Most of his posts were rather unprofessional - and surprising for someone posting on behalf of the Park Board. I asked several commissioners - including John Erwin and Jon Olson what they thought of Rice's postings to the list - and whether Rice was familiar the First Amendment. Neither commissioner defended those postings - and both seemed to think his postings to the list were an embarrassment to the Park Board.
But the Park Board commissioners - both Erwin and Olson - seem to think Brian Rice is the best thing since sliced bread for the Park Board.
I'm also happy that Carol Kummer has joined the list - and it will be interesting to see her debate her opponent, Jason Stone on this list.
Is anyone running against Jon Olson?
Eva Young Near North
On his entrance into the forum:
http://mapnp.mnforum.org/pipermail/mpls/2002-August/015557.html
Over 200 years ago well before the internet and the Minneapolis Forum, Alexander Pope wrote "A little learning is a dangerous thing". How profoundly prescience. About two weeks ago I enrolled in the Forum. I'd heard about it from State Representative Phyliis Kahn and
Park Commissioner Annie Young, two committed public servants whose opinions I respect. I thought I would become better informed and find some thoughtful and well reasoning minds. For the most part I have been disappointed.
Members seem to instantly write about things of which they know little, form opinions with very little reflection and occassionally descend into a smug state of snideness as evidenced below.
...
I find it less than helpful when satiric pieces such as the one produced by the list manager are published. This is especially so when there is an evident lack of information about the topic. It seems to me this Forum is exactly the type of medium that our current Governor thrives in. From reading some of the recent messages it also seems that this Forum is perhaps a potentially lethal breeding for libelous inaccuracies. Based on the time I've spent writing on this issue, I think this may be my first and last contribution to the Forum. Although I'm reminded at this point of another great author's views on the topic. A century after Pope, Samuel Langhorne Clemens wrote, "A lie can get half way around the world before the truth even gets its shoes on." Brian F. Rice
Mpls Park Board Attorney
http://mapnp.mnforum.org/pipermail/mpls/2002-August/015575.html
Lucky my wife and kids are up at a ymca camp this week. The research I've seen shows that the vacancy rates were the highest 10 years ago. Twenty years ago was pre-everything but the IDS. This I think is an example of the
ridiculous exagerations I see all the time in this Forum. Related to the early 1990's vacany rate was the severe property tax crunch the city faced because of the dramatic over building that occurred in the late 1980's. I
don't believe that on a relative basis we have yet approached the problem in the early 1990's. The comparaion to the early 1980's by Brauer is simply inappossite.
For anyone to buy the line about stern
warnings read the so-called apology. Laughable. (OH, I'm So sorry.) I disagree with Brauer's response that only one of the posts delved into personalities on this subject. The only one that didn't was Mr. Strand's. Every other one attacked Emily, attempted to malign my arguments with the fact I am suposedly in it for the "fees" or they attacked Board members saying the decision should lead to their removal.
To call the comments I saw this week a "civil city civic" discussion is truly the best piece of humor I've seen. Now I can laugh at that one. For now it really is time to go and feed the dog. Brian Rice
http://mapnp.mnforum.org/pipermail/mpls/2002-August/015588.html
I think that the list manager should undertake a case study of this issue. I monitored the discussion of this issue and I bit my tongue several times over the last several days. The discussion quickly became critical to the point of several members suggesting that Commissioners be unelected over their votes on this single issue. A park board employee was called a "character" when trying to provide the Forum members information. One Forum member suggested that Com Dziedzic was for the building acquistion so he
wouldn't have to drive as far to meetings. (This statement is probably false as Dziedzic lives right off 35W and is minutes from downtown and his house is on the extreme eastern border of northeast.) I was accused of being "in
it" only for the legal fees. (By the way I'm not billing anyone for my time; I just got sick of the stream of garbage that popped up on my computer and when Emily's effort to provide some information meet with the derisive email of Mr. Kuettel I felt enough was enough. Unfortunately for me most of what has come back is in the same tone as the response to Emily. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. I've monitored other topics although with less interest. While this is a great medium to allow people to communicate and obtain information and insights
not readily availible through the press, I'm am truly shocked as to the willingness of some members to ascribe evil motives to people. I'm more bothered by the blatant disregard for people and in some cases the truth. I told a fellow lawyer that I think a found a treasure trove for libel and defamation lawsuits earlier this week. This was after I'd seen some of the assertions put out on this Forum. I know that some member will now accuse me of being a bully and threatening lawsuits, but I'm not. I'm simply saying that our rights to free speech are predicated on it being truthful speech, unless of course we are the press. I'm also bothered by the fact that some mebers of this Forum believe they are entitled to others to take their time to respond to their inquires. Some postings I've seen, like Lisa McDoanld's, have been very thoughtful and whatever her views she should be commended for the time and effort she put forward to offer her thoughts. However, I think that some mebers of this Forum have a sense of entitlement and self-importance that is troubling. While the list I'm sure contains many opinion makers, I'm surprised at the attitudes and opinions expressed; they seem more like the buy and sell decisions of a day trader at the height of the .com frenzy.
If people want information then they should be willing to at least read and try to understand it. If they have questions then ask for more. If they want to express an opinion then do in a manner that tells the other members what the basis of the opinion is. A before people like David Brauer launch into pieces like the Board of Estimate new release they ought to reflect on what effect that is going to have on people like me who thought this was a serious medium.
Eva Young Near North Minneapolis [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
"You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone - not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc., but the
world is full of idiots, and probably always will be." --Article II of the Bill of Non-Rights.
REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
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