Socrates681 Speaks Out Against Ron Alessi

These comments and opinions are made with the assumption that the person named as "Ron" actually said the things in an interview with Bill Reddish. I really find it hard to believe that anyone running for public office would be stupid enough to say the un-American things attributed to "RON." It sounded like an Orwellian nightmare!
Prior to reading this, I had no opinion either way about the person named as “Ron.” I do now! I didn’t read his last name, but I assume he is running for some office. I don't know anything about him or his family, so I will make no negative remarks about their past. I will state that I would never vote for anyone who challenges the right of the public to communicate and judge candidates for public office. We, the people, can never afford to elect people who call free speech, which I believe the blogs are, a "cancer." Repression of free speech is the cancer! This is America, Ron!

RON: “We have a cancer in our community and it is the blogs. All responsible news organizations, like this radio station,answer to someone. The bloggers answer to no one. The bloggers think they are important and that they are a creditable news source. They are not news, they are garbage.”

REPLY: Communication between citizens, what can be more American than that? What can be more un-American than a public official calling them a cancer and not important? Anyone who says that either doesn’t understand or respect what America is supposed to be!
Bloggers shouldn’t have to answer to anyone. Correspondence and exchange of ideas among the public should never be censored in a free society. (Of course there should be redress for libel and slander).

RON: “It is no wonder that there is reluctance for qualified individuals to get involved in our community for fear that they will come under attack by these demented individuals. These bloggers serve no purpose but to destroy organizations, individuals and their families”

REPLY: Anyone running for any public office should be held to higher standards than a private citizen. The public is entitled to, and indeed remiss, if they do not thoroughly investigate every candidate and choose the best. Again, libel and slander is not acceptable, but questioning everything in a candidates background should be done by the public.


RON: “They cower behind their computers and spew out venomous lies that discourage and demoralize individuals and organizations that give freely of their time, talent and treasure to improve the quality of life in our community. How come we do not see these individuals donating their time and their dollars to make our community better? I do not see any of their names listed in any of the many community organizations. I don't see them running for any office.”

REPLY: How does Ron know what bloggers contribute? Has he already been playing “Big Brother,” spying on private citizens? God help us!

It is NOT a public duty to run for office. It is a public duty to investigate ALL candidates for public office. The elected official is the representative of the private citizen, not their King, master or censor!

RON: “Who gave them the right to judge others? What is their background? Maybe we need to check them out and see how moral and upstanding they are.”

REPLY: This is a Joke, isn’t it? Well, I believe the constitution gives the public the right to judge those who would represent them! So, Ron, your problem isn't with us bloggers; it's with the Constitution of The United States. Of course the public has the right and obligation to judge candidates for public office. The threat to “check out” the electorate for doing their American duty is reminiscent of the late senator, Joe McCarthy!!!!!!! Heaven forbid we ever again elect someone with that mindset!


RON: “ There is no room in our community for rude and disrespectful individuals.”

REPLY: It is not a crime to be rude and disrespectful. No one likes rude or disrespectful people. We don't have to elect them to public office, and we don’t have to associate with them. But to say there “is no room for them in our community” sounds way to totalitarian for any official in any free country, especially America! What should we do, execute rude, disrespectful people? Why stop there? Do we have room in our community for those without higher education? for minorities? How about the handicapped? How about people like me who are old, fat and ugly, can we live in your community? No thanks, I don't want to!

RON: “Let me end by making this promise to the bloggers. You keep up the harassment of me and my family and you are asking for a fight. I am normally a mild mannered person and I like to resolve issues gentlemanly and peacefully. Up until this point I have ignored you, but if you continue to harass me or my family, when I get done with you an apology won't be adequate - I'll get in your wallet!”

REPLY: Again, harassment should not be tolerated, but to threaten those who investigate and communicate thoughts with others about candidates for PUBLIC office smacks of McCarthyism. There is NO place for that in public office!!!!! Just what we need, another public official who wants to be "in our wallet."