Sunday, March 25, 2012

Apology To Our Readers: We Will Not Let The Trolls Takeover

I would like to take the time out to apologize to the regular readers and contributors of  "The 6th Ward Blog" for some of the unnecessary back and forth comments that have been going on as of late. I allowed myself to get caught up in the cyber babble and I know better and apologize for my behavior.

The blog is a place to discuss community issues and whether you agree or disagree is fine, but as of late several individuals who are Internet trolls and have decided to attack this blog and the bloggers. These individuals are internet trolls who go all over the internet(i.e. Facebook, Everyblock, Twitter, etc) and stir up trouble. The cowardly acts are the result of individuals being warned that their comments violate the TOS agreements the blog has with their host. In one case, it has resulted in one individual having to be banned. This individual has decided to retaliate here and on other sites. Fortunately, the other sites know of this individual and have taken appropriate action, such as removing their comments and threatening to block them.

In the case of the personal attacks against me, I shake them off and continue because I know that these individuals do not have the courage to say these things to me personally. They only have internet courage and  that's all. I work by the motto "Haters only make you better".

I'm not a journalist and have no intentions of being one. You want journalism go read the damn Tribune and Sun Times and get all the journalism you want. I voice my opinion, you like or loathe it makes me no difference. I will speak out on and not get caught up in unsubstantiated, unnecessary personal attacks on business and property owners
http://chicago.everyblock.com/announcements/feb01-pepers-lounge-owner-tina-strikes-again-4705853/ . I will not shill for any candidate http://thesixthward.blogspot.com/2012/03/flyer-and-audio-sixth-ward-democratic.html. The 6th ward business does not stop because of elections. Application deadlines do not stop and criminals do not stop and say" I'm not going to commit a crime because it's election season". I find speaking negatively of someone's late parent cowardly and when they call you out on it you disappear.

So to all the trolls, Casey Thomas, Tina Dawson, Carmel Cutie, Stand Up Speak Up, Tayiah and all the other people with catchy psedonyms your crap has become tiring and frankly unimportant. if you haven't learned from the last two elections, personal attack ads don't work.

9 comments:

  1. I have had some difficulty with some personal attacks or attacks on other people on my Facebook pages, too. I had to unfriend and block only one person in the Chatham Facebook page. This might be my first comment here.
    I aways use my name on Facebook, Everyblock, Tribune, Sun-Times, Etc. Trolls are the worse, as they just keep repeating the same pointless trash over and over.
    Keep up the good work.
    Joe Lake, Chicago

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  2. Worlee, you know what I find so amazing when I read your comments? You really feel you seem to be the only voice who has their finger on the pulse of the 6th Ward. Quite often, I find you singularly off base! Your insights are not the only insights in our community! When I go on this blog to see what's up, to me, you mission seems to put us all in check. And I'm not afraid to tell you that. That's my take on it!

    And guess what, you tell Mitt Romney political ads don't work. He has singularly picked off every candidate running against him. And by the way, our president used them on Hilary Clinton too in the last presidential election.

    Watch every Super Pac this year rev them up when the final blows go down between Obama and the Republican presidential candidate. And Obama's team will do what it has to do to for a knock-out punch too!
    And most black people will be glad he came out swinging!

    You do have your leanings Worlee and that's okay. But you really have a problem when other people disagree.
    That's how it appears to me! So now are you going to come after me because I expressed my opinion?

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  3. Yes , I am amazing. You are entitled to your opinion. Yes I think I have my finger on the pulse of the community as I feel anyone who lives here should. No I do not attempt to put everyone in check but yes I give the wanna be spin doctors and "drive by activist" with agendas who want to pimp this blog hell.

    Yes negative ads may work on the national level when you have a much more diverse population but it hasn't won the most recent aldermandic, committeeman nor state representative races. All it has done in one case is create an opening for an unknown candidate to become a spoiler in the South Suburbs and made a lot of individuals who called themselves political consultants/experts look for a new line of work.

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  4. It's good to see you have a healthy ego, Worlee. As I understood it, this blog is for anyone who wants to give their opinion on what is happening in the 6th Ward. And if the reference to "drive by activist" is to me, so
    be it. I don't just talk, I walk the walk!

    My parents built a their home in Chatham in 1964. Actually, I was checking out the blog because someone told me that my home is featured in "The Modernist Homes of Chatham" and stumbled on your comments. As a little bitty girl, that's when I moved to Chatham, grew up here, went to school here and got married in my parents' backyard. I have a ton of old friends, my parents' friends and neighbors, (who I have known for more years than I would like to relate) who still live in the––entire––6th Ward. So I think that gives me as much right to speak on things as anyone else.

    Clearly, Worlee you have your viewpoints. But that is exactly what they are! And sometimes you don't back them up with anything but your "take on things." Well here is my viewpoint backed by facts on political marketing and Chicago elections that are accepted by political marketers in the state:

    First of all there are four(4) types of political campaigns generally running in Chicago. Since you, Worlee, refer to local politics not being the place for negative political advertising, let's talk about how campaigns are run locally.

    1. You are a candidate endorsed by the "establishment" politicians in the city, county and state. Generally,
    this means you have more funding, do a ton of direct mail and radio. Plus you get plenty press; 2. You are a candidate with some brand equity in your name, go on the offensive in your campaigning and you attack the leading competitor's weaknesses–-what you call Worlee––negative campaigning. You want to show why you are the better choice. And generally you may have a little money; and 3. You are a candidate who makes a case for your election based on your family's history with politics by way of your grandfather, father, sister, brother, stepfather, cousin or whoever else in the family has been in politics before you and is politically connected. Thus you have an instant brand recognition by way of your relative's past career. Generally you can raise money too; and 4. You are a candidate in the election to start building your political brand name to run in future elections.

    This recent election had the lowest voter turn-out ever! Hence, as you know everything, Worlee, it has been proven that low voter turn-out means the election favors the incumbent or politically connected.

    Mr. Sims was the one with the connections, he won and I truly wish him well. I hope he will represent our interests aggressively and do his VERY BEST for our state district and ward.

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    Replies
    1. And the facts continue––anyone who wants to study the results of the state rep. election needs to note this: Elgie Sims got 41.29% of the vote; Richard A. Wooten got 27.88% of the vote; Sandra J. Wortham got 22.47% of the vote; Kyle Kasperek got 4.7% of the vote and Paul Gregoire got 3.65% of the vote.

      Go to: http://www.chicagoelections.com/wdlevel3.asp?elec_code=20 Then type in 34th District,
      State Representative.

      Add up Wooten and Wortham's percentage of the votes and it totals 50.35%.

      Since both come from the law enforcement camp and both have strong, political brand names in the 6th Ward, they cancelled each other out. Without even adding in Kasperek and Gregoire's votes, if only one of them had been running against Mr. Sims, they probably would have won.

      Both of those candidates jumped on Sims' ties to lobbying. Wooten was obviously the more aggressive. But Sandra wasn't holding back any punches either. Plus, Kasperek also added his two cents! So much for negative advertising. Basically, it's very obvious…there were just too many candidates running!

      I had a past experience with you Worlee, last summer, when you disputed that the Greater Chatham Alliance organization had close to 500 people attending the GCA forum for Police Supt. McCarthy. Even Alderman Sawyer had agreed about our turn-out numbers. You attempted to deride me in your put down of what I released as numbers––and it really wasn't necessary.

      When somebody doesn't see things from your perspective, it appears you aggressively want to put them in their place.

      The 6th Ward blog, again, in my opinion, would probably have many more people who would give their public names if they didn't feel that you would go on the onslaught–-especially if they say something that disagrees with your position. If anyone knows about in-your-face tactics, you understand the model! And I don't plan to keep this going on with you because I think most people know I sincerely work my butt off to support Chatham and the 6th Ward.

      If you want to be snide about that, again, so be it. But if I have a very strong opinion to relay, you will always find them fact-based in order to make my case–-and I will use my name. If someone disagrees with my viewpoints––fine–-that's what makes the world go round.

      Worlee, as you present your viewpoints on Chatham where you live and the 6th Ward, I do hope you will take that into consideration.

      Delete
  5. Well the local elections are over for all practical purposes, rehashing is pointless. As far as the GCA meeting Alderman Sawyer never agreed with anybody's numbers or made a comment either way. But your media reference Mick Dumke gave a different view http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2011/08/26/where-mccarthy-was-attending-an-event-that-was-canceled but never was anything said.Also, because of my big mouth Eric Zorn of the Tribune got hold of the story http://www.chicagonow.com/concerned-citizens-of-chatham/2011/08/did-police-chief-garry-mccarthy-disrespect-the-chatham-community/ and made an issue of it on his blog.

    Finally, I'm not trying to win a popularity contest and thanks for reading the blog.

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  6. Setting the record straight–-AGAIN–– with FACTS: maybe you didn't know that! But Alderman Sawyer gave that number on the GCA meeting (being close to 500 people) directly to my face at the event–– when I was comparing numbers with the church administrators and him. So maybe you need to check with our Alderman on that aspect.

    As far as Mick Dumke is concerned, I did the PR for the event and invited him. When I asked Dumke about his number reporting in his article, Dumke explained that he didn't want to go higher in numbers because his story blew up that mess. He stated, "Remember now, I do have to deal with the Chicago Police Department for other stories."

    In addition, Mr. Dumke, who emailed me and talked to me several times via phone regarding the after effects of the event, also spoke to GCA President, Roosevelt Vonil. He told Roosevelt that his story got picked up by the Tribune columnist after the columnist read it and then called him. Not saying, Worlee, that you may have had some secondary impact, but you weren't the primary. Dumke has the juice for that! So are you going to dispute my emails and phone conversations with Dumke and Sawyer?

    I know, don't tell me–– these remarks are pointless!

    You can ask Dumke when you see him at our next upcoming McCarthy forum–-coming VERY soon to our community! Or you can call him now.

    It is what it is. But like I said, I deal with the facts!

    P.S. You just can't let it go, Worlee. I proved my point about negative advertising and of course I need the election to prove the point.

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  7. In my conversations with the Alderman nothing has ever been confirmed or denied about numbers for that event. Secondly, Chicago Now is a Tribune property and he repeated verbatim what I wrote but if talking about year old emails are hard facts, so be it. Bottom line is you don't like what I say and that OK with me. You are going to keep doing things your way and I'm going to keep doing and saying things my way.

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  8. Why aren't more people submitting comments?
    In all of the times I have read and responded to this blog, I've been wondering this.

    In reading the discussions between Worlee and Leslie, this question was addressed.

    Folks, if you are scared that you'll be attacked for making comments on this blog, GET OVER IT!

    The Sixth Ward Blog is one of the BEST blogs I have ever read. If there is an award for Chicago blogs, this site deserve it!
    Thorough and Consistent…
    They deliver EVERYDAY!

    It's obvious that the owners of this blog go out of their way to give the 6th Ward readers the info that is deserved. I'm sure maintaining this blog is not easy.

    Honor this blog by making comments.
    Show them that you appreciate what they work hard to do.
    If you don't want to use your name, create an alternative identity.
    Bottom line, support this blog with your thoughts and views.
    And don't let ANYONE bully you into keeping quiet!

    ReplyDelete

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