Toni Buckley Dockter – Founder; Publisher; Editor-in-Chief; Distribution Manager; Intrepid Reporter; IT Guy; Coffee Girl
email: fwepub@aol.com
www.fuchsiawoman.com/blog
MOTTO: When telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
All editorial All social commentary All for the common good
Issue Number 39 – September 29, 2020
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“…this may be relevant to a polarized country like the United States–that satirizing an authoritarian is good for the nation…” – Nicholas Kristof, Opinion Columnist, New York Times, September 27, 2020
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Dear Ashlanders:
I, Hera, Ruler of the Sky and Queen of the Deities on Mt. Olympus, come to you today on a Mission of Goodwill: To correct an “unfortunate” event that has taken place in your fair (and sometimes not fair) town. I’m not referring to the ash heap that parts of Ashland have become due to wildfire devastation. (You can blame Zeus for that one: the original self-entitled angry white male.)
I’m talking about a different climate problem: political chicanery that has infested the election cycle this year.
Recently I ordered an associate, Mr. Big-Time Portland Attorney (he may object to that even if it is a euphonious appellation), to review a problematic email sent to “friends” by Ashland City Councilman Richard S. Rosenthal, self-proclaimed authoritarian on racist language and intent.
Rich “I’m full of gall” Rosenthal informed his “friends” that he had received “one of the most unfortunate emails” of his checkered political career–including his “unfortunate” interference with the employment status of a Senior Center Manager.
Upon review by said Big-Time Lawyer (BTL), he concluded that Rosenthal transmitted a missive that was intellectually and legally incorrect. And in my estimation also ethically incorrect to have done so. An “unfortunate” action for sure.
Rosenthal has subsequently received the BTL’s missive explaining his legal errors: falsely–that is defamatorily–accusing an Ashland citizen of using a “racial slur” against Rosenthal’s “friend” Tonya “Please vote for me cuz I’m broke” Graham. Very “unfortunate” indeed!
Had Rosenthal bothered to look up the definition and historical context of the word “cracker” in the three dictionaries that BTL referenced in his beaut of a legal conclusions letter, perhaps Rosenthal would have not made the “unfortunate” decision to write his email.
Perhaps if Rosenthal had done his homework he would not have had to endure the no-nonsense message from BTL that his “unfortunate” choice of words have resulted in an actionable offense–defamation and separately, copyright infringement.
Perhaps Rosenthal will share the basic message of BTL’s letter with his civic pals in Ashland and Medford so they won’t make the same boneheaded blunder?
Or perhaps not. When it comes to maintaining the patriarchal structure, when did stating the truth ever trump stating baloney to achieve one’s nefarious and self-serving ends?
I’ve been around since the dawn of time and if Truth were the victor in these kinds of situations more often that not, we would not be in the “unfortunate” mess of a society that we are in now.
The most “unfortunate” part of this sordid tale is not that it happened. It is that–as history has proven time and time again–that an old-thinking white guy will not admit nor learn from his mistakes.
What is the chance that Rosenthal will write another email to his “friends” stating that he was clearly wrong from the beginning about calling out our Ashland citizen as a racist?
About the same chance that climate deniers will win the argument?
About the same chance that the GOP will put country above party?
About the same chance that President Frump will pay his taxes?
Lastly, I have observed a small yet effective group of kick-ass women trying to advance a pro-female culture in Ashland. These women are dear to my heart.
More power to them. And less power, of course, to the BuBu’s and Graham Crackers infecting City Hall. If you’d like to know what’s going on with all of that (which means you have not been a faithful reader of the Gazette!), let me know. I’m not going anywhere. After all, I’m immortal.
XOXO,
Your faithful gal-pal,
Hera
