Wish we had video tape of our Council Meetings. I could submit one of last night's performances to the "Gadfly Hall of Fame"
[note: all underlined text in this post is a link to an external Web page]
As a favor to a mutual friend of Kim and I think Pat's, I suspended this post. I agree that they were getting all lost in their emotions and the focus was muddled in all sorts of amusing accusations. My attempt to jokingly point out these women's "little-girl-like" behavior in the audience that night was just that. They were completely behaved during the following meeting, and except for Pat, I think this is behind us. Stan is responsible for keeping order, and he did a fine job. The post is back up to now to answer their incorrect criticisms and the Press article. -MM2/25
I modified this post because someone, whose respect I value completely, told me I went too far with calling these women the Bobbsey Twin "Girls". This post is about Kim and Pat's child-like behavior (snickering, gesturing and interrupting) in the audience of the City Council meeting, and Pat's seemingly uncontrolled and unchecked rant. MM1/16
Even the best intentioned person can seem rude, foolish, or worse with such immature behavior (including me of course). That's hoping that she (Pat) had good intentions with her "rant" though. If Pat's intention was to help me learn something, or see that my words could have been expressed in a less hurtful way, I suppose she was successful. But at what an unnecessarily, extravagant waste of my personal respect for her. If her intention was to hurt or shame me, she failed totally. I'm guessing by her finger pointing and finger wagging, and her seemingly enraged, about-to-pop-a-carotid-artery facial expressions, that she was attempting the latter. Again, she failed, miserably. She did give me lots to blog about though (lol).
I did not leverage the responsibility for allowing their behavior to continue unchecked during our meeting, but I will now. That responsibility rests with our Mayor, Stan. He is chair of our meetings. He is responsible for keeping order in the audience as well as monitoring and helping speakers with their sometimes seemingly inappropriate, some may even consider them abusive, comments. Our Mayor is Kim's husband and he is a good man. I have no doubt he will improve his leadership with each meetings experience. I hope he, like I'm told his predecessor did, will find a way to help Kim conduct herself more appropriately in future meetings, and help Pat with her comments, if she starts "crossing the line" -MM 1/21
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You are in good company. She's done that to lots of respectable people. Don't take it too personally Mike - she can't control herself sometimes.
ReplyDeleteMaybe these women were rude, I wasn't there so will take your word for it.
ReplyDeleteBut your response that they are not "ladylike" and can't be compared to mainstream objectification ideals of women (via Maxim magazine) is backwards. What is this, 1950?
It reflects poorly on you if your first response to women who disagree with you is to criticize them for not adhering to sexist stereotypes.
Mr. Manners: You are right, and the fact that I was upset and venting, much like she did last night, is embarrassing and I hope, forgivable. I couldn't get back to sleep unless I let it out somewhere, and this is not such a bad place for that. I slept really well afterwards too. Thanks for your perspective and fair criticism. -Mike
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis part of my post edit is not, in my opinion, sexist, but it could be thought of as "name calling" still, if only by metaphor. Oh well. I originally did call them the Bobbsey Twins and my friend is right that perhaps I should be above this in my position. I'm trying to bring more respect and honor to this position, and name calling isn't helpful. Lesson learned. -MM
ReplyDeleteedit:
"Their (Pat & Kim's) Bobbsey-like, little-girl-like behavior of snickering, gesturing and interrupting last night, in the audience of our City Council meeting, is far from my definition of ladylike. They may benefit from etiquette lessons like my mother taught me when I was a little boy - Children who cannot sit quietly and listen and who do not have respect for others will not be respected in return."
Etiquette Lesson here was linked to a Ms. Manners Washington Post Article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/02/AR2008090203270.html
So my final comment to Mr. Manners is:
ReplyDeleteIt's not that it bothers me that they disagree with me, it's how they express that disagreement in such a rude way.
I was definitely juvenile in my attempt to give them a taste of their own medicine -Mike
You need to resign. This is inappropriate. Your concern for the citizenry of Trinidad is completely overshadowed by your love or yourself. How many votes did you get anyway? 50? 60? I wish I could take mine back.
ReplyDeleteOvershadowed by my "love or yourself" - huh? I don't understand what you mean. I think you mean I love myself more, or first, and yes I do. Then I love Trinidad. Then I love its residents - even you whomever you are :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could give you your vote back, sorry I can't. Sorry you're not brave enough to sign your post either - booooo. I'm brave enough to put myself out here, to make mistakes, to hold myself accountable for them, and to correct my behavior and be a responsible resident - are you?
Again, look at what this is all in response too - there you will find who is being really inappropriate. -Mike
No, what's inappropriate is you posting negative comments about the citizenry you pretend to represent. There is no bravery in putting yourself out there, only ego, and lots of it. Again, I think you should resign. Elected officials do not blog about people who criticize them. They don't even write letters to the editor about people who criticize them. Your love for yourself will destroy you. And I get to watch...anonymously.
ReplyDelete"Elected officials do not blog about people who criticize them. They don't even write letters to the editor about people who criticize them." -Anon
ReplyDeleteThis elected official obviously has and will continue to blog about residents (we are citizens of the USA and residents of Trinidad), or anyone else who acts disrespectful in public meetings. And thanks for suggesting the Opinion page, that may be a good idea too.
Pat has a history of being unnecessarily rude to people she politically disagrees with in Council meetings. I choose to blog about her socially inappropriate behavior in hopes she may see it for what it is. Kim is hypocritical with her behavior at meetings. In the past, she would shush her political opponents for similar behavior - until she found a buddy to be rude with.
You've obviously missed the point here. Maybe that is my fault, and I'm sorry about that. Again, it's not the criticism I'm blogging about. It's what I consider their immature and disrespectful presentation of it. I welcome their criticism. I listen to it. I check my actions, and I change what I think might be better. Thank you for trying to help.
OK I admit I have no idea what anyone is talking about. Is this an insider thing?
ReplyDeleteI think that we (who is we anyway???) need some elementary lessons in communication. C'mon guys, are you just continuing your immature ranting on the web or are you going to post some real information here?
-Sincerely,
Charles Netzow
PS the "cmon guys" is not reverse sexism.
"... continuing your immature ranting on the web or are you going to post some real information here?"
ReplyDeleteMy answer to both is yes. Ranting, whether someone judges it immature or constructive, is not only appropriate as part of a blog, it's a "guilty pleasure." That being said, it's real information that someone may learn something from - hopefully.
Thanks for your suggestion to move along. I agree this one's run its course. Wish some of the more "important" topics I've started here would get half the attention this one has lol. -MM