Search
Polls
Latest Forum Posts
| Taking a Knee unclebuck 15-11-08 13:51 |
| Re:Football unclebuck 07-10-08 15:24 |
| Re:Football unclebuck 02-10-08 12:59 |
Login Form
| Our Voice |
|
|
| Written by PI Editorial Staff | |
| Saturday, 05 January 2008 | |
|
Anonymous critics should reveal themselves Something strange seems to be in the air these days, and it’s not just the massive storm blowing through town. Last month, a video showed up on YouTube.com that implied that Stanislaus County Supervisor Jim DeMartini was a philanderer with poor business ethics. This week, it became known that Patterson activist Donna Worley, a former Burbank resident, is the only person to have purchased Westside Stories clips of DeMartini, clips that appear in the video. Worley said she has not seen the YouTube video or ever visited the Web site, but she would not say whether she gave video footage to someone else. At the same time, the Irrigator has learned that a Web site with a similar URL to the Truth About Patterson blog was registered by a Burbank-based media company representative, who is married to Gov. Pete Wilson’s former speechwriter. Is it all a coincidence? It seems unlikely, but Worley said she does not know the woman behind the Web site. The question is — who is paying for these services? Is it West Park, the group that wants to develop the Crows Landing Air Facility into a 4,800-acre industrial park, or perhaps someone else? Those who appear positive that West Park is behind the video may want to ask what purpose it serves lead developer Gerry Kamilos. Does the video tend to make DeMartini — a fierce opponent of West Park — into a villain or a martyr in the eyes of the public? Will it make Kamilos’ project more endearing to the board of supervisors? Regardless of who is paying for these services, it is sad to see outside forces meddling in the affairs of the West Side. Both the YouTube video and Truth About Patterson blog tend to be sensationalistic, and the blog often contains factual errors. They both display cowardice on the part of the author and designer. Anonymity ensures that there is no accountability. For instance, it’s hard to take action against any potentially libelous material when it is unclear who is writing it in the first place. The use of anonymous consultants also creates a feeling of distrust among West Park supporters and opponents alike. At the end of the day, West Park should be valued on its merits alone, not on meddling from GOP consultants or other special-interest groups. Supervisors need to ask whether the project is good for the West Side. What will the region’s needs be 30 years from now? Will the West Park project provide the right type of jobs for this area? What impacts will it have on our roads and way of life? How will it impact agriculture? — Stanislaus County’s No. 1 business. If Worley’s accusations about being followed and having her mail tampered with are true, that’s also an ugly reflection on the situation these days. It’s time to stick to the facts and to the issue at hand. And it’s time for whoever is behind these anonymous Web sites to come out of the closet or keep out of our community. We need face-to-face dialogue on this issue, not behind-the-scenes allegations.
Set as favorite
Bookmark
Email This
Hits: 220 Comments
(0)
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed