Readers Complain; Points Taken.
For quite a number of years, I have enjoyed exchanging personal emails with regular readers of this blog. We all have a great deal in common, but sometimes those emails have been about our differing political views. In a comment posted just yesterday on this site, one of those regular readers complains that I am overly critical of political conservatives. Maybe so … but we all have our biases. This same individual seems convinced that all of Amtrak’s faults and problems could be corrected overnight simply by sacking every union employee.
Another reader objects to my criticism of Trump. But given the fact that it’s my name “on the door”, so to speak, I do feel free to express my concern—perhaps even outrage—when, for example, Trump appointed former Congressman Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia to the Amtrak Board of Directors. Westmoreland, some of you may recall, had a “perfect” voting record when it came to legislation affecting Amtrak: he voted against Amtrak every single time. Does that not warrant an expression of concern from an advocate for passenger rail? Perhaps even a modicum of outrage?
Most recently there have been complaints as to my use of profanity in these posts. I don’t think I’ve employed cuss words more than a couple of times and never gratuitously, but rather as a device to emphasize or add impact to a point I was trying to make. For example, I think I noted that the estimated cost of the president’s blankety-blank wall along the Mexican border would cover Amtrak’s federal subsidy for something like 17 years. OK, guilty as charged.
I confess, however, that I was really stung by the accusation that my occasional use of a cuss word was intended to make me “sound smart or sophisticated”, and that, in fact, it has made me come off as “trashy and somewhat inarticulate”.
OK, I’ll give you “trashy”. But ”inarticulate”? That hurts!
It’s about hate. I am not certain if you said “hate” or “despise’, but I’m certain “out/rage” qualifies; they are all similes. Hate or rage is strong stuff that pushes people away. It doesn’t invite people in unless they are equally consumed with rage. It’s ugly stuff and far more problematic than a “shit” here, or a “damn” there. Anger can be used two ways – It can motivate constructive change, or destructive ones. With those who really go off the rails (pun intended), it can inspire harm, even murder among the unstable. There is a reason why anger leading to hate is one of the seven deadly sins; cuss words don’t occupy such a lofty position, although they can point to it. I used to tell people God doesn’t give a damn about your foul mouth, but does if its motivated by hate. When I accidentally hit my thumb with a hammer, a good “god damn” helps. But note, the damn is used against me, not the hammer or someone else.
I don’t mind your cuss words, but I do mind your obvious hatred for President Trump or anyone in his administration. I didn’t vote for Obama, but when he became my President and Commander-in-Chief, I accepted the people’s decision. Finally, I don’t mind politics during the political season, but I get sick of it 24/7. When I use the Amtrak dining car I purposely choose not to talk politics at the table. I think you know why.
I didn’t subscribe to your blog for rage-filled politics, there is enough of that on FB, another form of media I no longer use. I enjoyed your blog for it’s insights on tipping, the beauty of common seating in the dining car, and the interesting people you’ve met. I’ve learned much via your critical comments directed to Amtrak on car design, food, etiquette and yes, even Government funding. But when it’s partisan and rage-filled, it’s not what I’m looking for.
You are right, it’s your blog and you can fill it as you see fit. However, I don’t have to read it. So I tell you what, please remove my name from your subscription list because the above blog is filled with rationalizations and I can tell you’re not going to take my, or any other critical comments, to heart.
I must say at the outset that you’ve read me all wrong. I’m horrified that you would describe my blog as “rage-filled” and I certainly don’t hate Donald Trump. I do believe he is clearly unsuited to being president, both in terms of intellect and temperament, and I am distressed almost beyond measure at what he’s doing to our democratic institutions. More specifically, I’m concerned about what is apparently his attitude towards Amtrak–that is, zeroing out the already miserly federal subsidy for Amtrak in the budget he submitted to Congress–and his appointment of ex-Congressman Westmoreland to the Amtrak board.
At any rate, I am sorry to see you leave, and would suggest as an alternative that you simply not read a post should I occasionally stray into an area that strikes you as overly partisan. I am, however, unable to remove your name from my “subscription list” as you requested. That’s probably an RSS Feed which automatically sends you an email notification whenever a new post appears on my blog and to which you must have subscribed in the past.
Im in the Philippines now and having a tough time getting time for the internet. That being said, I completely agree with William Ziegler’s thoughts. Your response was a simple “these are not the droids you are looking for” Jedi mind trick. It is your blog and you have 1st amendment rights, but your partisan comments often piss me off because your view and beliefs come across as “my way or the highway”. Its sad because in the end our goals are the same for Amtrak. In closing, conservatives accepted Obama as our elected president but liberals dont accept Trump in the same way……why arent the rules the rules for all?
Uh, well, I do seem to recall just a wee bit of criticism of Obama by conservatives. Not to mention all that nonsense about the birth certificate which was perpetrated by our current president. Yes, I have real problems with President Trump … certainly with his policies, but also with his temperament and his fundamental lack of knowledge that would normally be a prerequisite for the office he holds. But–and I mean this quite seriously–when you’re alone in a quiet time–as an American who, like me, loves his country–are you at all concerned about this guy who we have seen perform for a year now, and who says of himself, “I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius … and a very stable genius at that!” I accept that Donald Trump is my president, but I fear for my country as long as he is in that position.
My response to the insane nomination of Leon Westmoreland to Amtrak’s Board submitted to the media:
CRONYISM RIDES THE RAILS
How does the media remain silent towards the deliberate travesty of stewardship expected of Amtrak’s Board of Directors by tolerating the Administration’s nomination in October, 2017, of Leon Westmoreland to Amtrak’s Board? In respect to his record as a Congressman from Georgia (2004-2016), Westmoreland voted twice against funding Amtrak–in 2009 and again, in 2015. Given such an overt anti-Amtrak record, his nomination fulfills the proverbial concern of “putting the fox in the hen house!” How would the media react if Exxon Mobil were to use its cronies to secure a seat on the Board of the Sierra Club?
However, the media now has the opportunity to move with alacrity to derail this nomination of Westmoreland. Pursuant to Senate Rule XXXI, “Nominations neither confirmed nor rejected during the session at which they are made shall not be acted upon at any succeeding session without being again made to the Senate by the President.” Fortunately, Westmoreland’s nomination was not held over from 2017 to the next session in 2018. Indeed, the list of nominees returned to the White House is quite extensive. For the public good, I urge you to make the case now to prevent the President from renewing Westmoreland’s nomination to Amtrak’s Board.
The inappropriateness of nominating Westmoreland to Amtrak’s Board, with no dissent from the Board itself, is a self-fulfilling explanation of the persistent lack of filling in the obvious gaps in Amtrak’s Board of Directors with successful people offering their expertise necessary if intent on Amtrak serving as a true national rail system, as required in catering, business and leisure travel, human resources, IT, and marketing. Instead, the power of Amtrak’s Board is derived from its members who are Northeastern developers and financiers. Quite deliberately, the stewardship of this Board is predicated upon serving their Northeastern political patrons.
How else can it be explained that the Administration’s recent choice for a member of Amtrak’s Board of Directors is Leon Westmoreland, a former member of Congress who twice voted against funding Amtrak? Such an irrational selection for an Amtrak Board member becomes quite rational when we understand his purpose is to support the regional will of this Board to derail the very popular, heavily traveled Long Distance and State-Supported Routes. Ensuring such perpetual fiscal neglect will enable Amtrak to satisfy its Northeastern political sponsors by solely focusing on its own backyard, the Northeast Corridor. In essence, given the extreme regional focus of what Amtrak has concocted as the “Ready to Build” campaign is, in theory, the “Ready to Build the Northeast Corridor at the Expense of the Long Distance and State-Supported Routes” campaign.”
-30-
Don’t ever change I like you just the way you are.