The following letter, received today, is from longtime Emeryville resident and former School Board candidate Darice Bridges. It is written in response to an anonymous commenter on the Tattler story entitled "Pat O'Keeffe Endorses Nora Davis?".
. . .
I often read The Tattler for "the other" prospective because I believe that in order to make an accurate decision/choice you must hear all sides. I don't generally read the comments of others unless I have submitted comments to see if they were posted or responded to.
Unfortunately, today I read an APPROVED comment regarding an endorsement of a recently deceased city employee WHICH WAS NAMED and is my mother!!! The great idea around The Tattler is that the residents have an opportunity to voice their opinion whether good, bad, or indifferent. However, I was utterly appalled that one would feel it is politically correct to actually name a deceased person (without prior approval from her family) who does not have a voice to respond so I am here to be that accurate voice for my mother, Linda Jones. As I discussed with Brian [Donahue] over the phone today after reading this article, I believe in the freedom of speech BUT NOT when it comes to the expense of others who, in this case, are RECENTLY mourning the loss of a loved one!!!
I consider it to be in bad taste for The Tattler not black out her name if it is common practice to post "everyone's" comments. There STILL needs to be journalistic integrity even when letting those have their freedom of expression. With that said, I do appreciate Brian addressing my concern expeditiously and allowing me the opportunity to be the accurate voice on behalf of my mother, Linda Jones.
The corrections are as follows:
My mother Linda Jones passed away October 1, 2011 not over 2 months ago.
My mother and I have been long time supporters of Ms Nora [Davis], in which, I will continue to be a supporter of Ms Nora.
I notified the City of my mother's passing as well as Ms Nora directly and if there was no respect made in honor of my mother...THEN shame on the Council because I also spoke directly to Ruth Atkin as she made her phone call rounds! Ms Nora, however, even as reported by The Tattler of being ill, STILL facilitated the completion of the proclamation and followed up with me regularly via phone and email. I personally know those on the Council as it stands now and NOT ONE WAS PRESENT TO PRESENT IT during her Celebration of Life ceremony this past week and that is only suppose to be presented by a City official. If it was not for Ms Nora's assistance that Proclamation would NOT have been completed let alone read by a City official.
In closing, I would like to thank The Tattler for constantly keeping conversations stirring, but in the future I believe if there is going to be an "approval" of comments there should be some form of review NOT censorship.
Thank you again,
Darice Bridges; 35years Triangle resident
FYI To Readers-
ReplyDeleteIt is not possible to delete sections of a comment (or even to correct typos) with the blog architecture at the Tattler, so it has to be everything from a commenter or nothing. The Tattler will print all comments except those with no connection to Emeryville or the story it is attached to. Additionally, if a comment makes personal attacks, they will generally be deleted.
Ms Jones was a longtime Emeryville resident and sat on numerous committees, unpaid, in hopes of the betterment of our city. We extend Ms Bridges our condolences and we add our voice to those who would extoll Ms Jones virtues.
ReplyDeleteOn behalf of our family, we thank The Tattler for your condolences and the opportunity to have a voice.
ReplyDeleteDarice, I am sorry to hear your mom passed away. I was not aware of the ceremony to honor your mom. It was not publicized or I would have been there. I knew your mom quiter well. I am so sorry you have to endure the wrath of a political campaign in a moment of sorrow. my condolences...
ReplyDeleteI really like the long-time residents here that I have met during my walks of the neighborhood, first for Ed (Treuting) in 2005 and later for Ken in 2007 and now for myself. It speaks highly of the long-term residents and of Emeryville as a community that they have called this little 1.5 square mile city home for so long. When newcomers like me get riled up by the idiosyncrasies of City Hall in this modern era, I have to remind myself what it must have been like pre-1987.
ReplyDeleteI hope that when the election is over, we can put much of this nonsense behind us and spend a minute of silence for Linda Jones at the first post-election Council Meeting and read the proclamation once again.
I lost my own mother only two years ago. I was very fortunate that she had me when she was young, and so I was able to enjoy her company - and experience her love - for most of my adult life, even when we were separated by half a state's distance. I can't presume to know what Ms. Darice is going through right now, but if it is anything like I went through, it must be such a powerful combination of poignant memories and a feeling of loss and regret. For someone to raise her name in this particular arena was unfortunate, however well-intentioned.
My prayers are with you and your mother.
Darice, I am very sorry for your loss. I'm sorry you had to read those things in the comments. Unfortunately, I've given up hope of 'journalistic integrity' for this blog.
ReplyDeleteRe; 'Journalistic integrity': The job at the Tattler is not to "show both sides" of newsworthy issues in Emeryville, how normal journalism operates. Instead, we're here to unabashedly forward the resident's interests. It says it right in the masthead: Emeryville commons from the residents perspective. To those that want the 'other side' please check the city's website and its newsletter or check the taxpayer funded Chamber of Commerce's newsletter.
ReplyDeleteTo 10:52, any "hope" you might have had for the traditional journalistic paradigm was misplaced; please don't read the Tattler; we've always been biased here in favor of the residents.
No one said anything about bias. There is a lot more to integrity than that.
ReplyDeleteDefinition of INTEGRITY
ReplyDeletefirm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility
Brian - as much as I appreciate what you do hear on many occassions, don't fool yourself into believing that all things you say here are in favor of Emeryville residents. Perhaps what you cover here may be of interest to residents, but sometimes the things you say favor only certain kinds of residents.
ReplyDeleteResidents, of course, means people that live in Emeryville. Within that group of 10,000, there are many swirling sub groups with sometimes conflicting interests that engage in battle with each other. The Tattler sometimes treads into this but what we're really interested in is the larger, more pressing fight: the conflict that is always extant, between residents (in the aggregate) and business interests. This is the fight that really matters in terms of making our whole town livable.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words of expressions regarding my mother's passing. My mother LOVED this city and has passed that same love onto me; however, not only did I have the pleasure of running for school board, but I too am a former employee of the City.
ReplyDeleteMoving to the polictical aspect...It would be my understanding that when the City issues a Proclamation that there are proceedures in place to notify the "Officials" so that it could be read. As I stated the City and members of the Counsel who knew of her passing and protocol should have been executed.
"Growing up Emeryville" and working for the city entitles you to much knowledge of how political Emeryville truly is. There are MANY aspects/positions that are in drastic need of "new life" so thats were I choose to place my focus.
I completely agree with Darice Bridges and her inspiring expressions of loss. I believe that when a person passes away, they should not be mentioned again by the family or by friends or business colleagues - certainly not by the media, by the city or by outsiders.
ReplyDeleteOur children of Emeryville should be taught in our schools that the passing of a loved one is an occasion to put that person out of mind, their name to never be spoken again.
I cannot believe that this Democrat rag would even consider printing the name of a cherished loved one who has passed.
Have you no decency, sir?
Wha?
ReplyDelete