Unless you've been on vacation for the last 10 days or so you should be quite aware of the controversial action of the Chapel Hill Town Council (by a 8-1 vote) granting themselves a health care benefit usually associated with long-term service. I'm sure readers of this site have by now made up their minds as to the appropriateness of this action so I need not concern myself with that. I would hope that readers are also aware that the Council members who voted in favor of this benefit quickly realized that they had erred, if not in substance, at least in process, and quickly reversed their decision. Even before they had voted to reverse their decision they were inundated with voice mails and emails, some apparently quite nasty and distastetful, expressing their displeasure over the Council actions.
Today I was quoted (quite accurately, I might add) by Dan Goldberg in the CHH from an email which I sent to the private accounts of all the Chapel Hill Council members and Mayor. I have no idea how Dan Goldberg obtained this private email but I assure you that any quotes attributed to me are accurate. It said "the vocal minority do not speak for all of Chapel Hill's citizens. You all work hard to make Chapel Hill a better place to live." The way this was presented in the article might suggest that I was negating the negative feelings of the citizens concerned by the Council member actions. I assure you that I was not. What I was expressing was my sense that the vocalized expressions of negativity directed toward the Council's overall performance in many of the emails and petition-associated comments were not an accurate reflection of the overall support that this Council has for the way it has governed and led Chapel Hill over the last several years. That is obviously my personal opinion but I think it is also reflected in the outcomes of the previous two elections.
I am not bothered by the fact that I have been put up there for personal ridicule as evidenced by the comment on the CHH website " Just what planet does George Cianciolo come from?" What does bother me is that a number of the signatures on the petition that was circulated to rescind the Council member insurance were from friends and colleagues of the Council members. Having served for 9 years on Town advisory boards I consider myself a friend of 8 of the Council members (I haven't know Matt Czajkowski long enough to reach that status). I'm not a close friend - I don't socialize on any kind of regular basis with any of the Council members and have never, except for one election-eve party, been to any of their homes. Nonetheless, if I have a problem with something they've done, I would call them or email them. I wouldn't let them know by way of petition.
And thus I come, finally, to the topic of my blog: civility. One of the things I've always loved about Chapel Hill and Carrboro is our ability to discuss our differences - usually in a reasonably civil manner. So what happened? Why are our Council members, who serve with such dedication, being bombarbed with nasty, distasteful, sometimes threatening emails? Why are our Council members, who in my experience are receptive to either phone calls or emails, finding out that their longtime friends and colleagues are displeased with them by reading their signatures on some internet blog?
What has always made Chapel Hill so great was that we could work through our differences without resorting to name-calling or threats. What made us different was that we worked hard to do what was necessary to make it right. The Council members have admitted that they erred. When are we going to accept their admission and work to move on?
Comments
private email
GeorgeC says:
George, sending an email about town business to a council member's private email account does not make it any less of a public record, it just makes it harder to find (but easier to find than a phone call or handwritten letter). I would assume that the reporter either got it because a council member voluntarily sent it to him or perhaps it was a public records request.
private email
Gerry,
I realize that all emails to elected officials are a matter of public record. I was just surprised how quickly that one made it into the media. It's not a concern - I try not to put anything into an email or onto a blog that I can't live with later.
Three ring binder
George,
Email and letters to the council and mayor and manager are printed out and put in a three ring binder at Town Hall. Anyone can look at them.
Also, civility is a good thing.
Kirk Ross (posting from another computer and thus anonymous for the moment)
what we've come to...
It is (in my opinion) completely fine for people to have been terribly upset at what the Council did, and apathy or being a milquetoast is what gets us into many situations that we can not get out of later. George - you are implying that those who spoke up are somewhat less "civilized". COME ON! This issue enraged people. They reacted - some not appropriately, but the emotion was genuine! There is nothing wrong with anger! Sometimes it's our only weapon that works...
dave
Anger versus Civility
"Enraged"
This is exactly what I don't get - and dont like. Why should people be "enraged" over a budget item, especially if they don't bother to contact the Council about so many more pressing issues that the town addresses all the time.
This kind of behavior really degrades public discourse. I disagreed with the vote as well (as I have objected to many things passed by consent agenda in the past) but I took action by expressing my opinion about the issue, not verbally attacking the people who I rely on to make it right.
Everyone makes mistakes, even elected officials. I'm glad they have admitted it and corrected the problem. Can we move on?
and this is why...
everyone gets to have an opinion. You, Ruby, get to have an opinion and not be enraged. I get to be enraged. Many people were.
I happen to think that giving yourself lifetime benefits while working part time when other people work full time for a long period and don't get the perks is disgusting. That's my opinion. It is equally as valid as yours.
I don't agree with George Bush on the war but it doesn't get me as mad as it does someone else. He wanted to stabilize the Middle East. It was short sighted. But I don't think he's an "evil villain." Some people do. That is their opinion.
I absolutely love handguns - many people on this blog probably detest them. That is also fine. We all have different opinions and ways that we express ourselves.
Ruby - you also don't get to decide which issues are pressing and which are not. Again, thisis solely your opinion. I wouldn't presume to speak for anyone else about what is important to them. If Chapel Hill decided to ban concealed carry weapons, that would impact me greatly and I would get invovled. I don't ride a bike, so I don't need to addess bike issues as a bicyclist would, but I know these issues are imporant to them. The thing is, we all have issues that are pressing but you don't get to decide what they are, and that's what makes democracy great.
dave
you aren't wrong
George, in many instances I don't think you are wrong at all. I think it is very important to be civil. Sometimes, however, the people with whom you are talking won't listen to reason. Look at Kevin Foy. He is STILL trying to justify the vote, after he says it was a mistake.
Look at this old scenario - trying to reason with the childhood bully; you try to be his friend, hope maybe your niceness and then your tears will abate his punches and nothing works...until one day you knock his teeth out and then he stops bothering you. Sometimes, unfortunately, bullies need to have their teeth knocked out, both figuratively and literally before they either do the right thing or leave you alone. It is simply just life...I don't like violence, verbal or physical, but again, sometimes it is the only thing the little guy has...
dave
The louder and more
The louder and more belligerent someone gets, the less I listen. I think our discussions should be about principles and not personalities. If the other person involved cannot hear your argument on its merits, then I don't think calling them names or insulting their mother is going to get them to listen more favorably to your point of view.
Once you hit me, all bets are off.
Petition = Incivility?
"What does bother me is that a number of the signatures on the petition that was circulated to rescind the Council member insurance were from friends and colleagues of the Council members."
You probably know far more about this situation than I do, but is it possible that some people might have let their friends on the council know about their displeasure with their actions by phone or email while also signing a petition? It seems to me that circulating a petition is quite civil (unless the petition is inflammatory or contains false or misleading information), and it certainly doesn't preclude personal contact.
Seeing the name of a friend on a petition that opposes something I've done would be a personal disappointment to me, but I don't think I'd see it as a sign of gross incivility. If one accepts the premise that elected officials need to be held accountable for their public actions, then I think it follows that each of us (whether or not we are a friend of the officials) bears some responsibility to publicly cite actions that seem improper, unjust or ill-conceived.
Is this what we've come to?
"Why are our Council members, who in my experience are receptive to either phone calls or emails, finding out that their longtime friends and colleagues are displeased with them by reading their signatures on some internet blog?"
George,
As you know I've supported the Council members on most issues, have great respect for their community service, and have worked with them on many local issues while sitting on the Planning Board, OWASA and the Library Foundation. In many instances I have emailed, called or met with them.
I signed the petition (it wasn't a blog) and it's interesting to see how many other active citizens and former Council members also did. I, and 500 others, felt it was a very effective and efficient communication tool to show the Council how far off-base their actions were, how poorly timed, and how utterly inappropriate it was try to sneak it through on a consent agenda without public comment.
I don't agree with some of the comments that were expressed, but it was interesting to see the level of emotion that surfaced. In this instance I don't believe it was inappropriate, nor was the petition.
Gene Pease
Working too fast
Thank you George
Thanks ,George for writing this-it is sad that you would be "held up to personal ridicule" for expressing your opinion.
This morning I sent Mayor Foy an e-mail (since he seems to be taking most of the heat) that said in part:
"The outrage should be directed at a system that would create an environment where this should even be necessary. (As an aside, for those people who have problems with the Council commenting on federal issues, everything is connected and this is a perfect example.) "
The need for access to health care is a reality. Everyone should have it at a very reasonable cost, including all of the citizens who are outraged.
I
Del Snow