Just Letters No Filters: The Sequel
I received this comment (through my e-mail notification) from Larry Williams. The comment didn't appear on the blog, but I'm assuming that he wanted me to publish this. If I misunderstood, my bad:
Tom -
While I do not condone anonymous blog sites, I want to at least commend you for using your name when you post items to PA Online.
I find many of the comments on the site generally offensive - but then again I feel the same way when I see a tabloid at the check out stand.
Of course I'm assuming that you are not the perpetrator who started the "Just Letters No Filters" site.
It is a sham of a kind that I've never encountered before and it leaves me little choice than to comment on "Just Letters" comment of 11/14/11 at 8:31AM.
I originally looked at the site when I noticed a post under the "Commenting at PDN Site? Facebook Account Require" post you put up on your site on 11/9. "Just Letters" said a new site was being formed in a comment on 11/10 at 10:17AM. I followed the site for a week, and when a couple of comments by Ed Chad went in under the Moderators opening post I thought I'd try to get some clarification about the entire site and what the Moderator was attempting to accomplish.
What follows is what the current post looks like on "Just Letters No Filters" site - there is only 1 posting as of 8:45 PM 11/16/11- all other material has been removed:
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2011
SUCCESS!!!
When I started this blog, it was a kind of experiment...An experiment to see how long it would take a certain obsessive former Port Angeles City Council member who has left the area to find it. Well, now we know. It took less than a week. Some people can't spot a fake, and some people obviously just can't let go...
And for the record, my favorite part of the message from this famously peevish and unpleasant person is when they complained that one letter was written in a "bitterly disrespectful manner." Now let me see...Who can I think of that's written letters to the PDN in a "bitterly disrespectful manner"...Hmmm...
In any case...Experiment: Successful! Thank you, and good night!
That is what I found tonight….the post is in response to a message I sent to the Just Letters moderator via the comment section seeking both information and expressing my disappointment that the site was not what I had expected given what was promised.
(end part 1 of a 3 part post - continued in part 2)
So your readers can see what prompted the above, the following message is what I sent to the Just Letters moderator - it is quoted below in full:
Moderator - the following is not for publication. I know of no other means of communicating with you and you are not authorized to publish this with my name. If you wish to re-word both the questions and answers in an attempt to explain your site to others under on your own, that's fine with me…as long as my name or writing style isn't attached in any way.
First - I agree that the PDN has made it increasingly difficult to express an opinion. I was hoping that this new blog would offer a forum for open and respectful expression that identifies all writers to better ensure accountability.
But I'm puzzled with what I see compared to what I thought was intended.
The first post by Patrick Miller regarding Rich Sill sinks into name calling about half way through. It then delves into unreferenced and unsupported accusations.
The second post by Chris Nelson berates both Linda Barnfather and Jim McEntire in a bitterly disrespectful manner.
The third post by Tom Davis starts off with swearing and berates people for parking their cars on their own property - when sometimes such is a necessity due to street widths or new storm water regulations.
Then there is the post in which a former - terminated - Clallam employee signed a non-disclosure agreement…which you apparently saw…and expects anonymity while continuing the name calling and unsupported allegations. It will take someone at the County about a fraction of a second to figure out who the person is, and it makes you a party to violating the agreement….a non-disclosure agreement usually means not talking about the entire incident and surrounding information, not blabbing about a problem without signing your name.
For the record, I don't know Sill and have no ax to grind regarding him either way.
Having noted those specific inconsistencies, all of this takes place against a backdrop of apparently allowing anonymous comments about any letters published…which, in my mind, make the site no better than the stuff that goes on with the PA Online site.
I'd be happy to listen to your perspective, but at the moment I'm disappointed with what I see so far.
Larry G. Williams, Omak, WA
It was an honest inquiry seeking to determine what the new forum intended
(End part 2 of 3 posts, continued - HTML limits a post to 4096 characters)
(Beginning part 3 of a 3 part post - continued HTML limits a post to 4096 characters)
Regarding Port Angeles Online….months ago I attempted to clarify through a single comment I made on your blog site. I didn't use my name at the time - though I felt the factual information I provided was important. But since I didn't use my name, it didn't feel quite right for me then, and it has bugged me ever since. This will be my last and final post on Port Angeles Online. This settles the score for me.
I will continue to express my opinion through the PDN…it's a printed format with a readership that I can generally relate with. Sometimes my opinions are strong, and at times I toss in the occasional catch phrase to try and stimulate some dialogue about a topic. While using the phrase "cream of the crap" was a little over the top, it reflected my opinion of what has been happening in City Government, and was the beginning of a series of comments I had about the election and what will likely transpire in the future.
What is unfortunate, in my opinion, is the level is angst in online and anonymous post forums without writers feeling the need to take ownership by including their name. When I've commented in the PDN - even if it is a forceful comment, at least people know who is talking. For anyone interested in moving to Port Angeles, and who looks at the town through the lens of your blog site, it seems the town is torn apart and has diminishing opportunities for recovery.
What I find most disturbing is this - "Just Letters" says at 11/14/11 @ 8:31AM above, the following: "No one is going to try to expose you to ridicule." As the current post on Just Letters Not Filters shows, that is not the case. Someone has had a good laugh, and I have no doubt others will cheer with glee as well. Fooled once, shame on you. Fooled twice, shame on me.
Yes, I'm pretty naive about some things, and no it never crossed my mind that the site was a fake. Yes, I will continue to monitor PA Online from time to time…after all, it does reflect a segment of the town even if I don't necessarily agree with it, and don't relate positively to how the media is used in the dissemination. Yes, the hateful comments pointed directly me by unknowns do sting…I'm only human too.
No, I won't be making additional posts, by name or otherwise.
But, Tom, what has happened is an offshoot of your site…and you expressed your support for it beginning. For the sake of anyone wishing to consider trusting or using your site in the future, I'd appreciate you commenting on what has transpired.
Larry G. Williams, Omak, WA (End part 3 of 3)
29 Comments:
I can't think of any comment. You've expressed your view, as everyone else is entitled to do (barring name-calling or slander/libel).
What a rambling whiny pointless piece of crap.
So you got duped and moderated. No big deal.
So you dont like other peoples profane and disrespectful opinions. NBD.
So you dont think people listen to yours. NBD.
As far as rants go, I'd give you about 2/10. Try to make your point in less than 12000 charactors next time, under 4000 would be optimal and use more colloquial terms such as 'bastards' and 'assholes'.
I was only at that site once, when Tom pointed out that it existed. Sometimes I think comments on any site means little, they are soon left in the dust of the ruts of the internut in time and space behind us as we hurtle through the cosmos and new posts are put up.
As I understand it, in England politicians insult each other.
Conclusion: American politicians are a bunch of pussies. "Don't hurt my feelings, I'll cry."
IN ENGLAND...
"You're a fucking idiot."
"No, you're a fucking idiot."
IN AMERICA...
"You're a fucking idiot."
"Be nice, no name calling." (sob, sob, sob)
Looks like all the posts have disappeared at the "Just Letters" blog.
Larry, I think THE POINT is you've MOVED AWAY, so WHY are you still so obsessed with what is going on in Port Angeles? If you're SO interested in the future of this town, maybe you should have stayed here. As is, you just look like a nut who can't stand being out of the spotlight.
tl;dr
appearently a long tirade about being butt hurt.
Methinks the Larry doth protest too much...
I agree with others: a boring rant that should have only taken a sentence or two to express. But then again, this IS Larry Williams we're talking about.
On the subject of why he continues to be so involved in Port Angeles? Let us all remember he was a real estate agent, AND city council person. How many issues the city council gets involved with, involve real estate directly, or indirectly?
Do you think it is possible he has real estate "investments" in Port Angeles ? Do you think it is possible he is concerned about the make up of the city council, because he is concerned about how their actions might affect his "investments" here in Port Angeles?
Just wonderin'..
Larry Williams got punked?!? Sweet!
Welcome to the world of online. I'd say setting up a fake site just to trap one fly is pretty inane, bordering on asinine.
Everyone who went to the site was punked.
I don't see the big deal about someone reading blogs and newspapers from an area they left. Not an issue.
But, the naive internet stuff just slays me. We're not in the 90's. Yeah, flame wars happen, and sooner or later someone is going to compare you to Hitler. Move on, don't get your feelings hurt. It's the internet. Welcome.
Hello Larry,
Please take a moment and fill out this form.
http://imgur.com/lI2Wt
Seriously, man. Suck it up.
I don't agree with what they were doing, but it's up to you to act the bigger person.
FYI, Larry, whenever you have one of your letters to the editor published, my friends and co-workers and I always have something to snicker about for days. Pontificating from afar, you have NO idea how utterly ridiculous you seem to the vast majority of people here. And by the way, I work in city hall, and have for years, so I know about which I speak.
Larry moved to Omak, believe me, that was not a step up. But it's a much smaller town so a man like that can become a bigger fish in a smaller pond when it comes to civics.
A small town wanted me to run for mayor but I don't play well with committees and fools.
And I put out my own paper and if I wanted to call the mayor an asshole I did.
Lack of comments at the fish wrap, guess folks in this area aren't big on Facebook.
Granny's Cafe has a Facebook page, but not because of the owners, they could care less and likely don't look at it, one of the daughters set it up.
"Lack of comments at the fish wrap, guess folks in this area aren't big on Facebook."
I know I don't have a FB account, and have no intentions of setting one up. And, without "comments", I don't spend much time at the PDN site anymore. Used to be kinda interesting to see what folks were saying. With that gone, what's the point?
Someone needs to get a life... make that two someones...
In the end ... who cares?
Obama in Bali for summit of East Asian nations.
I wish I was in Bali and he had a snowball up his ass.
You geriatric types who are all pissy about FB just make me laugh. You probably yearn for the good old days of rotary-dial telephones, too!
"You geriatric types who are all pissy about FB just make me laugh."
No unfounded assumptions, there!
I don't know about anyone else, but I don't like providing my personal information to companies so that they can figure out ways to make money off of me. FBs business model is specifically about collecting data to sell for profit.
All good for them, I suppose, if folks think FB is the best use of their time. That wearing corporate logos and being lead about by the "latest technologies" is important, or somehow impresses others.
A couple things bother me about the PDN/comments issue. One is that it requires patronage of FB. Do they get paid for every new person they get signed up? (J/K.. I think)
Another is the obvious effect it has had to reduce public commenting. If I am to take Anon 4:40s' comments seriously, virtually everyone that used to post comments on the PDN site are "geriatric".
It is interesting to see, in this age of supposed increased "information", this resulting reduction in public commenting, accomplished so easily.
"It is interesting to see, in this age of supposed increased "information", this resulting reduction in public commenting, accomplished so easily."
Just wait... you ain't seen nothing yet!
You geriatric types who are all pissy about FB just make me laugh. You probably yearn for the good old days of rotary-dial telephones, too!
Well, punk, all I own is a cell phone. Had my land line number put on it when I bought it.
Now if I could just figure out how to make it sound like a damn phone and not a musical instrument when it rings.
So Port Angeles is actually, physically rid of Larry Williams...And his new wife and Omak are safe as well, being that Larry is tied up obsessing over his former town, Port Angeles online...Sounds like a situation in which everybody wins!
First he's humiliated online, and now we learn that the very ground beneath Larry Williams' feet is shaking. Surely Larry has done SOMETHING to displease the Gods. What could be next? Possibly the sure sign of the End Times...Cherie Kidd as Mayor!
For the record, I am not and never have been Larry Williams!
Oh, Larry, Larry, Larry...You just CAN'T leave it alone, can you?
Yet ANOTHER letter to the editor going on and on (and on) about the process of choosing the mayor here? Well, here's a newsflash for you Larry: No one except you really cares.
You see, we all pretty much understand that being mayor is primarily a ceremonial role. Yes, sometimes the mayor has to sign letters, make declarations, etc. But that is all done at the behest of the full Council. The mayor cannot operate on their own, they cannot make decisions for the city without a majority of the Council agreeing. They get ONE vote, just like every other member of the Council.
One would think that after 12 long years on the City Council you'd understand these basics. Apparently not.
Or, could it be, is it just possible...The only reason you're suddenly SO concerned about this is that it seems extremely likely that Cherie Kidd will be the next mayor? And isn't she someone you have been sniping at and belittling for years? In other words, isn't it true that the only reason you're "concerned" about this at all is because it simply provides you another forum in which to try to take a swipe at Cherie? Isn't it true that your "concern" is really just an expression of a personal vendetta?
Well, Larry, the voters picked Cherie - and Brad, and Max, and Sissi - and from what I've heard, most people here are actually pretty happy with that. Of course, you're NOT actually here anymore. But I think most people are pretty happy with that too.
Enuf of Larry Williams! Time to send this to the PA On-line!
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