Beyond The Line Of Decency
NO "ANONYMOUS" COMMENTERS
As most of you who read this site frequently probably know, I have a big problem with anonymous commenters, so much so that I don't permit anyone to use that pen name. I require your own name or anything else and no longer even look at the content of items submitted by "Anonymous" - I just delete it.
THAT'S NOT THE POINT
That's not the purpose of this post, though. I felt the need to address what I think is a despicable, egregious violation of common decency that has occurred recently on the Daily Pilot comment threads.
SUB-HUMAN SLIME
Over the weekend I was browsing through the comments attached to a couple articles in the Daily Pilot and saw some posted by a person who has chosen as a pen name "DEAD BABY BECCA". I immediately realized that this slime of a human being was using a pen name intended ONLY to inflict emotional pain on Jim Righeimer and his family. This was later exacerbated when the scumbag included as an avatar a photo of a baby floating in water.
BEYOND HUMAN DECENCY
This kind of cruelty is what makes some comment threads so painful to read.. I don't even try to read the threads on the Orange County Register anymore because, after the first couple comments, they deteriorate into vile attacks on the other commenters and get completely off the track. This one, though, is well beyond the line of human decency.
RIGHEIMER IS FAIR GAME FOR CRITICISM
I really don't have a problem if you don't like Jim Righeimer or his ideas - as an elected politician he's fair game for criticism. Cuss him out, make fun of him, point out his lies and foibles - whatever. However, his family is off limits, period.
WHAT KIND OF A CRETIN DOES THIS?
I'm trying to figure out just what kind of a monster would stoop so low? What kind of a depraved person would do this kind of stuff? If you are the one who did this and you're reading this blog, shame on you!
LEAVE HIS FAMILY ALONE
So you know what kind of grief Righeimer and his family are dealing with following the death of their young daughter, Rebecca, HERE is a link that will explain it. Again, shame on you!
As most of you who read this site frequently probably know, I have a big problem with anonymous commenters, so much so that I don't permit anyone to use that pen name. I require your own name or anything else and no longer even look at the content of items submitted by "Anonymous" - I just delete it.THAT'S NOT THE POINT
That's not the purpose of this post, though. I felt the need to address what I think is a despicable, egregious violation of common decency that has occurred recently on the Daily Pilot comment threads.
SUB-HUMAN SLIME
Over the weekend I was browsing through the comments attached to a couple articles in the Daily Pilot and saw some posted by a person who has chosen as a pen name "DEAD BABY BECCA". I immediately realized that this slime of a human being was using a pen name intended ONLY to inflict emotional pain on Jim Righeimer and his family. This was later exacerbated when the scumbag included as an avatar a photo of a baby floating in water.
BEYOND HUMAN DECENCY
This kind of cruelty is what makes some comment threads so painful to read.. I don't even try to read the threads on the Orange County Register anymore because, after the first couple comments, they deteriorate into vile attacks on the other commenters and get completely off the track. This one, though, is well beyond the line of human decency.
RIGHEIMER IS FAIR GAME FOR CRITICISM
I really don't have a problem if you don't like Jim Righeimer or his ideas - as an elected politician he's fair game for criticism. Cuss him out, make fun of him, point out his lies and foibles - whatever. However, his family is off limits, period.
WHAT KIND OF A CRETIN DOES THIS?
I'm trying to figure out just what kind of a monster would stoop so low? What kind of a depraved person would do this kind of stuff? If you are the one who did this and you're reading this blog, shame on you!
LEAVE HIS FAMILY ALONE
So you know what kind of grief Righeimer and his family are dealing with following the death of their young daughter, Rebecca, HERE is a link that will explain it. Again, shame on you!
Labels: Daily Pilot blog, Jim Righeimer
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 7/18/2011 05:49:00 PM
20 Comments:
I couldn't agree more.......excellent post Geoff.
Geoff, I'm really glad that you presented today's subject matter in such good taste. I hope it will be effective and will stop any future assaults on the
Righeimers.
However, now that you have brought the subject up, please don't hate me for taking it one step further. Due to the fact that you are a husband, and not a wife, you can't imagine how unbelievably hurtful nasty remarks and criticisms of Jim Righeimer are to both his wife, his children, his siblings and his parents. I can assure you they take every one of those cutting, obnoxious nicknames personally. You, and your blog commenters, seem to take great pleasure in trying to cut Jim to shreds, as often as possible. Lucky for Jim, he has very tough skin so he just considers them to be ignorant remarks by totally ignorant people, and many of your readers feel the same.
Although Jim and I are not of the same political persuasion, I respect him at all times. He is a very decent human being, a good family man, and is entitled to his opinion, just like you are. Anyone who disagrees with the effort he's making to improve Costa Mesa should either stifle his comments, or learn how to deliver them tactfully.
It is never OK to publicly slice and dice another human being, no matter how much you disagree with them, or their politics. Think of how your wife, and other family members, would feel if someone made the same nasty inferences about you that your blogsite regularly makes about Jim Righeimer. You can't make your point by either making a personal attack, or allowing your commenters to do so. It just doesn't fly in the face of human decency.
Just sayin' ....... and, sorry if I've stepped on any toes.
I totally agree with you and quite honestly hope that guy gets tracked down and dealt with. What disgusting behavior.
"Just Sayin" writes of Righeimer:
"Anyone who disagrees with the effort he's making to improve Costa Mesa should either stifle his comments.."
Sorry, JS. Riggy is dismantling the city I've lived and worked in for 21+ years. He's hurt a lot of people and his plans will hurt even more people.
I wish him and his family no harm, but he needs to leave public office.
"Stifling one's comments" about elected officials is not what we do in America.
Just Sayin',
I understand your point of view. However, Righeimer has brought every bit of the criticism leveled against him upon himself. As long as he continues to put his political career ahead of our city I, for one, will continue to criticize him - here and elsewhere. I disagree with his strategy and tactics and will continue to make whatever observations I feel are appropriate. That is NOT what this post was about - it was about the vicious, uncaring and despicable use of a pen name designed to bring emotional pain to the family who lost their precious daughter.
You may think Righeimer is a wonderful fella, as you described him. Fine. Our opinions about him differ on many levels and I provided a forum for you to express yours. I will continue to characterize him the way I see fit. It's a game he chose many years ago and has practiced with different levels of success. Last year, for example, his campaign continually spread lies about Chris McEvoy when it became apparent that he was a threat in the election.
Jim, the public figure, is still fair game. If he, or any other member of the City Council, don't like the heat they can simply get out of the kitchen.
To “Just sayin'”
Using a family tragedy to hurt Mr. Righeimer is inexcusable, but the kind of robust discussion – and some emotional venting – we have on this blog is perfectly appropriate. As Harry Truman famously said, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!”
You request “Anyone who disagrees with the effort he's [Righeimer] making to improve Costa Mesa should either stifle his comments, or learn how to deliver them tactfully.”
Righeimer may be, as you assert “… a very decent human being, a good family man, and is entitled to his opinion …” But then, isn’t everyone, even those world figures our governments have encouraged us to hate?
There was a time that I actually admired Mr. Righeimer for the quality of his service on the Planning Commission. His actions were consistently, with few exceptions, for the good of Costa Mesa.
But this man, newly empowered, is now ruining my city. His justification for it is so bizarre that it reminds me of the Army officer justifying the killing of hundreds of innocent Vietnamese children and adults, “We had to destroy the village in order to save it.”
Righeimer and his political colleagues are using every trick in their political book to get their way, trashing “the Costa Mesa way” that has worked fine through the first 58 years of cityhood. And you want me to stifle my comments or deliver them tactfully as he rampages through my home?
Hosea writes, "They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind." This catches the mood of residents who’ve been bullied by Jim Righeimer and the three councilmen he has bullied into supporting his extremist agenda.
In the hardball politics Mr. Righeimer plays, to turn the other cheek is to guarantee he’ll belt you there, too. Plainly put, he’s a bully who is relentlessly following an agenda handed him by outsiders.
Relentless? Yes. Through all the public meetings and published comments by voters, he has not wavered one bit from the playbook he was given. He goes through the motions of listening, but has he modified any position or has he allowed any of his gang (and I use that word on purpose) to deviate? When he goes on Fox TV does he allow there’s anything to be said in support of his opponents?
Here’s a quote that may give you an inkling of the treatment bullies can rightfully expect: “He that lives by the sword shall die by the sword.” In (American) politics it’s not to be taken literally, of course, but figuratively: Bully and you’ll get it right back, frequently harder.
Geoff, if this reference is what I think it is then - IT'S WRONG. I have seen the comments of the other sites and I have to say I'm not surprised. The Register practically throws gasoline on the fire (but then again anything to sell a paper - and nothing sells like hate).
You run a clean site and do a responsible job of overseeing it. You have lead by example. You cannot (nor can we) be responsible for those sites and their followers.
Just sayin', you're totally off base. Nice try though.
But Pot Stirrer, what about Jim's family? Where is your compassion for THEM? That's what I was talking about. They read your blog too. Taking cheap shots at Jim Righeimer only hurts his family. There's not a nickel's worth of difference between doing that, or using the offensive name we both agree is in very bad taste.
And Joe, I didn't say you should stifle your comments, I said you should stifle your comments IF you can't deliver them tactfully.
Tactfully, Just Sayin'? Good God, but you sound like Martin Millard. This is politics, my man. Do you suggest that Righeimer hide behind the skirts of his wife, that he be granted special dispensations because his kids are so cute? Is he to be granted wimp status and special protection because he has put his reputation, his wife, and his kids at risk?
The Register post was a stinker, and has no place in political discourse. BUT NEITHER HAS POLITE FORBEARANCE. You put your mug up, it gets swatted; that's politics. If Riggy needs a breathing spell, he should try listening to what we are all saying, and maybe apologizing to the citizens of my city for being such an unresponsive dork.
Rectality is its own reward.
Or maybe his wife and kids can talk some sense into him.
If they don't like what they are reading, they don't have to read it. Righeimer has made himself a public figure and criticism is to be expected. Pretty simple, and he has to accept that. He's exposed himself for what he is - an ambitious politician that's putting his own interests above the electorate's.
Diogenes, I awoke to find a new word staring back at me, and it made me chuckle. Rectality? :-)
Sorry I disagree...Riggy and his family deserve the same amount of compassion and tact that every city employee and their families have received from Righeimer. NONE
Was it tasteless and vile ? yes but as far as I'm concerned Mrs Riggy is just as guilty because she isn't doing anything to stop her out of control husband. So really Geoff...lighten up
Feral:
I hate what Riggy and his pals are doing to Costa Mesa, but there IS a line that cannot be crossed.
I grew up in Jersey with many "characters," who, even as they became involved in terrible things, mostly adhered to the rule that family is always excluded.
Jim Righeimer = decent human being like Casey Anthony= decent mother
feral....I hear what you are saying BUT attacking ones family is wrong beyond words the way that poster did. Listen i think Riggy is a sick SOB for the way he is handling things and putting many lives in a stressed out mess. NEVER though would I think of attacking his family. Especially kids. That just shows one has more than just a loose screw in the head. Go after Riggy by himself. Leave the kids alone.
Look at that the pot calls the kettle black... Your comments have been equally as untactful in the past. You also tend to exaggerate issues and have even resorted to attacking family members on your blog. I don't know who you think your fooling...
Way to go Geoff West, inciting more hate and aggression against elected officials. Each time you side step and play innocent. Nonsense.
feral390 said...
Sorry I disagree...Riggy and his family deserve the same amount of compassion and tact that every city employee and their families have received from Righeimer. NONE
This whole mess sounds like a typical Improver tactic!
I thought...
Show me one instance where I attacked Righeimer's family!
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