[Vision2020] Courtney's Numbers

Wed Mar 21 10:36:11 PDT 2007

Sorry Kai,

But I expect a newspaper staff editorial writer to use facts in their argument, not attempt to pass off as facts material contradicted by the newspaper's own reporting and by public records.  Such behavior argues colossal ignorance and/or gross dishonesty on the part ofr someone in charge of the editorial page who one should be able to assume actually reads his own newspaper.  For your consideration I have posted an example of my response to one of Murf's factually bereft columns.

I find your 

"Their job is to inspire, anger and cajol [sic] people into discussion. Obviously its worked here.  If an editorial doesn't anger someone, the writer hasn't done the job." 

a bit out of sync with your practice on the Latah Eagle.  You once refused to run one of my letters to the editor simply because I called someone "dyspeptic".  All other local papers to whom the letter was submitted including the Daily News ran the letter without a blink of the eye.  Not only is the use of "dyspeptic" non-libelous hype like calling someone a "son of a bitch," the use of it applied to the person at issue was not only just my opinion but one actually held by many who have dealt with that person during their tenure in an elected office and in aother public related position.

In the case of the hapless Courtney, he could have actually made at least a somewhat persuasive case had he carefully stuck to the facts since there are some issues where the MSD is vulnerable.  Instead he chose to imitate the late Mao's propaganda writers.  There is no way of knowing, but Courtney's column may have helped the MSD.  It certainly didn't help his image in the community or the image of cult of which he is an elder.  

W.
_________________________________________________
October 3, 2005

Dear Editor:

Of NSA's attempts to remain downtown, Daily News Opinion Editor Murf Raquet wrote:

"The code also must be changed to reflect other allowable uses before the Moscow Food Co-op makes the move to its new location. The same ordinance that doesn't allow schools also prohibits groceries in the CBD."

Perhaps Murf doesn't read the Daily News (and who could blame him?):  but several items have appeared in the paper reporting city officials have affirmed the correctness of the Co-op zoning.

Nor is this the first time Murf has egregiously erred on facts in the NSA zoning issue.  For example, in a previous editorial also supporting NSA, Murf neglected to mention that NSA has had other zoning violations in previous locations and they failed to acquire a zoning permit for their present location.  Since NSA had previous reported violations, it is asinine to argue they were unaware of zoning requirements and the requirement of a zoning permit.

Therefore, since at least one important, central fact of Murf's editorial is dead wrong, its conclusion is likely dead wrong also.

Since Murf cannot even get his facts straight for a short editorial, but lets his obvious personal prejudices rule, having him in charge of the entire editorial page appears an apparent gross lapse of judgment on the part of the managing editor and the publisher.  The community certainly deserves much better from the publisher especially in an emotional, divisive issue where facts are very important.

For the sake of accuracy and better service to the community, perhaps Murf should be transferred from the editorial page to Pets News where his inaccuracies are less likely to cause less serious damage.  Perhaps if he was willing to actually walk a step or two in his reporting activities, he could be trusted with School Crossing News.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kai Eiselein, editor" <editor at lataheagle.com>
To: "Art Deco" <deco at moscow.com>; "Vision 2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 8:58 AM
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Courtney's Numbers

> Facts or no facts, editorials merely express OPINION of the writer. Opinion
> is NOT news, hence it has its own page, away from "news".
> Quit confusing the two.
> Traditionally, opinion writers have been given rather loose rein, hence "The
> views expressed on these pages are not neccesarily those of this newspapers
> or its advertisers"
> Their job is to inspire, anger and cajol people into discussion. Obviously
> its worked here.
> If an editorial doesn't anger someone, the writer hasn't done the job.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
> [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of Art Deco
> Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 7:30 AM
> To: Vision 2020
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Courtney's Numbers
> 
> 
> Good suggestion Sue.  However, based on the DN's failure to use facts in
> some of their past editorials, especially those written by Murf on NSA, etc,
> I doubt the DN really cares that much.
> 
> W.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Sue Hovey" <suehovey at moscow.com>
> To: "keely emerinemix" <kjajmix1 at msn.com>; <thansen at moscow.com>;
> <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 5:48 PM
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Courtney's Numbers
> 
> 
>>I would suggest someone--Tom, maybe, call the DN and ask Murf to accept a
>> refutation based on this information.  Murf is quite willing when one has
>> a
>> response to chicanery already printed, even when the deadline has passed.
>> He did that for us last year so we could respond to the garbage that
>> appeared right before Shirley's re-election.
>>
>> Sue
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "keely emerinemix" <kjajmix1 at msn.com>
>> To: <thansen at moscow.com>; <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 1:39 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Courtney's Numbers
>>
>>
>>> Tom, this is amazing.  It's one thing to hide behind stats and data
>>> because
>>> your real viewpoint is too odious for people to accept -- but to use them
>>> with such carelessness, not knowing or not caring that they're out of
>>> date,
>>> is really disappointing.
>>>
>>> Even from Dale Courtney.  And I've regrettably set that bar pretty damned
>>> low.
>>>
>>> The fact remains:  There isn't a levy rate, enrollment gain, test-score
>>> result, graduation rate or anything else that would make Dale Courtney
>>> support a public schools levy, and I appreciate the bravery you show
>>> here,
>>> Tom, in exposing Dale's chicanery.
>>>
>>> keely
>>>
>>>
>>> From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen at moscow.com>
>>> To: "Vision 2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>>> Subject: [Vision2020] Courtney's Numbers
>>> Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 16:35:17 -0700
>>>
>>> Greetings Visionaires -
>>>
>>> Concerning this year's school levy . . .
>>>
>>> I have just glanced over several of Dale Courtney's on-line files
>>> concerning
>>> his argument against the 2007 school levy located at:
>>>
>>> http://MoscowLevy.com/March2007.htm
>>>
>>> and compared them to the on-line files concerning his argument against
>>> the
>>> 2005 school levy located at:
>>>
>>> http://MoscowLevy.com
>>>
>>> I know that this is the site he used to argue against the 2005 levy,
>>> since
>>> it clearly states at the top of the page:
>>>
>>> "Here is a resource to which you can turn for information about the
>>> Moscow
>>> School District levy on 26 April 2005."
>>>
>>> I was interested in finding results of recent research that he may have
>>> conducted.
>>>
>>> Primarily I reviewed the files dealing with "Administrative Bloat".  He
>>> not
>>> only is using the same numbers from 2005.  He is using the same files.
>>> The
>>> most recent data in the files that I reviewed was for 2004/2005.
>>>
>>> He didn't event bother copying, renaming, and pasting the files into a
>>> 2007
>>> directory.  The links within his 2007 levy web pages are the very same,
>>> identical links found in his 2005 levy web pages.
>>>
>>> His property tax information, located at:
>>>
>>> http://moscowlevy.com/waste.htm
>>>
>>> is almost five years old.
>>>
>>> Thoughts?
>>>
>>> Stay tuned.  More to come.
>>>
>>> Tom Hansen
>>> Moscow, Idaho
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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