Here is Maureen Sullivan's initial response to me about my parody and at her request I have published it:
Kurt:
You see yourself as a journalist, even calling yourself "the Editor," but you didn't even bother to get my side of the story.
Your comments box says, "No personal attacks" but it's obvious you don't hold yourself to the same standard.
You started as an alternative to Hoboken411, which you believe attacks people for their affiliations rather than their ideas, yet you label me as "Mason" and run an obnoxious photo with a silly caption. I'm assuming you meant that as attack not praise, right?
Kurt, at one point I admired you for putting together an alternative news source. Now I just feel sorry for you. I know you and Theresa Minutillo are Democratic committee members together so I don't suppose I could expect a fair representation of the facts from you.
Maureen.
p.s. Feel free to post this to your site.
Here is my response:
Political parody is not a personal attack. Not my highest brow editorial photo mind you but not a personal attack. Read my comment on the thread below and you will see how I truly interpret events. I am sorry if the Mason reference to you seems mean spirited but it is not. I see a parallel there that I think is valid and I am entitled to my point of view.
I would be more than happy to discuss this at some point. As you may know I do gave a full time job in NYC so ideally I would love to interview all sides but due to time constraints I can't always be that optimal.
What makes me the same as H411 is that I am an opinion blog but what makes me different is that I will not censor other viewpoints. I will encourage you to read my comment below and will publish what you sent me or your revised statement.
I am home after N:NN pm tonight and at NNN-NNN-NNNN if you would like to discuss in person.
-Kurt Gardiner Citizen Blogger
I will also add that I ran and won in Ward/District 5-1 with Theresa Minutillo for the Democratic Committee seat to make sure the Democratic Committee didn't use this organization to funnel money to local non-partisan elections like the Mayor and back machine candidates. Whether you are a Republican or Democrat I think Hoboken has benefitted from that success. However, these elections are every year. Yep, that makes me a HCDO card carrying member but sometimes you have to get inside a machine to fix it or disable it in its present form.
Maureen responded to me in writing as shown above but as of yet has to call me.
Here is my comment from a previous thread that I referenced in my email:
HobokenReformer and davidd- The photo is mine and any such modifications of it are by me and not indicative of Kids first. The content of the message was Kids first unedited.
As for the selection of Frank Romano, Maureen has a right to air her concerns as she did and this would have been a non issue but she was the one who stepped down from Kids First and not the other way around. I never expected her to be 100% lock step with that group and she certainly has a right to speak her mind.
My issue with Maureen is simple and it is the way she handled the situation. She has been quoted that she will not run a slate against Kids First yet sources I have indicate she is still exploring that very same option. It is Maureen Sullivan that made this one choice a political issue and not Kids First. In order to get anything done you must learn how to work with others and I am not seeing a lot of that from her. Just my take. It is my hope that she will still agree with Kids First on the majority of things regardless of her affiliation but time will tell on that.
I would like to applaud Carrie Gilliard for her votes over the term I have witnessed her on the BOE and she has been on the right side of the issues more than not. However, her stepping down from Kids First is almost irrelevant since she was not running again anyway. I am not sure what she gained by blowing up the room when her selection tied to Corey Booker didn't get included after the selection process was closed. Again, I thank her for her votes but it is timke to move forward.
Now, back to Maureen Sullivan. I think it is great that she is advocating for budget cuts but anyone on that board needs to heed input from two very important sources:
1) The professional recommendations of the Administration as to the impact on the students of those cuts.
2) The legality of any organizational change from the BOE attorney
Ask Maureen Sullivan on the specifics of where she would like to make the cuts and ask:
1) How will they impact the students?
2) Are they legal or what are the legal consequences?
I see a parallel to the behaviors here and Beth Mason with a lot of tough talk and posturing but no specifics.
HR and Davidd- I am sorry if the X's on their faces were offensive to you guys but I was making the point that both of these ladies made a choice to change political affiliations so they simply get crossed off.
I didn't feel mean spirited when I wrote it so to me it is not mean spirited.
It will be interesting to see what the opposition slate is that runs with Anthony Oland who is not confirmed to run but very likely. Do you realize how much HOLA would have cost Hoboken it it had been passed? Millions. Strategically what Maureen Sullivan is doing plays right into the hands of such a status quo ticket. Is that the result you really want?
All I ask you to do is think about it.
Posted 2/17/2010: Here is a political parody photo of the new Kids First team for 2010 minus two members who have publically resigned from the team very recently...
Photo Taken by me in 2009 - Subtracted out both Carrie Gilliard and
Maureen "Mason" Sullivan who have publicly resigned from the Kids First Team
Editorial Note: The photo changes were done by this editor and not Kids First to illustrate a political point and not a personal attack. This was on a previous thread that I moved here for clarification and editorial separation. ◦
