Saturday, March 23, 2013

The Mean Girls Of San Juan-istan

In the movie Mean Girls, a homeschooled girl (coincidentally named Cady Heron) returns home to America after living with her zoologist parents in Africa for 12 years. She enters public high school and discovers a clique-ish world of girl-on-girl cattiness that is more vicious than any predator she may have encountered in Africa.

In the gender-neutral style of modern America, our San Juan County Mean Girls encompass both men and women, and they are proud of themselves. You can find the rantings of our Plastics on County news outlets. It is difficult for us to comment on recent web-fits by Kivisto, Dehlendorf, Azous, and Rosenfeld since we are not fluent in gibberish, but we can say that they almost always discredit themselves with self-styled hypocrisy. Kivisto, for example, has editorialized in the past about civility (or lack of it) and then pitched a pencil-throwing tantrum at a public meeting. In her most recent piece, Kivisto ridicules the legitimate fear that citizens feel while she simultaneously plugs draconian retaliatory enforcement. Azous gets in on the act too, applauding Kivisto, but we have heard of several islanders who will never let Azous near their property again because of what she has done to them. Rosenfeld opines about fictitious big-money Republican PACs even though the Democratically-endorsed candidates in this election have raised over $68,000. And Dehlendorf ... well ... the only thing that comes to mind when reading Dehlendorf is Aesop's fable about the Ass in the Lion's Skin.

And the fact that our local Mean Girls are ranting recently about blogs and cached web pages emphasizes how bereft of content our local news coverage has become. Like the CAOs themselves, our County news outlets are filled with pages and pages of content-less mean-spiritedness hidden behind phony talk of community and environmental protection. Real stories about island people and the workings of County government are ignored.

The Mean Girls from our islands feel the County is being abused by its citizens rather than the other way around. The "law is the law," we hear them say. They want land-use violators punished ... severely ... and they want as many land-use laws as they can get. Makes you wonder what sort of eco-planning-sharia laws they would put in place if there were no opposition? Have you ever heard them exercise self-restraint? How far would they go? When is the last time we heard any of the Mean Girls say, "Oh, I think that law or enforcement action goes too far?"

There will always be Mean Girls in our midst, but do we want to continue letting them run the place?
"And I was like, 'Why are you so obsessed with me?'"

29 comments:

  1. Bustling babbling bobble-headed busy-bodies.

    These folks remind me of nothing more than a good old fashioned Rush Limbaugh AM rant show full of foaming DITTO-HEADS.

    Hell yeah Sharon! Ditto Ditto right here!

    You betcha David Dittohead, ditto on me too, 10-4 good buddy.

    And Kivisto, your cowardly practice of No Comments Allowed? Really now: Is this the only way to protect your rather jaundiced brand of yellow journalism? Is this really the only soapbox left for these flailing fools as they finally lose their grip?

    Who is the real coward Sharon Kivisto?

    Someone who reports actual news, with a 24/7 "open mic" for anyone to comment without fear? Or, someone who won't allow any response at all?

    What a pathetic little dog pile of mean angry self-absorbed creeps.




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  2. So Lovel's head is so big because it's full of secrets? Shut up!
    Seriously, what's in there?
    I don't recall.
    Shut up!rg

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  3. So Confused, But Never As Confused As Mr. D.March 23, 2013 at 6:42 PM

    It was a real surprise to have such renowned level-headed, independent personages as Dehlendorf and Azous spontaneously supporting The Source of All Truth. Isn't Azous the wetland genius behind the Mosquito Pit in Eastsound and the "mitigation" that ravaged the Trust land on Mount Baker Road? Truly hideous, with the added benefit of costing $200,000.

    I made the mistake of trying to follow Dehlendorf's letter and got dizzy. I think he's in love--he has that obsessed stalker vibe. Is he complaining about the Blog or the commentors? Picking only on girls! Shame!! (Does he think that Erik and Pete and Kit and Richard and Howie are female?)

    Perhaps you guys should censor the comments--or eliminate them alltogether, to make Dehlendorf happy. Oh, I forgot, nothing makes Dehlendorf happy. Will someone point me to something that rhymes with shore? Caused I missed it. Did you guys have a Nazi somewhere? I am . . .

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  4. Reprinted without permission of the San Juan Islander . . .

    Kudos to Sharon Kivisto for her spot-on expose in her editorial on March 20 of Ed Kilduff's anonymous, vitriolic, and frequently inaccurate blog. The cowardice and hypocrisy of Kilduff's blog is manifest. And yes it is his blog. If there are any doubters that it is, I suggest you ask Kilduff, Mike Carlson, Dave Cable, or Royce Meyerott, whom I assume will all tell you the truth.
    It needs to be added that Kilduff is on the board of the Common Sense Alliance, and that his blog is endorsed by the CSA and Mike Carlson, its President Emeritus. The CSA has a link to Kilduff's blog on its website, and both the CSA and Mr. Carlson frequently refer their readers and friends to the blog as a source of information supporting their cause and with which they agree. As almost all entries on the blog are anonymous posts or under ficticious names, they are in effect using Kilduff as their anonymous attack dog while hiding their own names. I'll leave it to the readers to decide if the term "cowardice" also applies to the CSA, Carlson, and anyone else on the CSA board. (Gordy Peterson and Peg Manning to their credit are among the few exceptions, as they post under their real names.)
    Why my accusation of hypocrisy? Because Kilduff's blog and the CSA demand transparency of public officials and council candidates, while hiding behind anonymity itself. That is as pure as hypocrisy can get.
    Kilduff justifies the anonymous posts and ficticious names on his blog in part because of his claimed fear of reprisals to him and his commenters. (Many of the anonymous commenters are suspected of being Kilduff himself.) However, as Sharon states, no proof of this claim has ever been made. In the words of another Sharon, Kilduff and his commenters need to "man up" and not hide behind anonymous posts and ficticious names.
    If anyone needs to fear attacks, it is the victims of Kilduff's blog, including current county council members, public officials and emplyees at all levels, candidates running for County Council, consultants, environmentalists, relatives of these individuals, and critical posters who use their real names. They are all frequently attacked on his blog in an egregious, vitriolic manner. Thankfully there is no counterpoint blog in our county.
    If anyone needs to be afraid of attacks in our community, it is Patty Miller, Lovel Pratt, Lisa Byers, Janet Alderton, and my wife, all victims of Kilduff's blog. (Is there possibly a sexist pattern here?) One incumbent council person was even called an invented name that rhymes with "whore". Nazi uniforms have even been used by some of Kilduff's supporters to smear a candidate. There was also a recent witch hunt attempting to prove that a candidate did not have her claimed college diploma, even down to the level of claiming that the fonts on her diploma were bogus and therefore invalidated the diploma. I have been compared to George Wallace, and also accused of having foreclosed on poor homeowners when employed by Wells Fargo Mortgage, when in fact I have never worked in the mortgage industry. The list goes on.
    Kilduff also justifies his action in part by claiming that anonymity is common practice in the worldwide blogsphere. That may be true, but pornography is also a common practice on the internet.
    Our closeknit community is better than this. But if Kilduff and his supporters want to continue their anonymous vitriol, they have the right to do so. I am not trying to censor them, which is beyond my powers anyway. Howver, the public does have the right to criticize them without fear of reprisals for the tone of his blog and for the use of anonymous posts and ficticious names.
    Not Anonymous (aka David Dehlendorf)
    San Juan Island

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  5. Classic . . .

    "I am not trying to censor them, which is beyond my powers anyway."

    David Dehlendorf 2013.


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  6. He got pornography, nazism, sexism, whoring and snuffing into one paragraph.

    Mr. D, let me get this straight, we are the sick fucks?

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  7. "I am not trying to censor them, which is beyond my powers anyway."
    - David Dehlendorf 2013.

    "No more science will be allowed."
    - Lovel Pratt, 2012

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  8. On a related topic is a recent letter in the Guardian regarding the Lopez School bond:

    "Parents and staff, who oppose the bond measure, have to do so in anonymity out of fear of negative repercussions for themselves, their children and their jobs."

    And we have heard nearly exactly the same about the Orcas School District.

    What do Sharon and her Friends have to say about this?

    What have we come to when we fear for our child's wellbeing for being critical of a school administration policy?

    Where does this end? Down with Dehlendork and his Dumb-Assed Dinosaurs.

    We do not need to live this way, and this is not how we treat our neighbors in the San Juan Islands.

    At the end of the day, sir, have you no shame?

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  9. quote: from @7:23

    "claiming that anonymity is common practice in the worldwide blogsphere. That may be true, but pornography is also a common practice on the internet."

    Note that shitty writing under the guise of journalism and misguided and factually incorrect rants by people named David are also common on the internet.....

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  10. Perhaps Mr. Delendorf needs to get some fresh air to his brain cells and yank his head out of his ass. Also not anonymous, Gary Kratochvil. The Peoples Republic of the San Juan Islands.( Formerly known as Deer Harbor, Wa. USA)

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  11. Do you think it occurs to him that his bizarre letters complaining about the Trojan Heron not only repeat the comments made about "the victims" but also drive traffic to the blog site? It's as if he loves lingering in the dark underworld of the blogosphere. And is ECK the tool of mean commenters who hide behind the blog or is ECK the only person who posts comments to the blogs? I've heard of split personalities, but usually you would expect them to manifest in separate letters.

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  12. I wonder what the Dehlendorf's discuss over their morning crumpets and coffee? Anything at all? Or do they just sit there and tap away on their laptops?

    David's lovely wife is in the leadership of the League of Women Voters, to whom we look to for conducting candidate forums later this week. And she serves the serious capacity as a Planning Commissioner.

    By her silence, David's wife condones his appalling public statements and bizarre behavior.

    Really now Susan, yank his little chain won't you? For the greater good at least?

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  13. Could someone please tell me how to find the letter by Evelyn F. Fuchser? Thanks

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  14. Could someone please post a list of local members of League Of Women Voters so we can alert these good citizens to what has befallen their most righteous and meritorious organization.

    My foremothers fought for the right to vote, and I am not impressed that this stain would exist on their legacy.

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  15. I would definitely contact Sarah Crosby and warn her that the League may have been infiltrated.

    With this week's upcoming forums I am growing gravely concerned. I hope all good citizens show up in force to call out the League's fiction of neutrality.

    Right now, our League of Women Voters is a wholly owned operating division of the Machine.

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  16. @8:25 you can find the letter here: http://www.islandguardian.com/letters_editor/archives/00000489.htm

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  17. Thank you for the link.

    In my experience attitudes trickle down. We unfortunately have some very negative attitudes and some very large egos in our local government who have little or no confidence in the local people.

    This is doubly sad because I think nearly every person who comes to live here makes that choice w/love. W/out the privilege of wealth it is a courageous choice because it is inconvenient and expensive.

    Our previous council has chosen to make it more so. I am, quite frankly, disgusted w/them. And I am disgusted w/ignorant people like Mr. Dehlendorf who have such bloated egos that they feel they know better than all the intelligent educated people they are lecturing at (constantly!) And they are total newcomers from my point of view as a many generational islander.

    It reminds me of people who buy a successful restaurant, lines at the door, booming business....and change the menu. A few months later the restaurant is for sale. I've seen it time and time again.

    Bravo to this lady for stating this truth so ferociously! Here is her letter for others...

    To the Editor:

    The actions of our county officials [Related Story] in the Speed persecution, from the approach to enforcement, the deeming of necessity to procure a warrant, the ease and ill-advised action in support to that warrant, and the support given by the sheriff’s department, Constitute a serious Breach of public trust.

    The enforcement of a building code violation upon a private citizen, upon his private property, unless that person or another is in imminent danger., or is causing harm to another person or property which constitutes an emergency, is only undertaken “in a sane, and humane world” after using the reasonable discretionary authority to ascertain with some certainty, that it will provide the means for a better and useful outcome. Not injury to the only party involved.

    The Building code exists only to protect life and property, not to destroy it.

    The Enforcement ordinance as well, as written and as proposed simply serves to further this madness.

    If county, enforcement is unable to support the Speeds in improving the conditions they face they only serve to violate a family’s reasonable privacy.

    And further make difficult those living conditions. I am absolutely disgusted!

    This is not, “never has been” the intent of the CODE as adopted!

    For the purpose of protecting against just this sort of thing, is the reason Discretionary Authority Exists.This county is standing on its head! Again, and again, and again!


    To the acting council, and for the benefit of a future, customer “service” and Community Development and Planning Goals, Please come to the aid and direction of that department.

    Evelyn F Fuchser
    Orcas Island

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  18. Let's start a new political group:

    "Democrats Disgusted with Dehlendorf"

    This crazed party hack is the treasurer of the San Juan County Democrats, AKA "The Machine." Think about it.

    I reject them. I proudly voted for Obama but this local mafia embarrasses and disgusts me beyond measure.

    It is easy for my Republican friends to repudiate this corruption, they are from the other side of the aisle and will not lose their friends or be subjected to shunning or retaliation for their views.

    This is not true for sincere island Democrats who more and more are awakening to this horror being perpetrated on our community in their name

    This corrupt local mafia is neither Progressive or Democrat. It is a creepy authoritarian political machine that could not care less about the Democratic Party of the United States.

    This Machine is a collection of serious bent ideologues such as David Dehlendorf who seized the apparatus of the San Juan County Democrats. Dehlendorf is just a cog, a tool. And a foolish one.

    Anonymity is currently the only means true Democrats in San Juan County have to speak out without fear of the shunning and retribution that most definitely will face them otherwise.

    The Machine understands this very well, which is why they are shrieking against this newly empowered voice long repressed here now speaking truth to power.

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  19. League of Women Voters:

    http://www.lwvwa.org/san-juan/index.html

    Steering Committee:

    Sarah Crosby
    Treasurer: Pat Curtin
    Secretary: Susan Dehlendorf
    Margaret Doyle
    Ann Jarrell
    Voter Service: Jill Johnson
    Membership: Clare Kelm
    Diane Martindale
    Gay Wilmerding
    Beverly Zapalac

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  20. Ahhhh...one of the sources of infiltration is very clear....

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  21. at the first Anonymous commentator:
    "What a pathetic little dog pile of mean angry self-absorbed creeps"

    Really? What did you just post but further ridiculousness? Showing your OWN angry meanness! Is it completely impossible in this county to have a real debate about the issues or does everything now resort to children throwing insults, profanity and tantrums?

    I'd started reading this blog to try and hear both sides, to make a better informed decision because journalistic integrity is very much a lost commodity both locally and nationally anymore.

    Moderation of forums is common practice on the internet. The lack of any of moderation of this forum now has me dismayed at the thought that most of the people posting here are not children enjoying the ability to bully anonymously, but adults and my neighbors!

    I would encourage the owner of this blog, if you want the discussion here to be taken seriously at all, enforce some moderation. As it is, you are losing those that have been coming here to hear what you have to say.

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  22. A new independent group has appeared. They are non-partisan and issue driven. See their ads in the Journal, Sounder and Weekly. You may leave a comment on their site :

    WWW.Trustislanders.org.

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  23. To March 24, 2013 at 12:15 PM

    Perhaps I misspoke. In the time honored tradition of American letters and robust political discourse and satire, allow me to rephrase:

    "What a steaming and execrable heap of mean-spirited and angry little people."

    I hope that helps clarify. Feel free to read other articles and commentary that will hopefully be less annoying to your sensibilities.

    Being new to the TH you will no doubt discover how well moderated commentary actually is. The policies are clear and well administered here. Welcome aboard.

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  24. Okay I love two things about this post -- having nothing to do with politics. One -- it references Mean Girls (written by Tina Fey) -- this is a vastly under-rated little comedy. And two -- the click-thru to the YouTube preview.

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  25. @12:15

    We trust our commenters, and we trust them to encourage others to elevate the tone of the comments when need be (as you did). We also understand that people make comments for all sorts of reason, including emotional reasons, and we feel it is important for readers to see it all.

    In short, we don't feel ourselves (or anyone) to be capable of moderating a conversation impartially, and I don't know why anyone would want to partake in a moderated conversation. We think it is better for you to separate the wheat from the chaff for yourself. As we have said before, the only antidote for "bad" free speech is "good" free speech.

    Please feel free to contribute, but we will resist any effort to moderate the comments, and we will make every effort to encourage commenters to make good points in order to continue to have this be a worthwhile forum.

    We realize this is a different approach from most places, but we also realize that the TH may not be for everyone. We will do our best to always ensure free speech here, even anonymous free speech, and hope that people recognize the virtues of that approach.

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  26. @ 12:15pm All blogs have their goofy "little dog pile" people. You just need to ignore them. Good content and clear thought shines through, when it occurs. Nothing's perfect. And some people are very angry. (Not angry enough to throw rocks, Sharon, or to get guns, David, but angry enough to sputter about on occasion. Read past them. I do.

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  27. So cute to have Sancho Panchodorf defending the honor of the ladies, none of whom seem to feel compelled to complain. I have heard that Patty Miller was upset, because she is sincere, felt misunderstood, and is a bit sensitive, though why she'd venture into politics on these islands under those circumstances is puzzling. Lovel just loves the limelight, no complaints there. Lisa seems to be the Teflon Sunshine candidate, Miss Sweetness and Light, all harmony and happiness. Janet--well, Janet is like Dehlendorf--coming across a little unhinged, and free to stop anytime she wants--mocked but not taken seriously enough to be attacked. As for poor Mrs. Dehlendorf--who ever attacked her? Other than her lifetime appointment to the Planning Commission--and that is her friends' doing more than hers, I imagine. I've read through the blog and can't find the insults of which DD complains. In fact, the "rhymes with store" one I find fascinating--is it the product of his fevered mind? Search as I might I can also find no Nazis. Trojan, have you deleted something? or could Mr. D be *gasp* wrong?

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  28. No fair holding Mrs. D. responsible for Mr. D. Have you never met him? How can one person be expected to control THAT?

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