If you already read it it is worth reading again.) As a principal I had four 6th grade girls come up to me and tell me that they were touched inappropriately by their teacher – a male that had taught for over 7 years. I immediately turned the situation over to the Superintendent of Schools and an investigation resulted in a court case where the girls stuck to their story and the teacher was arrested; given a prison sentence; told he would have to register as a sex offender, and lost his teaching credential.
Four years later one of the girls recanted her testimony and said she was angry at the teacher because he gave her a failing grade on a paper she wrote. The other girls quickly changed their testimony also. The teacher was released from prison but although cleared of the charges, could not get a teaching job anywhere. I do not know if what I heard is true, because I left the school district, but I heard that after a few years he committed suicide. And he was given “due process.”
I do not condone Filner for his alleged actions. We women have worked so hard to be accepted as an equal rather than as a sex symbol. No one has the right to put his hands on anyone if those advances are not wanted. (I can tell you about one of my teachers – female – that made a “play” for me when I was her Principal. She had no right to do that also. And I can also tell you that at one time I made a “play” for one of my male instructors in “fun” except that he didn’t take it the way I meant it. After he told me he didn’t appreciate it, I tried never to do it again – to anyone.)
I think that City Hall can continue to operate in an exciting and challenging mode regardless of the charges pending against our Mayor. Before everyone jumps on the “lynch the bastard” bandwagon, let’s hear the facts. Only then can the electorate make up their minds as to what road to follow.
Judi Curry
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Judi,
Beautifully well written and an extremely fair analysis.
If indeed Irene McCormack-Jackson hired Gloria Allred (she always wears red), McCormack-Jackson made a grievous (no pun intended) mistake. No one knows who hired Gloria Allred! The most suspicious part of the Allred-McCormack-Jackson alliance is that Allred has said if San Diego Mayor Bob Filner vacates his office, they may decide to drop their lawsuit.
Also, you said,” The lynch mob that Faulconer and Gloria are trying to put together is as bad as the accusations against the mayor.” I feel very strongly that the real “Lynch (John) Mob” may be Papa Doug and his Manchester Mess.
Good commentary, Judi.
Thank you, Cynthia.
“In fact, I know some women that would welcome the attention from the Mayor of San Diego!” We don’t know how many women “welcomed” Filner’s advances. Probably they were elated and didn’t find them crude at all. We only know about some women for whom the advances were “unwelcome.” Why didn’t those who found the advances unwelcome slap him across the face? That would have gotten the point across very nicely. In fact that’s what women have been doing for centuries to those whose advances were considered to be unwelcome.
Except now, happily, we have laws that say women don’t have to be put in this awkward position by their bosses in the first place. Apparently, Filner hasn’t heard of them or thinks he is above the law. His behavior is disappointing and disgusting to say the least, but what has me really outraged are the lengths I see so many fellow liberals going to to excuse his behavior as a quaint relic of the past; blaming the victims with remarks suggesting that other women would be flattered or know how to handle themselves in these situations; or to say the right of women to work in a hostile-free environment pales in comparison to the far loftier progressive agenda in San Diego to preserve Balboa Park and improve neighborhood services.
Well, Catherine, sexual harassment takes on many forms. It also pertains to both genders. I am not, by any stretch, condoning Filner for what he has supposedly done. But, since you mention the “laws”, the law is specific in that there is recourse for someone that objects to the harassment being shown. Why wait for several years to bring it up? Why wait for it to happen more than once to say something. In the many classes I have taken re: this subject, I was told that if you are being harassed and you say “get out of my office”, or “I do not care for that kind of action”, you have notified the “harasser” it is not ok and if it continues you do something about it. Why wasn’t anything done about it by any of these three women until now? Your comment re” “fellow liberals” is prejudiced and unnecessary. If you are outraged by what is going on – I am outraged at your comment. These women let themselves be “victims” by not stopping it immediately. I was not going to tell you – or anyone else – what I did as an employer, but I will: I had a handsome gentleman working for me as a teacher. I was his Principal. Many of the women on my staff were infatuated with this man. I, loftily said to him, ” . . . . if you would take your shirt off these women could satisfy their curiosity.” Now Catherine, just what do you think I meant by that? Do you think I was harassing him? Do you think I said it to be “funny”. I’ll tell you how he took it. He said, politely, ” . . . . that is very unprofessional of you, Judi. Please don’t say that again.” And…I apologized and never did it again. (To him.) But if you know me, you know that I have a wicked sense of humor; I view sex and sexual innuendos as a way of life, and seldom get up-tight about things that are said. I agree that if a person does not want the advancements they should be nipped immediately. But I also think that 2 and 5 years and 6 months later are too long to wait, when the wheels of law can be put in immediate motion. Do I find his actions “disgusting?”. I find them inappropriate and degrading. Obviously he didn’t “read” his audience correctly. I said it originally and I repeat it now – he may be guilty of sexual harassment, but that is no reason why his city-wide agenda cannot go forth as planned. If you think that the harassment is enough to stop the preservation of Balboa Park, or that it is enough to improve neighborhood services, then I have to ask you what part of the political spectrum do you belong to. Because I sure as hell don’t want to be on that side. Until there is some resolution re: the mayor’s future, he IS the mayor; and the policies that he wants to enact should go through the regular channels. There is a lot of work to do to bring San Diego up to par. Whether or not the Mayor harassed females is one problem. Continuing to benefit the city is another. His harassment charges should not negate all the positive things he can do for the City. And one more thing, Catherine. Men are equally harassed by their women bosses.
Judi,
If you read/watch the interviews with his accusers, they all pretty much express doing exactly what you are supposed to do. They told him to stop, repeatedly, because he’s apparently more inclined to ignore the word ‘no,’ and then took steps not to be in his company again, where possible. Laura Fink documented the behavior and copied the chief of staff within a few days. Do you think she needed to throw away all of her own career goals in order to pursue a full-fledged complaint? The teacher you mentioned handled your inappropriate sexual comment appropriately, by telling you that you were behaving unprofessionally. Had you ignored him and continued to do it anyway that would fall under the category of sexual harassment that would require a more formal response, but it was still certainly wrong of you to say it the first time. I do appreciate your candor in sharing a personal experience.
Who says the charges have to mean the end of the progressive agenda in San Diego? Is Bob Filner our lord and savior and nothing can be done without him to lead us? I don’t believe that he can go on effectively as the mayor. And, I remain appalled that so many progressives are willing to accept a boorish, misogynist mayor who has a pattern of abusing his position to put women in uncomfortable situations for his own amusement or pleasure as the price we must pay for progress. It would be one thing if everyone here were saying, “I don’t believe it. He would never do such things.” Instead, what I keep reading are statements that suggest most of his supporters think he did these things, but that they aren’t that bad, really, and what alternative do we have? I reject this argument.
Catherine-
It’s not a matter of “nothing can be done without him to lead us,” it’s a matter of there’s NO ONE ELSE to take his place and take up the mantle of what he stands for, what he campaigned on, and what his legislative priorities are. No one even close. Christine Kehoe has been mentioned as a potential candidate, but she hasn’t said a single peep about her interest in the job (and honestly I don’t know enough about her to know if she’d be a good pick). Donna Frye has already made it clear that she will not run.
That leaves us with a bunch of Republicans who are in the hip pockets of the “business as usual” crowd–and Carl DeMaio who wants to dismantle government altogether–who want nothing more than to give away taxpayer dollars so that big business can profit from it, with little or no benefit to the taxpayers. Same with the Dems who are potentially lined up–Todd Gloria and Nathan Fletcher. What we’re talking about is a return to the traditional power structure in San Diego where the business lobby pulls all of the strings to the detriment of the taxpayer. Filner was changing that, and now that’s in serious jeopardy.
Well then, I guess that means we have work to do to find someone and to press our other current leadership to support policies we like. The situation is disappointing, but I don’t think we have anyone to blame for it except for Bob Filner. Obviously, his supporters have to decide individually what to do next. I can’t in good conscience support him without abandoning what I stand for.
“…but I don’t think we have anyone to blame for it except for Bob Filner.”
You’re exactly right about that. No one to blame but Bob himself.
Finally sanity prevails here – thanks Judi!
Dear Judi,
Thanks so much for this article. I was in the work force for almost 40 years, and guys being boors was common. A good slap on the face was appropriate. I will not condone Filner’s behavior, but his behavior has been well known for a long time. I smell Poppa Doug and Lynch in all of this. They have been trying to get him recalled since day 1 and have not been successful. The oligarchs in this city will not give up power without a fight. Be damned with democracy.
Well, of course, Papa Doug and John Lynch are and have been after Filner but there is no way, in this moment, that I will believe that Donna Frye is associated with these guys in this sad sad sad story.
And, every time I hear why now when it comes to women who have come forward I have to think about how hard it is for people to do that. It’s a major problem with our world, people not coming forward. And how many women have lost jobs and positions when they claimed harassment?
As one who stood up for what I believed was right in the school system for nearly 40 years instead of just going along with the “program,” I can tell you it can be very lonely. VERY! We, as a society, not just the government, can’t “handle the truth.”
All that aside, this is one beautiful piece written by Judi.
This situation is looong overdue for the cool-headed, thoughtful approach that this article presents. There are a great many folks in this town (and you KNOW who you are) that would do very well indeed to read and ponder what it has to say…
Well done!
Thanks, Judi, for cooling down this feeding frenzy. We all have a lot to lose if we let mob rule trample the law.
Thank you Judi Curry for bringing a wholesome and fresh view of this cooked
up, airbrushed soap opera. What you’ve said here has the quality of reality so
missing from coverage by the dependent press in this small town of so many
captive souls.
Judi, Bob, Cynthia, Ernie, John L., So, Soozc, thoughtfulbear and Wren
I am attending the Central Committee San Diego County Democratic Club meeting tonight at 6:30. It is open to the public. I recommend you arrive no later than 5:30pm and bring a folding chair until the line begins to move.
The address is:
8340 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Suite 105
San Diego, CA 92111
To all ten of you including including Judi, please consider attending and stand up for Mayor Bob Filner. Great thanks.
There have been ten responses to the article; in baseball, Judy would be batting 1.000 one thousand.
Pfaff:
I did not read your note until it was too late to attend. Emotions are certainly running high. Thanks for the notice.
To Pfaff: Like Cynthia, I didn’t catch up to your message til after the fact. Thanks from me, too! I appreciate your consideration.
Everybody needs to just cool off, back off and THINK – sickening, the smell of bloodlust in the air…
Thank you, most savvy woman. Right on the money and I am so relieved to see another voice with such similar thoughts. I believe you are right about the “women who may like” Bob Filner’s attentions, but most readers won’t get this. Such muck surfacing and I am so sick of the gossip and guilty by innuendo crowds…
best thoughts and much appreciation,
Bonnie Bekken
Judi thank you for a well reasoned article. I’m a associate member of the Central Committee – I can’t vote but I can express an opinion. I’m not sure that this meeting is open to the public. Last time you had to be on the Central Committee list to get inside. The press were not let into the room and we were told to leave our cellphones in our cars(no tweeting).
I would add my own thanks, Judi; you have expressed pretty much my own thoughts and feelings on this situation. And Ernie McCray has clearly stated why it’s often so hard for someone, especially a woman, to come forward – even today!
Cynthia & Thoughtfulbear and others,
You cannot imagine how fortunate you were to have missed my message! The meeting was an embarrassment and an awkward, clumsy but sadly, successful lynching by Francine Busby.
Excluding Judi’s 2responses, there have been 16 blogs following Judi’s journalistic gem. Of those 16 responses, Catherine’s was the only one to hit a sour note.
Of course, we hold our elected government leaders to a standard of professionalism, competence and moral clarity. The last quality in that list is a fuzzy area, but nonetheless we do have minimum expectations of moral conduct. The leaders are not only examples for the rest but also have the best chance of advancing their agendas by maintaining the broadest possible measure of public trust.
At the very least, Filner has a deaf ear for women’s expressions of discontent with his sexual behavior. It’s ponderous how such could be the case in this particular era, so charged with sensitivities. What I see in such a man, regardless of political affinity, is a person whose self-interest trumps his dedication to leadership. Through his prurient and and apparently unabated actions, he breaks trust first with those coworkers, then with the general staff, and then with the community. Can a city be satisfied with a mayor whose moniker is “Filthy”?
These days it does certainly seem difficult to find a good leader. Why is that? Anyway, if this is the best the city can produce, and this is the only person who can fulfill meaningful goals, then honestly those goals should be the least of the city’s worries. In the end the question must be asked, should a community retain a leader for his ideas, regardless of his behavior? Can a community lower its standards for its leaders? That seems like a very slippery slope.
In particular, the Mayor seems to have been admonished repeatedly and sternly for his weakness of character, but didn’t respond appropriately. For the progressive agenda my heart cries, but for simple and basic standards of leadership, there’s no room to relent. What then would a progressive be?
Catherine,
You should thank your lucky stars and at this time, take a deep breath and thank Judi for her devotion to your immature and misguided opinions.
It must have taken Judi a great deal of patience and an inordinate amount of time to present her intellectual facts and experience to you. Catherine, you have received constructive criticism. Please display some grace and also be grateful.
Of the 18 blog responses, minus the two from Judi, that adds up to 16. Because of Wren’s given name, it is difficult to ascertain whether Wren is a man or a woman. All right, we will not add the blog from Wren in this arithmetic problem. I have used the vintage word “arithmetic” because this percentage problem does no rise to the level of “math.”
All right, we now have 15 blogs. Counting your blog, a total of 93.3% of the respondents have wholeheartedly agreed with Judi’s opinion re our City of San Diego Mayor Bob Filner.
Now you know what to do if a man or woman makes an attempt to sexually harass you. Laura Fink waited 8 years! Catherine, knowing now what you have learned, would you wait 8 years, as Laura Fink, to file a report?
How about the “other four” who came out today? All of their allegations occurred prior to Bob Filner taking his oath of office in November 2012. Now we are down to the one allegation and court filing of Ms. McCormack-Jackson, which she alleges this sexual harassment happened in 2013.
Do you believe George Zimmerman received a fair trial? Do you think Bob Filner deserves a fair trial and should be able to face his accuser in front of his peers at a jury trial and, until guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt, be presumed to be innocent.
It takes courage to admit you are wrong. No one is attempting to intimidate you. Present Judi with a blog thanking her for all she has attempted to explain to make you understand life and reality.
All of us are awaiting your response to Judi.
Well, you make a lot of effort to be incredibly condescending, but I don’t think I could feel intimidated by a group so ready to turn themselves into knots to find justification for sexual harassment in the workplace. It’s like watching Cirque de Soleil. I don’t need Judi or you to explain how to respond to sexual harassment. Fink didn’t wait 8 years to do anything. She documented the behavior in an email to Filner and his then-chief of staff within a few days of the incident, stating in no uncertain terms that his behavior was unacceptable and that she wouldn’t stand for it towards herself or anyone else. Filner apologized and it seems the behavior was not repeated to her again. This was an appropriate and reasoned response to an incident of sexual harassment, which for the record, does not require a full jury trial or press conference every time it happens. The problem is that, it appears, that over the years, Filner has not learned much from the cumulative rejection and rebuffing he has experienced from women and continues to do it and has, in the case of Irene McCormack gotten extraordinarily and, disgustingly and inexcusably, aggressive.
I don’t know why this didn’t all come out during the election, but perhaps none of the incidents had gotten quite as bad as what McCormack has alleged. Perhaps becoming mayor has sent him soaring to new heights in the abuse of his power and obliviousness to the people who work for him. I don’t know. I wish it had so we could all be spared this unfortunate situation.
I will say, if Filner had an ego before, the nonstop cries here that our world is doomed without our savior, Bob Filner, probably aren’t helping his head case. anyway, the testimony of now seven or eight women demonstrates this pattern of behavior that is not acceptable. Not every case I’ve read rises to the level of the full jury trial you’re demanding, but I think you may want to explore how sexual harassment complaints are typically handled. From what I’ve read, most of the women handled isolated incidents it in the moment as they should have and told him to stop. Ronne Froman rebuffed him and then told him to stop. Morgan Rose refused him and told him to stop. He only did when he got a phone call.
Irene McCormack experienced repeat behavior that she made multiple efforts to stop until she eventually resigned. Should she have filed a formal complaint? Sure, yes. But she did just about a month or so later and given the responses I’ve seen here, Ernie was right to point out that it’s no surprise victims of sexual harassment often don’t come forward. It’s awkward, embarrassing and people will say, “hey, it’s not so bad, some people would be flattered.” That he often behaved this way toward women who needed something from him, only speaks to the weakness in his character.
I think Zach above says it most eloquently: “In the end the question must be asked, should a community retain a leader for his ideas, regardless of his behavior? ” I reject wholeheartedly the idea that he is in any position to serve in a leadership capacity under the circumstances although I support many of his policy goals.
Catherine, you make some salient points, although until the mayor has had his day in court, I do not agree with your and Zach’s recommendations going forward.
I have to say I was very offended by Judi’s comment that many women would welcome Mayor Filner’s attentions. Thank You, Ernie McCray, for pointing out just how hard it is to rock the boat and make waves. I think the bottom line is that Bob doesn’t believe he sexually harassed anyone, he was just having fun. The problem is that it wasn’t consensual fun, it was HIS fun at the expense of his targets. Are you OK with other forms of bullying, too?
I agree that Mr. Filner would be well advised to polish up his manner, regardless of whether–when the real trial begins, rather than this charming pretrial free-for-all–he remains in office as our mayor. However, references I have seen to Madmen cut both ways: these are not those days, and women and men are able to reject advances that are not welcome. But these are arguments for a hearing or trial. Countervailing arguments and evidence may at that time be put forward. Until that time, I object to forcing a remedy for unsubstantiated charges.
I mourn what might have been for San Diego. It seems that his track record as a seducer has not been very productive for him. Location, location, location. Elevators? The doors open at the next floor. Restaurants? Tipping over the water glass is counter-productive. The most shocking revelation: He took her to Marie Callendars. Anybody could have told him that was going to lead nowhere.
Yes, I have seen kids in a playground yell “Dog pile” and all charge to jump on top of another with glee. You still see this is sports, baseball and soccer, after a success of a goal or a win. That’s what I see now, a dog pile on Filner, by those gleeful or motivated by outsiders egging them on.
That’s what I see in the new claims of old incidents involving the mayor. I had thought women were empowered by the last 50 years, to stand up for themselves at the time of any harassment. Apparently not. I too object to charges and verdicts without due process. Clarence Thomas claimed he was getting a “high tech lynching” but still received his due process.
Judi- You sum up the conflicted and complex feelings that so many women are experiencing right now. I have long daily conversations with a number of women, most of us in our 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. What we are thinking frankly cannot be reduced to a tweet. You make that case very well. Thank you.
Will you remember the famous men who had to fall to rise again?
Alphabetically speaking:
A. Clinton, Bill, (President)
B. Cleveland, Grover (President)
C. Condit, Gary (former U.S. Congressman)
D. Eisenhower, Dwight D. (President)
E. Ensign, John (former U.S. Congressman)
F. Frank, Barney (former U.S. Congressman)
G. Jefferson, Thomas (President)
H.. Kennedy, Edward (U.S. Senator)
I. Kennedy, John F. (President)
J. Sanford, Mark (former Governor of South Carolina and NOW a U,S. Congressman)
L. Spitzer, Eliot (Governor, State of New York)
M. Thomas, Clarence (U.S. Supreme Court Justice)
N. Vitter, David . . . and Wendy Vitter, a class act
O. Anthony Weiner (former U.S. Congressman)
Eh? Half of those people never fell, and the other half never rose again. What are you talking about? Are you defending Gary Condit, Mark Sanford, Anthony Weiner? You can’t be serious.
Zach,
I am NOT defending any of them, simply pointing out that all of them received either a fair hearing or was impeached and found not guilty.
All I want for Mayor Filner is due process, the right for him to face his accuser, Irene McCormack-Jackson, in front of a jury of his peers and then if found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, suffer the consequences.
Fair enough! But regarding your more recent posts:
1) Considering Filner’s unabated misbehavior, it’s quite apparent he’s unable to be honest with himself. And if so, how can he be expected to be honest with anyone else? Saying “he’s the only one” is an insult to everyone in the community. And if true, then the community doesn’t deserve better. If he’s the only one, then SD is in BIG trouble. And yes, I know that’s the case.
2) As for your suggested meeting, I’m appalled that you’ve left out Catherine! And after she’s said, in so many words, “let’s get busy doing something constructive.” What kind of progressive leaves out engaged dissenters?! As for me, I can’t make it anyway, but I think you should apologize to Catherine.
So who is doing the needed investigative reporting on Manchester, Lynch, Gonzalez, Gloria etc? I expect a resignation or something which results in the ouster of Filner will come sooner or later. But the winner is the continuation of a backwards city government run by back room deals and the developers. Let’s have the conversation on sexual harassment as we should. There are many lessons to learn: 1) you can’t rely on a hero savior candidate ever 2) men as a whole have not evolved & need some serious self reflection 3) this city govt. is so corrupt & inept we are kidding ourselves if we think otherwise.
We regular folk have a pretty big job ahead of us but throwing up our hands and giving up is just what they have in mind.
Cogent points, Stephanie.
I’m am impressed. Plus, I’m pretty sure you get a pulitzer for this many comments.
stephanie,
You are spot on about the “Lynch” mob.
Agreed, Stephanie! :-)
I am NEW to on line articles and blogs. My idea may be naive and unworkable, but please allow me to continue.
So many of you have been creative, critical, fair and open-minded. Andy Cohen said,
“. . .but I don’t think we have anyone to blame for it except for Bob Filner.
You’re exactly right about that. No one to blame but Bob himself.” Andy is correct.
However, after hearing and seeing (or both) the noon news conference yesterday, I hope I am not out of line when I say that most of us are interested in having our city continue having someone who is honest and progressive without kissing the fannys of the good old boys network.
Imagine Todd Gloria replacing City of San Diego Mayor Bob Filner. Besides having another “Republican” in office, even the thought sickens my stomach. Gloria has been a buzzard waiting for his prey to fall.
So many of you have been creative and fair-minded, and at the same time are interested in providing Bob Filner with an opportunity to continue serving the citizens of San Diego. Bob Filner is our only choice.
Rather than adding our input on blogs and so to speak hiding in the shadows, perhaps some of us could arrange to meet in person and instead of talking the talk, we could make a difference by walking the walk.
Some of you may know how to reach Ms. Judi Curry, either by email or telephone. Because I am “computer challenged” and have absolutely no idea how this could be accomplished, perhaps one of you could be innovative and make this happen.
By meeting at a restaurant or another public venue with a small private meeting room, this would allow us to formulate a plan to provide input to either Ms. Lee Burdick, J.D. or Mr. Walt Ekard. This meeting could be arranged either after normal business hours Monday-Thursday or at a breakfast or lunch on Saturday, so that those of you who attend a religious service on Sunday would not be impacted.
Alphabetically speaking by surname or user name, Bekken, Cohen, Curry, Cynthia, Dittzblonde, Dorn, Hunter, Lawrence, McCray, Osborn, Pfaff, so, sooze, stephanie, Swink and Wesling would be invited to attend this meeting.
Your cooperation is most appreciated. Many thanks for everything. Let’s make this happen. Talk is cheap-quality champagne costs money. Thank you for hearing me out.
Sometimes a picture – even a cartoon – can convey far more than words; to wit, the cartoon in this last week’s SD Reader. Made me ill looking at it – has San Diego degenerated to the likes of this? God help us!
thoughtfulbear,
My apologies for inadvertently omitted your name from the list of invitees in my blog which appears above your “picture-cartoon” blog. However, based on the underwhelming interest of everyone, it appears as though more people are interested in blogging than problem solving.
What kind of a reply were you looking for? (Having just read your entry on Sunday morning.)
Judith,
Please take your time and do not rush through my instructions.
Please read my blog response to thoughtfulbear above your blog response to me, which you sent to me (today) on July 28, 2013 at 9:23am.
Now source my blog response of July 27, 2013 at 8:02am which appears above the most recent blog response from thoughtfulbear .
Please carefully read my entire blog response of July 27, 2013 at 8:02am, especially my last five paragraphs. In my next to last paragraph, a list comprised of most of the responders appears. As I explained to thoughtfulbear in my blog response of July 27, 2013, you seemed to be unclear about the whys and wherefores.
This should now bring you up to speed.
I was referring to your comment that “…based on the underwhelming interest of everyone, it appears as though more people are interested in blogging than problem solving.”
So I was asking what kind of replies (or are there none?) you received, and how you wanted people to respond. In this column?
It seems that it is now so tainted, that no politician will step forward to lead a reconciliation campaign. I do not credit all the accusations against the mayor with the same weight. For instance, a psychologist (who of all people should know how to handle things) recounts an incident that happened years ago. That to me is piling on. And probably was encouraged by the “power brokers” who hoped that an accusatory press conference would magically get the mayor to resign on the spot.
Pfaff:
Thank you for your invitation. I do not think that I have any viable input to those who will be running the city for the two weeks of the Mayor’s rehab. I have no objection to meeting in person, but I have zero influence in the community, and I am more interested in stopping the stampede than in proceeding on the assumption that our mayor of the next 3 1/2 years will not be Mr. Filner. I rather hope that he will continue as mayor. I can think of no replacement. Now, who was that woman from South County who was always coasting to her Congressional seat? Is she a good choice if Filner resigns? I don’t know. This exercise just seems defeatist and premature.
Ms Cynthia ________ and Ms. Judith Wesling,
Judith,
In response to your question in the second paragraph of your most recent blog response, had I received any replies, you would have also seen them, as the reply(ies) would have appeared on this blog of Ms. Judi Curry. As you know, Ms. Judi Curry is the journalist who wrote this article-blog, “It’s hard to Support the Mayor, But . . .” Her article-blog appeared on the OB Rag and San Diego Free Press websites.
Cynthia & Judith Wesling,
I have read both of your emails carefully.
Because most people in our society, Judith Wesling possibly being the exception, have become reticent about providing their email address, name, which explains the popularity of user names, and telephone number, I have formulated what I believe to be a creative idea.
If both of you would send an email to the San Diego Free Press, the SDFP would then have your email addresses. I shall also do the same. Then the SDFP would send an email to Judi Curry and voila! – Judi would be able to send us one email with all four of our email addresses. Of course, this pertains to everyone on the list I compiled in my July 27, 2013 at 8:02am blog response.
We are not asking or seeking Ms. Judi Curry to be involved in this matter. Ms. Curry is a journalist. Although she may be an activist, we should not encourage her participation. If she wishes to do so, that is another matter.
Nearly every “name” personality, conservative or liberal, Democrat or Republican, local or national, has asked City of San Diego Mayor Bob Filner to resign because it politically expedient or popular to do. However, there is also a very high percentage of faceless and nameless people such as ourselves, who strongly believe in:
1. Due Process – the right of an individual facing criminal allegations to face his or her accuser in a court of law by a jury of
his or her peers
2. The hidden presence of “the Lynch Mob,” including Papa Doug and his Manchester Mess
3. Why would Gloria Allred (she always wears red) make a statement, and I am
paraphrasing that, ” . . . if Mayor Filner resigns, we may decide to drop our lawsuit.”
What does a lawsuit filed by Allred on behalf of Irene McCormack-Jackson seeking monetary damages and the
resignation of Bob Filner, have anything to do with each other.
4. The answer to the above may explain why four or more “officers of the court,”
Allred, Briggs Gonzales, Pallamary, to name a few, are proceeding with this matter.