Hello Debbie,
I know that you are going to think that I am not your "friend" or you can't trust me because I am a Man, but here goes:
Once again, it shouldn't matter when Jon Mandel registered as a Democrat. Jon is a good person/good man but somehow you chose to discredit him by making that statement. When Michael Brown changed his status to a Democrat to get on a ballot for City Council, you said nothing -- because he was your candidate. So, we are on the same page -- I supported Michael Brown, not because he was an Independent or Democrat, but because he had an attachment to the funding for the less fortunate. Back to you, I hope you see yet another matter that you are conflicted about.
Now for the not being a "Friend" part. First, I don't know how to attempt to create a balanced/fair approach for our community when I write without bruising folks -- which is not my intention. For the same reason that you call me not a "friend" because I contradict your position is one of the MAIN reasons why many folks don't step forward and say anything from the community as well as amongst ANC's or other political/govt./official/board type positions -- especially the younger/new to the game ones -- which brings me back to Silas and Kenyan and I will add Faith here.
It would be considered political suicide for folks to step forward the way you do or I do or GiGi Ransom does. It is much easier for to allow others to take the bullet while staying focused on other "official" duties as well as silently hope for the same outcome of the "whistle blowers" or the vocal ones. Empathetically understanding the inner struggle of being youthful, having ambitions, having goals, not being experienced, worried about what folks would say, bad older/more experienced horrible "leadership"/leaders amongst them to learn from, that is why I give young folks who are trying and who obviously have good spirits overall the benefit of the doubt and the opportunity to still embrace leadership positions after making a few mistakes. However, I do take issue with older/experience folks who are more damaging that not -- know that not everyone older/experienced does not fit this catagory but those who do/others their age/experience should have the courage to identify the parasites amongst them and push them out. This shouldn't be on the shoulders of the young leaders coming up.
It would have surprised me that Kenyan would have come into the CM position swinging and so we have to wait to see if he does eventually step up. If you look at Faith's outburst at one of the DCPS meetings at Turkey Thicket, she just couldn't take the BS anymore and a straight forward embarassing blindside by DGS pushed her out of her dignified self. The problem is that we do have some cowardly Grown-ups who don't say anything and as my mother (when she was alive) use to say - "hang their mouth where the soup drops" and our young upcoming leaders are sucked along that line of rationalizing. Hopefully these young leaders coming up will be able to grow enough to break through the hardened shells that Encase the Tunnels along the path that they are travelling -- to eventually step forward strong enough to make an actual difference and not just have some "letters" or proposals that makes it look like they are fullfilling their duties.
Like I told you in our phone conversation -- apologize, let the folks know that you are concerned about the collective of those who is surrounding the candidates and say that this is more about opposition to Kenyan's re-election push than Silas or Jon. Whatever your issue is with Kenyan -- say it. Understand that it is difficult for most everyone to go against what the customary system is and the current custom is that the Ward CM's will have to have their line up present to protect their interest.
In closing, I guess that I am going to remain without "friends" as I am going to try to hold the line with the few who do it in hopes that others join in so that "friends" don't have to say "goodbye to Sarah" but instead, appreciate the risks her father takes. Trust me, I know that I don't make many friends in the "power" positions and like I have been told many times, I probably won't ever get even a "position" because I can't be controlled/encouraged to do our "leaders" dirty work for them. Like I always tell folks, I was "young" and have made my own mistakes that I have to pay for.
For you Debbie -- your previous closing email yesterday tried to wash your approach by thanking me for "ensuring transparency is first and foremost" -- well it was not about transparency (your grant that was awarded in public) but instead, I want you to know that this entire conversation is about your contradicting approach to expectation and picking on our Young Leaders who have such bad leadership that there is almost no choice but to make mistakes.
Pass the Baton -- the results can't be too much worse!!!
Rob Ramson
On Tue, Jun 4, 2013 at 9:20 PM, Debbie Steiner <DLSmith112@msn.com> wrote:
In my initial email, I had identified Jon Mandel as just registering, in April, this year, as a Democrat. What really occurred was that Jon Mandel had changed his address in April; as he has been an actual Ward 5 resident for some time and voted in the last Primary as a Democrat.
My apologies to Jon for incorrectly indicating on my original post how he had recently registered as a Democrat this past April.
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life, as by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed.
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R. Ramson
3744 12th Street, N.E.,
Washington D.C., 20017
202-438-5988
"We must become the change we want to see" - Mohandas Gandhi-
(Together, for a Brighter Tomorrow)
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