New media provides low class dialogue

Earlier this week I grabbed a couple pages from the Flint Journal's online discussion about the new police chief and "super" chief, Richard and David Dicks. Earlier Matt Bach, who is the community conversation producer, posted a note telling readers that their comments were being hung up because the site's filter does not allow the posting of Richard or David Dicks last name.
Understandable, but avoidable under a system where every post would be moderated or in a system where a moderator was online 24 hours a day.
I continue to be amazed by the low level of discussion between many of the posters. If this is the new media, count me out. Here's a sample:


Posted by trinidad on 06/04/08 at 8:18PM
The Con didn't know about the Conduct Board? Yeah right. Anybody believe this malarkey?
Inappropriate?
successMsg = "";
Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by hurricanelp on 06/04/08 at 8:25PM
Old Fat head thinks he can do what he wants..there should never be 2 family members appointed to top ranks...Them 2 and con Don will really be able to corupt the goverment and city of Flint.. I hope the Feds keep an eye and and ear open on these convicts. Cuz, this is gonna be worse than Detroits Mayor ever done.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by FlintConserv on 06/04/08 at 8:30PM
Not a bad gig...get fired from the department. Come back 2 years later and run the show.
And let's not forget the feds are investigating the new "Super Chief."
Only in The Don's World.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by whetagg on 06/04/08 at 9:04PM
he's a super chief, super chief, he's super chiefy owww
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by flintcitizen on 06/05/08 at 9:14AM
I hear from people in the community that the father (Superchief Sr.) continuously got the Twins out of their criminal troubles and made excuses for them. So I'm sure he's going to provide real oversight on his son. Of course this is a Charter violation, but when has the Don every cared about that?
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by mattbach on 06/05/08 at 9:52AM
whetagg,
That's hilarious. Made my day. I'll be singing that all day.
Matt Bach
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by darthmole on 06/05/08 at 9:56AM
I'm shocked, SHOCKED I tell you that this surprises anyone.
The fact that Mr "shoot first and ask questions later" did something without checking into it first.
He put police decals on his car and was later told he couldn't do that. "Sorry", he says. "I didn't know. I won't do it again." He did it again last year.
He took home a city generator to run his Halloween decorations when the power went out. "Oops, I didn't know you weren't supposed to do that."
He arrested a man delivering papers at city hall. "I can't do that either? Why didn't anyone tell me that ahead of time?"
He's issued several memos at city hall telling the workers what they can't do, only to have the union, the ACLU and many others tell him that he was wrong.
Now, he hired a man as police chief, only to have him report to his own father.
Is this the man we want for Governor?
Is this even the man you want to buy a car from?
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by whetagg on 06/05/08 at 9:56AM
Matt,Thanks... working on the verses. I'll send it along when I'm done. :-)
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by harleeeguy on 06/05/08 at 9:58AM
A few words immediately come to mind.
SCANDALOUS...
UNETHICAL...
DISGRACEFUL...
I am often amazed with the Mayor's attitude regarding his actions and decisions.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by PeoplesTruth on 06/05/08 at 10:16AM
It's interesting that Don says he didn't know the Standards of Conduct Board existed, since a couple months ago he was raking Inez Brown over the coals for not calling a meeting of the Standards of Conduct Board. It's further interesting that Trachelle Young herself, one of Don's best buddies, sits on the Standards of Conduct Board and one of her primary responsibilities as city attorney is to advise on what's legal, including what the Charter says about nepotism and appointments. How could he possibly say he didn't know?
How reckless is it to have a mayor who repeatedly claims ignorance of what is illegal or unethical?
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by getreal222 on 06/05/08 at 10:32AM
I see and hear so many complaints about this mayor but, I see no action taken to get him out..Whats the deal??? Someone must be happy with him.Whos gonna start the proceedings? If they have not already been started?
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by dafederales on 06/05/08 at 10:34AM
Ol' Fat Head (I love that one) has already bought off the city union. I'm certain that is what he's doing here by appointing these two. He knows he can keep them in his back pocket. See, once he has something on you, you become an accomplice so you keep your yap shut.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by MSPOLOTIK on 06/05/08 at 10:35AM
SOUND THE ALARMS.....MAYOR WILLIAMSON DID SOMETHING UNETHICAL.....NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I can't believe he'd ever do anything like that!?! Are you telling me he is DISHONEST?!? Get out!! I can't believe that......By the way....I AM KIDDING OF COURSE....he's a career criminal. How is anyone surprised by this?? Just add it to the list of eternal-Williamson-b.s.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by ishouldknow on 06/05/08 at 11:10AM
Harleeguy, you say "I am often amazed with the Mayor's attitude regarding his actions and decisions." Are you REALLY amazed? If so, why? The citizens of Flint don't really seem to care that their mayor is unethical and doesn't follow the rules. If they did care, they would have been bombarding his office with phone calls and walk-in complaints about the Chief-Super Chief deal. As always, if it doesn't affect someone directly then they don't give a crap about what happens. This is proof. And I ask you, why on God's green Earth would anybody in their right mind make someone chief of an organization the size of the Flint Police Department who doesn't have ONE BIT of experience? This is lunacy and the people of Flint need to step up to the plate and DEMAND that they have a QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED, and ETHICAL police chief!!!
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by BurtonGuy on 06/05/08 at 11:14AM
The mayor was rewarded by being re-elected, and he has ALWAYS operated this way. Why would he want to change how he does anything?
I know that I am not a City of Flint resident, but didn't the citizens get exactly what they voted for? Why would anyone expect a snake not to bite and even pick it up again after being bit once?
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by dafederales on 06/05/08 at 11:32AM
Ishouldknow, part of Flint's problem is that not all of the taxpayers are allowed to vote. I pay over 2K a year to Flint and cant vote in their elections. You got a bunch of naer do wells in that city deciding who gets in office. Then the nitwits they hire (elect) put their own nitwits in charge of everything. Therein lies the crux of the problem. Run the bums out!
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by songbirds on 06/05/08 at 11:48AM
"he's a super chief, super chief, he's super chiefy owww" (whettag)
"hat's hilarious. Made my day. I'll be singing that all day" (mattbach)
I think it's hysterical as well. How about:
City Council sing "whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh"
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by harleeeguy on 06/05/08 at 12:20PM
I really do feel amazed with Don Williamson appearing to be so smug and arrogant in his decision making and behavior.
Is this Gotham City?
The mayor appears to have many reasons to be smug.
A short laundry list of questionable actions was previously listed above and pasted here:
"He put police decals on his car and was later told he couldn't do that. "Sorry", he says. "I didn't know. I won't do it again." He did it again last year.
He took home a city generator to run his Halloween decorations when the power went out. "Oops, I didn't know you weren't supposed to do that."
He arrested a man delivering papers at city hall. "I can't do that either? Why didn't anyone tell me that ahead of time?"
He's issued several memos at city hall telling the workers what they can't do, only to have the union, the ACLU and many others tell him that he was wrong.
Now, he hired a man as police chief, only to have him report to his own father."
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by eoseph on 06/05/08 at 1:49PM
i would think that the journal, under the FOIA, would divulge these 'peeps' criminal records. ya know there has to be some 'skeletons.' come on flint, let's dig deep. (allegedly)
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by FlintCat on 06/05/08 at 4:18PM
"Super Chiefy" and son are just the tip of the criminals running this city. It is sad that the citizens re-elected the top boss of this city mofia, but it was only by 581 votes! I'm sure he paid more than 1,000 voters in various ways to vote for him.... I know for a fact he did pay many! The FJ needs to go Freep on the Don. Unfortunatly his car company keeps them in print.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by miasma on 06/05/08 at 4:49PM
LOL, I love how "going Freep" is now a verb :)
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by whetagg on 06/05/08 at 5:58PM
Hi Matt Bach,I see that a couple of my posts disappeared. not only from this article. Did I anger boss tweed (Donald the Hutt) or one of his cronies?
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment

Posted by suburbman on 06/05/08 at 7:04PM
Just a few comments on the Police Chief, Super Chief appointments.You cannot point fingers at Richard or David Dicks for taking the jobs as they were offered. Ask yourself if your boss gave you a huge pay increase with pension enhancements along with being the department head, would you turn it down?
For David Dicks, who had zero chance of a promotion to Chief through traditional testing and interview procedures, the decision was a no brainer.
The interesting questions are what the Don wanted in return, what they had to agree to, to seal the deal. You can forget the public statements about going to a community policing model of law enforcement, mere salad dressing offered by the Don for public consumption. Community policing is grounded in prevention programs, juvenile intervention to steer kids away from crime, emphasis on education and self respect with police involvement in all aspects. It takes big money and triple the number of cops that Flint has.
What the Don wants is a foil to blunt the recall effort against him and we have just been introduced to the two guys who now have that assignment.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Username (Don't Have a Username? Sign up here): Password: Remember Me
Welcome back, ! Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)

And then later on a different thread about the same subject:


(Anonymous poster)

What a disgrace...
Inappropriate?
successMsg = "";
Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by MIcynic on 06/04/08 at 8:40PM
The article says: Mayor Don Williamson said he wants residents to be able to identify police when they're cruising the streets and under his directive all police officers "from now on will be in marked cars in full uniform."
Not only will the citizens know the police are around, so will the bad guys. If no one is doing any plainclothes work, or using unmarked cars, the bad guys can better evade arrest.
Maybe that's what the Mayor wants.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by FlintCat on 06/04/08 at 8:49PM
At least we'll be able to identify David as he drives the wrong-way down the one-ways as he is prone to do....
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by trinidad on 06/04/08 at 8:54PM
Well, I guess it was more important to show off the gas guzzling SUV's rather than grieve.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by whetagg on 06/04/08 at 9:06PM
he's a super chief, super chief, he's super chiefy owww
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by ddhier on 06/04/08 at 9:36PM
They should have these types of vehicles. And besides buying these vehicles saves some jobs. Two thumbs up.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by trinidad on 06/04/08 at 9:42PM
ddhier, Why do they need the SUV's? All they need are squad cars. When budgets are being cut and jobs lost or reduced in hours, driving SUV's are not necessary. It's not like they need passenger room. They'll never tansport anyone. What a waste of money. Not that it matters. According to the Charter, the Con is in violation for hiring the father and son. So, this is about to get interesting.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by BurtonGuy on 06/04/08 at 9:42PM
Looks like a little illegal windshield obstruction to me. Can I write "Super Chief" or whatever else I choose across my windshield?
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by BurtonGuy on 06/04/08 at 9:44PM
On second thought, maybe they should just use their last names on the windshield!
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by trinidad on 06/04/08 at 9:45PM
And if you think about it BurtonGuy, it is what they are! LOL
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by ddhier on 06/04/08 at 9:49PM
So what you are saying is tha a father and son can't work for the city of Flint together at the same time or that they bother can't be chiefs?
I have a big SUV for 1 person why not? All those who critize need to try and do his job. let's see first hand how you would do it.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by Deuce225 on 06/04/08 at 9:57PM
Hey BurtonGuy just call them RICHARDNOGGIN.That short for D---Head.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by flintflint on 06/04/08 at 10:00PM
Mayor's car marked? City council president car marked? Why not? I'd love to see the councilman's car parked at Walmart, grocery stores, K-mart, or other places. Politicians need accoutability too!
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by trinidad on 06/04/08 at 10:22PM
ddhier: Are you a relative. Yo usure are touchy. Yes, accordingto the charter, if you can read it, it is a violation for relatives to hold oversight over another. I mean do you think if Little D is accused of wrongdoing..hmmmm that Big D could honestly render a punishment? Who are you kidding? again, they do not need gas guzzling SUV's, and you still have not explained why they do? As far as you having an SUV, you're a private citizen and you can pay as much as you choose to fill up your tank. Oh, and as to how I would handle Flint. I'd first call Lansing and ask them to take recievership. Then I'd call the Feds to clean up corruption starting at the top with the Con.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by amccoy18 on 06/05/08 at 12:51AM
Incompetence and Flint is knee-deep in it. My conscious is clear because I didn't voted for Mayor Williamson. Nepotism at it best,I just for sorry for the City of Flint. The only good thing about this that Flint only got 3 and half years to suffered until they get a new mayor who has common sense and not flawed.
Inappropriate? Alert us.
Post a comment
Posted by dmoore on 06/05/08 at 7:21AM
amccoy, do you know something we don't? unless the mayor runs for governor and wins, he will win another term as mayor, if he wants to run.... he isn't going anywhere until he chooses to go.


If this is what passes for riveting conversation, I'll pass. But remember, this is the same paper who takes anonymous phone calls from folks in "Talk Back" and uses them in place of well-thought out and well-written editorials. Sigh.