Observation Deck Now Heckler Free Zone

[Brian Essi]

Todd Heckeler says he's he's going cold turkey and had entered the Nirth Coast rehab center for recovering trolls. People with SLH tee shirts should avoid walking near of under bridges to help avoid a relapse.

In other developments rumors abound that Jay Carson and Jay Foran are considering enter the North Coast "Bullies Anonymous" program for "bullies who say they hate bullies."

A spokesman for North Coast said "we look forward to further funding from the hospital money to expand the recovering troll and bully anonymous programs.

Deck owner Jim O' Bryan has yet to make an announcement about the impact of the Heckler Free Deck and the loss of vital trolling activity.

[kate e parker]

you have expressed your disdain (that's the proper spelling for your future reference) for trolls. yet here you are posting, or hiring a seventh grader to post, what can only be described as troll bait.

haters gonna hate.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Deck owner Jim O' Bryan has yet to make an announcement about the impact of the Heckler Free Deck and the loss of vital trolling activity.

Brian

The loss of anyone from the discussion is a loss for all.

The dynamics of the Deck is a free for all. I like to call it "The Mosh Pit of Word Jazz."

Most come in and wait, then stand in virtual line, get up and do their 87 words, (average length of post), then go back and wait for a second shot, or more.

Some are "one hit wonders" others have staying power, but as each of us stand here in the light, we define ourselves as much as we define the topics and the community we live in. Todd obviously felt empowered and then vindicated by the Hospital deal.

He sense push back, and intimidation he moves to LO FB, where we have been working on getting rid of the delete buttons. Recently FaceBook has announced a "real name only rule" aimed at keeping trolling down. Until FaceBook makes members accountable for what they say, it will be nothing more than a social game. It appears no delete has a good shot in their future too, judging from our correspondence with tech and development.

No matter, Todd, you, me, Matt, Amy, Corey and others represent real people in the city of Lakewood and as such are welcomed.

WE all know people that push things to the limits, but they define themselves. We all know people that fight, they define themselves, we all know people that think they are smarter or above others, they too define themselves. Through it all we build an ever growing tapestry of the community we called Lakewood.

FWIW

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[Stan Austin]

Does that mean that Corey can still post?

[Jeff Dreger]

This post is exactly the kind of thing that people are referring to when they complain about the tone at the Deck. It is juvenile. It is unnecessary. If one of my children wrote something like this, they would be reprimanded and given a lesson in online etiquette. Maybe Heckler is no better. That's beside the point. Two wrongs don't make a right. Brian, you're certainly not trying to be the better person and rise above the fray by doing this. I don't mean to single you out as several others on various sides of the issues do the same thing but this is a good example. This advances no cause - Deck, Observer, Hospital, other. The tone, the sarcasm, the name calling - it might move a few people to give you a high five, but it likely turns off a lot more people that might otherwise agree with you on the actual issues... and it certainly helps anyone that wants to paint this forum as a nasty, unwelcoming place. My "Golden Rule" post asked that we try to follow that guideline. I'll be honest, I don't post here as much as I'd like to and as much as I would without this kind of thing constantly going on. I tend to agree with a lot of the more frequent posters here when it comes to issue positions. But I don't like the tone of much of the discussion and I am leery of being lumped together with the nasty posters by folks that might not know me outside of the Observation Deck. I'm afraid of being personally attacked and it's frequently difficult to make a point through all the flying mud anyhow. I am probably naive in thinking that we can turn this ship around and stick to adult point, counter-point but I'll give it a shot.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Jeff

I tell many people especially during the last couple months. Don't read the adjectives.

Brian Essi, has earned his right to post and say what he does, as did you. You put your name on it.

Brian brought a ton of facts no one else would have ever seen, and each time, like myself he was told, "You are lying, not true" all of it backed up with documents.

As I said to a mutual friend of Brian Essi and Mike Summers, Jay Foran and all, it is a small town. "Brian Essi entered this to bring the sides together. That is his nature if you look back at the history of Brian's work." his friend agreed. The problem was The Mayor, LHA and others lied and misrepresented documents Brian had. This sets off another side of Brian, where he digs in, and fights for what is right, the truth, and those getting screwed over. Again, one of Brian's essence of being.

I have not seen Brian post one untruth here. I have not seen Brian threaten anyone. Without Brian, this deal would not have been seen in the light of day.

The city of Lakewood and the community deserved that discussion.

At some point maybe the community will understand Brian, and what he actually did for the community was a good thing.

I generally find it better for all, and this is something you have done, is lead by example.

Thank you for taking part.

[Gary Rice]

I'm sorry, but I tend to somewhat go along with Jeff on this one.

I'm not sure whether Brian did either the 'Deck, or himself, any favors with this post.

That said, we've all said or done things in life that we later realize might have been said or done better.

(Remember how we dressed or acted in high school? Ugh!)

I try not to attack anyone personally for their honest beliefs.

I've spoken with Mr. Essi several times, and there is much that I personally admire about him. He will always be a part of Lakewood history.

The only advice that I would offer to anyone would be simply this:

This pearl of wisdom was offered to me by a school administrator, when we were discussing my retirement as a special needs teacher who spent a career fighting every form of negative human interaction I could, particularly when it involved my students...

"Gary, some people leave a legacy in life, and some people leave a trail..."

Taking the high road never fails.

Back to the banjo...

[Jim O'Bryan]

"Gary, some people leave a legacy in life, and some people leave a trail..."

Taking the high road never fails.

Back to the banjo...

The management must happen with the Observer community.
This is what I am saying.

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[Paul Schrimpf]

So many facts were buried in a sea of personal vitriol. I cringed through a lot on the deck to extract it.

People empowered Todd by responding to him.

[Michael Deneen]

People empowered Todd by responding to him.

To be fair, he was sent here to spread rumors about Skindell.
As we learned from the "Swift Boaters" in 2004, a charge unchallenged is interpreted as an admission of guilt.

[Jim O'Bryan]

So many facts were buried in a sea of personal vitriol. I cringed through a lot on the deck to extract it.

People empowered Todd by responding to him.

Paul

Both statements would be true.

.

[Jeff Dreger]

Jim,

I tend to read the entire post including the adjectives. The poster put them there for a reason. They are part of the message.

I don't believe that anyone can earn the right to be nasty to another person.

What facts or opinions someone brings to the table is irrelevant. I am talking about the tone and the ad hominem attacks and the name calling and general unpleasantness that is separate from what actual points might be addressed.

Fighting for what you believe in and working hard to uncover the truth and then defending your findings may require rebuttal and counter-points and documentation but it does not require uncivilized behavior. In fact, as I have said before, you generally do yourself and your cause a disservice by conflating your coarseness with that group.

This isn't just about Brian. This just happens to be a good example. There are individuals with different takes on this and other issues that have acted similarly. I am glad people speak up and fight the good fight but I want folks to pause and consider how they are behaving in these forums. Is it how you want your parents or children to see you? Is it how you would engage someone at a bar or coffee shop? We all lose our cool from time to time but we need to catch ourselves and make a course correction and not make that our modus operandi.

"Don't raise your voice, improve your argument." -- Desmond Tutu
"The volume of your voice does not increase the validity of your argument." -- Steve Maraboli

[Brian Essi]

I don't expect anyone to lower themselves to my sense of humor.

However, here are the facts:

1. Todd fits the definition of a "trill"--e.g. it is documented on the Deck that Todd was given inside information from Team Summers even before City Council had it and he was caught lying about it and went away pouting.

2. Carson and Foran have bullied people while simultaneously accusing the people they are bullying of being bullies.


What is so wrong with creating humor out of comical hypocrisy?

Lighten up.