Comments on: Keep it Civil

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:02:26 +0000

If he were intelligent or sophisticated, he would have gone on the counties website and known exactly how many acres you have. It is public information. He is obviously not from a gas company. They have the money to find these things out without calling.

Brian sez:

Bob, I agree. And that’s a big “…if…”

By: Megan

Megan — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:02:23 +0000

Well, it seems as if overnight Otego, NY has morphed from “A Friendly Place” into an Intimidation Zone. Clearly, Brian, you and your argument have struck a nerve with some of the proponents of gas drilling, otherwise they wouldn’t lash out in such a clandestine and, dare I say, illegal fashion. Perhaps if they had a better argument, or indeed, any argument at all besides naked self-interest and unadulterated greed, they wouldn’t need to resort to such thuggish tactics, nor try to pressure public officials to fast-track widespread natural gas drilling across the state without any meaningful environmental safeguards or regulations in place.

Brian, I applaud your courage and your continuing efforts to educate the public on this issue. Know that you are not alone.

And a final note to any would-be “anonymous” callers out there: try reading up on the facts surrounding gas drilling, as well as the First Amendment rights that all, and not only some, of us have.

So, to review: Harassing anonymous phone calls= Bad and can be prosecuted
Caller Id and the right for everyone ot express their viewpoints in a
respectful manner= Priceless

By: Les LeViness

Les LeViness — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:54:01 +0000

Brian – The moment that caller made it apparent that he wasn’t going to identify himself was also the moment that he made it obvious that he was not very mature and probably not very smart. I praise you for standing up for what you belive in and being willing to listen and discuss the subject with the opposition. I don’t know who called you but he acted cowardly. (Get a life jerk) It’s amazing what happens to people when that big green back dollar is flashed in front of their noses like a carrot in front of a race horse. I just hope that intelligent and civil discussions can proceed without further such interruptions. Best of luck from someone who believes in civility and the right to express his opinion.

By: sue heavenrich

sue heavenrich — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:59:35 +0000

One thing we prize above all else: our right to express ourselves. But to keep this right we need to allow other people the opportunity to express themselves.
So – we need a return to civil discourse. We don’t see it in the House; we don’t see it in the Senate; now apparently we don’t see it in our own communities. Even last night at a CCE meeting I saw a couple folks, getting hot under the collar, engage in back-and-forth dialog that was reeling out of the range of civility and disrupting the meeting.

When a similar thing happened to me I figured out pretty easily who it was – and simply said “I can’t listen to anyone who won’t identify himself” and hung up. I have never told him that I know it was him. I enjoy watching him squirm now as he needs my alliance in another matter.
Oh well….

By: Rick

Rick — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:22:33 +0000

Brian,

You handled the situation very well. I think you’re right that the caller is probably a local on the side of the “drillers”.

It’s a shame that even today, the environment, and more specifically your area and the sanctuary it provides–for people and nature alike–can be so quickly dispensed with in the name of energy. And it’s even more disheartening to see how easily some people, even neighbors perhaps, can be lured into such dubious prospects.

But it’s enlightening and encouraging to also see people like you, and others who have posted their comments, take on the gas company and defend their homes and their livelihoods–and poor old mother nature!

Rick

By: Lillian

Lillian — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:46:37 +0000

In response to the above:
Second verse, same as the first.

By: Carolee

Carolee — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:45:27 +0000

It is upsetting that certain individuals (landowner’s coalition members?) can freely express their views (signs, letters to the editor, posters, phone calls, etc.), but respond to others with differing viewpoints by vandalizing or stealing signs, making anonymous phone calls, writing condescending and often inaccurate rebuttals to letters appearing in the newspaper and using veiled threats. Bullying or trying to intimidate your neighbors isn’t the way to go.

By: Carol O'Hara

Carol O'Hara — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:06:21 +0000

So, it’s coming down to this, high school vandal tactics in the small hamlet of Otego. Now the phone calls. Your ignorance in baring your own bravado to your friends I hope makes you feel like a very big man while the rest of you remain small. Your somewhat talent, expertise and energy can be better put to use by finding out why the opposition’s concerns are over water, environmental and real estate property going south including yours. Probably you don’t know enough of the subject matter to debate, ergo, the hang-up.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:01:12 +0000

Making harassing phone calls and destroying other people’s signs is inexcusable. We’re all entitled to our First Amendment rights. Keep up the good work, Brian!

By: Martha Bremer

Martha Bremer — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:57:33 +0000

It will be interesting to see if you get a rebuttal letter to the editor. Might be more revealing than you think. Like you said it’s not about how much land YOU own. We all have to live here and share the clean air, water and soil. It seems like a no brainer to me……