Doing my part to erase Livingston County’s racist reputation

Livingston County Daily Press & Argus political reporter Dan Meisler wrote an excellent opinion piece on the county’s reputation as a haven for racists. He was commenting on a story in the paper about Cohoctah Township, the rural township north of Howell where Michigan Klux Klus Klan Grand Dragon Robert Miles lived until his death in 1992. His farm also served as a HQ for Klan and white supremacist activity.

The title of the column is “What are we going to do about it?” I’m doing my part to do away with the undeserved reputation our community has for being a have for racists by trying to stop racists and hatemonger Ann Coulter from speaking in Livingston County.

Coulter’s appearance at Cleary University’s Economic Club Speakers Luncheon Series reinforces the general perception that Livingston County is a safe haven for racists and bigots of all ilks. The column reinforces what I have been saying for months, that the actions of a small minority are position the majority of the great, accepting people who live here as racists.

Those who live and work here know that the streets of Livingston County are not running rampant with racist rabble-rousers in robes. But those of us paying attention also know a strain of intolerance remains.
For example, in the last few years, a Puerto Rican woman's home and a black man's home were defaced with racist graffiti. A black man's van was vandalized. A crowd at a high school basketball team chanted "U.S.A." at a minority player. A man outside a restaurant yelled racial slurs at an Arabic delivery driver. "White power" was written in a sand trap at a local golf course. A black Michigan State Police Trooper was assaulted at a Brighton bar, and his assailant was convicted of a hate crime.
Not to mention the auction of Ku Klux Klan robes that, to one participant, evolved from an auction of Klan material to a "Klan auction." Meaning that dozens of racists from who knows where converged in Howell to what they perceived as a safe place.

Some of the incidents Dan mentioned I had not heard of, such as the slurs yelled at an Arabic delivery driver and “White Power” written in a sand trap.

But he also forgot to mention the intolerance and discrimination by the anti-gay hate group known the “Love Pac” that first created a far-reaching controversy by labeling a diversity flag as a gay pride flag. It they attracted embarrassing nationwide attention to the county with its book-banning quest. The Ann Coulter flap is just one more building block that reinforces the area’s undeserved reputation as a small-minded, racist community.

Part of a newspaper's job is to shed light on bad things in its community, hopefully resulting in some kind of improvement. We can't address our problems without admitting we have them.
Any doubt that we have a problem should have been erased when kids from Howell were taunted recently at an event in Walled Lake for being racist. There's no excuse for those children's rude and nasty remarks — but they didn't come up with the idea that Howell=racist from whole cloth, either. So the questions become: What can we do about Livingston County's reputation, and what are we going to do about it?

I agree with Dan on what a newspaper’s job is. I admit that at times I take issue with them for things like overworking some stories just to create buzz and the rightwing bent of the editorial page, but for he most part the P & A does an excellent job of being the community watchdog and reporting what the community is talking about.

With apologies to Mark Twain, I wish we, as a county, would stop complaining about our reputation, and start doing something about it.

I agree, Dan, and that’s why I will continue to pull the welcome mat out from under racists like Ann Coulter.

Livingston County Democrats slowly and steadily climbing the hill

Livingston County Daily Press & Argus political reporter Dan Meisler wrote an interesting, well thought out recap of how the Democrats did in Livingston County in the last election.

I know Dan to be a fair reporter, and I agree with some of the column and disagree with other parts of it. But the most glaring thing that caught my eye was the ridiculous headline, “Baby steps or sleepwalking?” How many reporters have written great articles or opinion columns only to have editors or copy editors write a headline that has nothing to do with the piece after only reading a few paragraphs. I know headline writing is an art, but come on. I can guarantee you no one was sleepwalking in the Livingston County Democratic Party during the last election.

This is the second time in a week the newspaper has given the Livco Democrats some unsolicited advice; the first coming in an editorial that advised us to begin early to find “creditable candidates” for the next election. My answer to that is still the same: we did, and you need to start treating them as “creditable candidates.”

We know we have an uphill battle to win seats in the county, but we are slowly climbing the hill. We fielded the most quality candidates in recent memory, and some seats were challenged for the first time in years. We know that even if we don’t win a seat our candidates are performing an even bigger public service than the Republicans who are actually elected. We are making them accountable to the voters, many for the first time. There is at least one County Commissioner serving his third term who has never been challenged in the General Election, and he got his seat only after putting his name on the ballot when he found out just before the filing deadline that the incumbent could not run again.

It’s tough to find quality candidates to run with the odds so stacked against them, but they know they are making the elected officials accountable to voters the only time many of then are ever accountable, during elections.

Have you ever counted how many times an incumbent Republican is challenged during the primary in Livingston County? Not often. There is plenty of competition for an open seat, but once the Republican wins it’s hands off until the seat is open again. Now, all you have to do to continue winning is have the R after your name.

I agree with Dan when he writes, This indicates to me that county voters are looking at the individual candidate, and are moving away from blind party loyalty. Apologies to Martha Stewart, but that's a good thing.

That’s what we are banking on.

Article highlights Rogers’ watchdog blog: GOP rolls out standard attack the messenger defense

Dan Meisler continues to highlight trends and changes in politics that are altering the way campaigns are conducted. His story on the newest political blog, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, is one more excellent effort. He has written on political blogs in the past, and he was quick to pick up on this one.

I’m proud to say I am a contributor to this new blog, and this will be one way to shine a bright light on Mike Rogers’ votes, positions, actions and public statements. There has been a complete lack of accountability in the Bush Administration, and this will return some accountability to the process.

A Web log targeting U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, is the latest site of its kind to focus on the political scene in Livingston County and the 8th Congressional District.
According to its founder, Julielyn Gibbons, who grew up in Green Oak Township and now lives in Lansing, the Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood blog will document the congressman's every move in order to keep his constituents up to date.
Gibbons' political leanings are clear — her computer nickname is LiberalLucy and her other blog is called Liberal, Loud and Proud — but she insists her latest effort is not meant to smear or disparage Rogers. In truth, she said, her goal is to be educational.
"Since he is, in fact, working for all of us, the government should have an inherent level of transparency," Gibbons said. "This is just helping to make Mr. Rogers' record more transparent."
"I'm not saying Mike Rogers hasn't done anything good for the district, but there's a lot more good that he could be doing," she continued. "If nothing else, we who helped create the blog hope he understands, by us paying attention to him and publicizing what he does ... we are going to hold him accountable."

I’m really surprised Rogers spokesperson Sylvia Warner declined to comment for this story. She is very good at making up Rogers quotes on the spot.

It didn’t take long for the Republicans to ramp up the standard “attack the messenger” strategy that has led people to buy into the false “liberal media bias” strategy and smear campaign. Allan Filip, who was just chosen as the chair of the Livingston County Republican Party in a closed-door convention where they barred the press less than two weeks ago, wasted no time in rolling out the standard GOP attack the messenger strategy.

After looking at Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, Livingston County Republican Party Chairman Allan Filip commented that it seemed to be too personal.
"To really play a large role, a lot of these things are going to have to become less venomous," he said.
Generally speaking, Filip said, political blogs play to the extreme fringes of their particular parties.
"I don't think necessarily it's anything that's changing people's hearts and minds," he said.

They love to claim scrutinizing a Republican’s record is a personal attack, and they used that defense when Chris Ward’s ethically challenged record was examined in the last campaign on the Mike McGonegal campaign blog I maintained. I challenged everyone who made that ridiculous claim to point out a personal attack or refute what was written about his record, and no body took up that challenge. I suspect we will see the same thing here.

Leadership of political parties in Livingston County will change with resignations

I was surprised and disappointed to find out Joe Carney will be stepping down as chair of the Livingston County Democrat Party. I have known Joe since I moved back to Livingston County for good in 2000, and I consider him a friend.
He has served the party well for 13 years, and anyone can see how the party has grown under his leadership. We have our own HQ and the number of volunteers is growing and continues to grow. I, and, the party, will miss Joe, and I hope he stays around to help us out. I know Kathy will still be around as the chair of the 8th Congressional District.
Even though there are big shoes to fill, finding a quality replacement should not be that difficult because there are so many qualified people out there. Just to throw out a few names I know personally who will do a great job include Irene Cahill, Donna Anderson, Bob Alexander, Mary Andersson, Debby Buckland, Anne King-Hudson, one of the McGivney brothers, Jim Swonk or Jan Vogel. Those are just names off the top of my head.
A new chair will be chosen at the party’s annual holiday party Sunday at the party HQ.

On the Republican side, party chair Cindy Pine also stepped down after four years. I personally know Cindy, and I have a lot of respect for her. The names of the possible replacements the Daily Press & Argus is throwing around is rather scary. The extremist wing of the party that was responsible for the shameful judiciary questionnaire put out last summer could seize control of the party. Bill Rogers, the chair of the Livingston County Board of Commissioners, hit the nail on the head when he said the episode may have been a case of extremists taking over the party's agenda. "Extremism doesn't do you any good," he said.
I know Bill personally and respect him, and he’s a class guy. He would be an excellent chair if the county and the party's charters allow it. His leadership would benefit the entire county. But an endorsement by a Democrat will do him no good. From a political standpoint I would prefer to see some of the other candidates mentioned get the job.
Wendy Day, a member of the Howell School Board and a member of the so-called LOVE hate group, was one person mentioned.
For a good laugh check out this paragraph from the article by Dan Meisler: “When asked about the direction of the party, Day said it should keep sight of the "family values" that define Republicans, as well as the limited government and low taxes championed by President Ronald Reagan.” Family values? Is she for real?
Also mentioned was Jay Drick, a member of the GOP exertive committee and a candidate for Livingston County District Judge earlier this month. It was Drick who helped create the much talked about split in the party when the party took the unusual step of endorsing in a nonpartisan race. His campaign lit also put out some false charges about his opponent, Judge Theresa Brennan.
A new chair will most likely be chosen at the party’s convention on Thursday.

Former journalist tracks conservative media bias

This was an excellent Neighbors feature in the Press & Argus today from political reporter Dan Meisler. It amazes me that we have so many connected people living in Livingston County. This woman contributes to one of my favorite web sites, News Hounds. I check that one and Crooks and Liars everyday.

By Dan Meisler
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS
The last straw for Judy Daubenmier, a veteran of more than 20 years as a reporter, came when she was helping to cover Proposal A for The Associated Press.
The complicated plan, completed in a late-night, Christmas Eve meeting in 1993, shifted the burden to pay for schools from property taxes to sales tax. As she worked on the story, another media outlet came out with a story on a dispute between lawmakers over parking spots.
An editor suggested that the reporters do more stories like
that — "cute stories ... light stories" — and that's when Daubenmier made her final decision to find another line of work.
"I didn't feel like that is what I was about," she said.
Since then, the Genoa Township resident has earned a doctorate degree in history from the University of Michigan; taught classes there; and contributed to a movie and a Web log monitoring the Fox News Channel for bias.
Her latest project, a book published in October called "Project Rewire, New Media from the Inside Out," is available for purchase on Amazon.com.
One of the main points of the book is that the multitude of blogs devoted to criticizing the media has the potential to improve the performance of the mainstream press and television news.
More specifically, Daubenmier said that for decades, conservatives have pushed the false idea that the media is biased toward the liberal point of view.
Now, through the Internet, liberals are highlighting conservative bias in the media.
Daubenmier's examples of conservative media slant are the treatment of Al Gore when he was running for president in 2000 — when he was characterized as stretching the truth — and the proliferation of conservative talk radio shows.
Plus, when she started monitoring Fox News Channel for the Web site www.newshounds.com, she discovered what she said is reporting slanted to the conservatives.
She disputes the idea that her involvement in a liberal cause after leaving journalism proves there is a liberal bias in the mainstream media.
"It proves that liberals work in the media. There are conservatives in media. The question is, what is the quality of the output?" Daubenmier said.

Ward will lose clout after Democratic House takeover, Duh

Although the tidal wave - or tsunami that state GOP chair Saul Anuzis called it - of anti- Republican sentiment managed to bypass Livingston County without getting any one wet, there is some good news. House Majority Floor Leader Chris Ward will now be the minority floor leader. The Brighton Republican's arrogance, rudeness and attitude completely soured the atmosphere in Lansing between the two parties, and his move to the sidelines will be a major plus for Michigan.

The bitterness and acrimony caused by Ward was so bad that you may recall an incident in June when Democratic Floor Leader Mary Waters of Detroit said she was trying to see the bills on the rostrum because Republicans, who hold a majority in the House, won't give Democrats a daily agenda when she was wrongly physically blocked from doing so by a House sergeant.

The story in the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus today does not even scratch the surface by not going into how the Republicans completely shut out the Democrats from getting any bills out of committee and onto the floor, especially the Democrats they had targeted for defeat in the last election by putting politics over solving our state's problems, like Rep. Kathy Angerer after she unseated an incumbent Republican.

Let’s hope the Democrats don’t stoop to the level of the Republicans, but it will take a lot of will power not to do so after the Republican arrogance of the last 12 years.

By Dan Meisler DAILY PRESS & ARGUS
Lansing was swept up in the Democratic electoral sweep on Tuesday, handing the state House of Representatives to the Democrats. That leaves the Republican-controlled Senate as the remaining check on Democratic power in the House and governor's office.
After Tuesday's election, the Democrats went from having a six-vote deficit and three unfilled seats to gaining a 58-52 majority.
The GOP's loss of power means that Livingston County's two representatives, Chris Ward of Brighton Township and Joe Hune of Hamburg Township, stand to lose considerable clout.
In the age of term limits, Ward worked himself up to the position of House majority floor leader at the tender age of 32. Now, with the Democrats taking over, Ward will spend the final two years of his career in the state House in the minority.
As majority floor leader, Ward worked with Speaker Craig DeRoche, R-Novi, to decide what legislation to move and when to move it. But when the new batch of lawmakers is sworn in January, Ward and the rest of the Republicans will be on the sidelines when those decisions are being made.
Hune chaired the House Insurance Committee, but will be relieved of that duty under Democratic control.
Neither Ward nor Hune could be reached for comment.
In the Senate, Republicans lost one seat in the 38-member chamber, leaving 21 GOP lawmakers.