Thursday, April 12, 2007

Chris Wissmann Unleashed in this week's Nightlife

Chris weights into the mayor's race in today's editorial in the Nightlife and wow, is it a stunner. Inconvenient Truths: Sheila Simon’s Disappointing Mayoral Campaign is the title and it is a tour de force of information.

He opens with -
Sheila Simon’s mayoral bid has fallen short of exhibiting her campaign's self-proclaimed integrity and responsibility. Instead, her campaign has distributed hypocrisy and inaccuracies along the campaign trail.
He goes on to list a large number of lies, untruths, and smears that Sheila is using in her campaign and campaign literature.

Sometimes, you just have to stand up and tell the truth. Looks like Wissmann decided the time was now. If you don't have a religiously closed mind (thanks to Milton for the first comment), this might open you eyes.

On page 6 of the "Nightlife" there is a nice Mayoral survey, that is good reading and on page 7 there is a sample ballot if you hadn't seen one before. I also liked the little box titled "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Fora," also on page 6. It points out there are two park district debates in the next 3 days.

Nice work Chris. If you only write facts like Chris did, are you still banished to the Simonite dog house?

Anyone want to comment about Chris's column? Be happy to hear, if you do.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

That right there is self-reflexivity! Kudos Chris!

Anonymous said...

Wow.

I wonder, does this mean Chris is voting for Cole?

Scott said...

I wonder, does this mean Chris is voting for Cole?

Well, considering the fact that he votes with Cole about 90% of the time on the City Council, I think that is probably a pretty safe bet.

And don't let Wissmann's claims of being a Democrat fool you. If anything, he's more of a Libertarian.

PeterG said...

He doesn't believe what I believe, so "sniff!" He must be a "Libertarian!" Thank you Mr. Smith for that informed opinion.

Mr. Smith doesn't want you Chris, don't let the door hit you on the way out of the party. The platform isn't big enough for the both of you, pilgrim.

What a stupid thing to write.

Anonymous said...

Chris continue to prove he is better at being a reporter than a councilmen. I would be while you agree with him this time, there have been many other occassions where his postition has left you wondering what he was thinking.
I really hope he does not run again. This sort of article is not appropriate from a Council member but very appropriate for a good reporter.
I do not live on this blog therefore I cannot respond immediately Peter.

PeterG said...

So Sam, you agree with what Chris wrote. Great, I knew even as a Simon supporter, you realize that he has provided facts and figures that can't be argued with.

I disagree, about Chris not being a good city council member. He reads the material before the meetings and participates in the discussion. I don't always agree with him, but that is a good thing. I'm certain that he is a better city council member then the two up for reelection now and he is better then Joel too. I have Chris tied with Corene McDaniel as the best city council person (based on my careful reading of the paper). I was hoping Joel F. wouldn't run again, he seems to grind his ax, instead of doing the best for the public good.

I have written here in the blog, that I wish Chris would write with the passion that he used to write with in the Nightlife, about the city. Now he has done it. I hope he keeps it up.

Is there a rule that says city council people can't write about the city or something? I hope they all get blogs and start writing, that would really get the public involved. Sheila used to have a blog, but didn't have the time to keep putting things in it (kind of a warning sign?). Maybe Dave could lead a group blog for city council members? That would be great.

Anonymous said...

Actually, its pretty disappointing that a sitting Council member would use their position as editor of a local paper to come out against either candidate, and even more so in the manner that Wissmann did, in essence campaigning for Cole.

I guess Wissmann has just shown us his true colors - pathetic lap dog for Cole.

PeterG said...

Is there some law that says a city council member can't have a public opinion? I wish that the city council members would grow a backbone and express some hopes, dreams and opinions about more things in the city.

Chris just wrote up the facts and presented Sheila systematic distortions of the truth. I notice that no one has even begun to go after the facts he presented in even the smallest way.

Don't you worry, it isn't Chris's position at work that got this published. If he wrote a letter to the editor of the Southern Illinoisan with the same content, they would have published it in a second. It is news and it is true.

We are a small town, anyone can make the paper if they have news.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous,

To say that Wissmann is Cole's "lapdog" for expressing his opinion in a public forum accessible to anyone willing to speak out, is tantamount to saying that you are Simon's "lapdog" for blogging on this site, either of which, in my opinion, are everything but productive in the discussion of civic and political discourse. Personally, I don't think the nature of Wissmann's piece was to support or deny support to anyone, that outcome happens to be incidental to what was revealed.

It seems to me that Wissmann was listening to his conscience and trying to do something about it, and that deserves merit and recognition, not accusatory remarks. If we blame and ostracize people for doing the right thing, there will be less and less of them out there. Let's respect that a community member is willing to stake his name, his and his family’s social network, not to mention his employment and council membership, for speaking his conscience, unlike those of us, who are still signing "Concerned," or "Anonymous."

Sincerely,
Concerned

Anonymous said...

I wonder why it's wrong for Wissmann to write his opinion but right for, say, Fritzler to campaign so hard for Sheila? (If Fritzler had a soapbox, he'd use it.) Or for that matter why so many people who work within the city are quietly campaigning for Sheila as well?

All Wissmann did was quote Simon, then show her voting record. How much more fair can you be?

It seems that with many of the Simon supporters there's no such thing as agreeding to disagree. (To be fair, though, I don't imagine Sheila thinks Chris was out of line or hates him. Can't say for sure, but I do think she's smarter than that.)

Anonymous said...

Friztler is driving around in a truck with big slogan "Simon for Mayor" painted on all windows.

That's all right with "anonymous", huh?

PeterG said...

Haven't you caught it yet? When the Simonite's say something is unfair, that only applies to other people. They have learn a whole lot from the W White House.

Anonymous said...

If you can't see the difference between using his position as a paper editor to write a one sided editorial blasting Simon, from Fritzler having a 'Simon for Mayor' sign on his personal vehicle, then clearly most of the subtleties of life are lost on you.

PeterG said...

You are saying that professors have a right to free speech, but not newspaper editors? Is that part of the Constitution that I missed? What he did isn't illegal, immoral or unethical. As a matter of fact, telling the truth is very legal, moral and ethical.

What don't you tell us what Chris wrote that you don't agree with. So far, it looks like we all completely agree with Chris's analysis.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
[i]If you can't see the difference between using his position as a paper editor to write a one sided editorial blasting Simon, from Fritzler having a 'Simon for Mayor' sign on his personal vehicle, then clearly most of the subtleties of life are lost on you.[/i]

Guilty as charged. This particular subtlety is definitely lost one me. Fritzler used his private vehicle (truck), and Wissman his private vehicle (Nightlife). And since when a weekly free advertisement thing is a "paper"?

Anyway, me being crude and lacking any subtlety, I've got one vote, same as you.