Apparently a plan isn't a plan
Following up my post from this morning, my old boss Jason Winders disagrees with me and criticizes Alan Reddish's column from Sunday.
I love the guy, but I think he's grasping at straws.
Just a few weeks ago Winders rightfully defended the local government from some off-base criticism from those in the green industry, but here, when Reddish - someone who was directly being criticized - attempts to explain, he switches sides and calls his defense 'silly.'
What's silly? Why was the criticism unwarranted just a few weeks ago but now, when Reddish is the one calling it out, it's not?
And we're going to criticize Reddish for being defensive? We're going to criticize a man who, as he notes, has helped to develop a drought plan that is lauded by others in the region yet faces misguided attacks day-in and day-out? You want him to provide some guidance and insight and, when he does just that, you get upset because you feel he's lecturing you?
Furthermore ... what exactly is so secretive about this process? What's this grand mystery we're talking about?
Local officials have said many things are on the table, ranging from rationing to tighter restrictions on water consumption to easing of conservation methods. They've said that the staff will present some scenarios for our elected officials to consider, and from there we'll have them hash out a plan that includes time for public input.
Again, if they just rolled out a plan yesterday, they'd be crucified for it because they would have done it 'without involving the necessary players.' Here, they wait to do the most cautious and prudent thing, and they're bashed for it.
And Winders attempts to transform this into some weird, pseudo-populist argument ...
“To suggest, however, that your elected officials and staff have not provided effective leadership to meet this challenge is just plain wrong.”
See, it’s not the county. It’s you. What a joke.
Well, um, not really. He's talking about you.
I love the guy, but I think he's grasping at straws.
Just a few weeks ago Winders rightfully defended the local government from some off-base criticism from those in the green industry, but here, when Reddish - someone who was directly being criticized - attempts to explain, he switches sides and calls his defense 'silly.'
What's silly? Why was the criticism unwarranted just a few weeks ago but now, when Reddish is the one calling it out, it's not?
And we're going to criticize Reddish for being defensive? We're going to criticize a man who, as he notes, has helped to develop a drought plan that is lauded by others in the region yet faces misguided attacks day-in and day-out? You want him to provide some guidance and insight and, when he does just that, you get upset because you feel he's lecturing you?
Furthermore ... what exactly is so secretive about this process? What's this grand mystery we're talking about?
Local officials have said many things are on the table, ranging from rationing to tighter restrictions on water consumption to easing of conservation methods. They've said that the staff will present some scenarios for our elected officials to consider, and from there we'll have them hash out a plan that includes time for public input.
Again, if they just rolled out a plan yesterday, they'd be crucified for it because they would have done it 'without involving the necessary players.' Here, they wait to do the most cautious and prudent thing, and they're bashed for it.
And Winders attempts to transform this into some weird, pseudo-populist argument ...
“To suggest, however, that your elected officials and staff have not provided effective leadership to meet this challenge is just plain wrong.”
See, it’s not the county. It’s you. What a joke.
Well, um, not really. He's talking about you.
posted by Jmac at 4:09 PM
4 Comments:
Very well said.
I don't know why the ABH thinks that they are the ones who should determine the schedule for everything the commission does but they certainly seem to try.
I also don't know of any commissioner or the mayor who takes advice from anything written by the ABH.
Until we hold elections for editors of newspapers then I think it's worth remembering that every opinion they print is just one person's opinion. The editors may have a big megaphone to shout their opinions but, in the end, those opinions are not worth more than yours or mine because we are each one citizen and represent no one but ourselves.
Has anybody ever seen Jason Winders or Jim Thompson at any public event? Or, in public at any time? I think these guys could be a lot more credible if they actually participated in our community. Maybe the reason the paper always prints their photos beside their columns is because that's the only way anybody would ever know what they look like!
Well, in fairness, it's important for them to express their opinions (I do the same thing, just on a smaller scale). So I didn't take their criticism to be that they were wanting to set the schedule or run the show, but rather that they felt nothing was going on ... which is something I disagree with.
The Athens Banner-Herald supports a lot in this community, and I have seen both Winders and Thompson at different things.
Again, I just disagree with their position on this issue, not their commitment to the issue or the community.
"Has anybody ever seen Jason Winders or Jim Thompson at any public event?"
Yes.
And you vote for the Jason when you read the newspaper or buy anything from the advertisers.
Now you know. And knowing is half the battle.
RE: OnlineAthens
what if you gave a blog and nobody came?
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