"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Sunday 6 May 2012

Bruce Cuthbert Says

Bruce Cuthbert has left a new comment on your post "He Is No Machiavellian Prince":

This comment/question is not directed at any specific post on this blog but instead at the blog in general. I don't read this blog often or any others. Mostly because this and many other blogs allow insulting, uninformed and biased comments cloaked by the cowardly cover of anonanymity. It is obvious that many comments come from representatives of the same faction in town and are self serving. Which leads me to the point of my posting. Why do you help in perpetuating this subterfuge by posting anonymous comments. If people want to spout off and spread their propaganda why not force them to acknowledge themselves instead of hiding behind anonanymity thereby reducing this blog to a gossip column. Because everyone else does it doesn't make it right. I have always considered you a woman of honourable morals, values and principles. Allowing this to continue appears inconsistent with those positive characteristics. I could care less whether you posted this or not but would appreciate your rational in giving unidentified malcontents a forum. You identify yourself in support of your positions why not make everyone? If they don't believe in their opinions enough to put their name to it their postings are of little to no value.
Bruce Cuthbert
***********

I agree that  anonymousl comments may not have the same weight  as those  with a name attached.

I do not  agree  it  is subterfuge.

There is an argument to be made  for. gossip. It  is an essential aspect  of  human discourse.  It certainly cannot be argued that people don't do it. 

I  do encourage    anonymous comments. If I insist on names, there is no means of forcing  means of forcing the issue. .

I can think of many practical reason why a person would  not want to reveal themselves.

But  the   most reasonabale is that most people do not  choose to become bad friends because of a difference of opinion.

I think the advantages of anonymity .far  outweighs  the disadvantage.

 Don't forget, most of the back and forth is about town politics. What is so sacred or righteous about that. We should engage freely..If the only way we can do it is under cover, well that's better than not doing it at all.

You are entitled to your opinion. Thank you for expressing it. Feel free not to log n. But you never know what you might be missing.

If you are attacked for being honest  about where you stand. Someone else will no doubt defend you.

Several hundred people visit and view every day. Many have probably never commented. But for those who do, until social media came into our lives, they have never been so free.

  I welcome them.And I welcome you not o read  the blog if that is your preference

. But because it is ,don't  mmake the assumption  that's all there is..

Have a great evening. There are places in the world where the day is already over. and  nowhere will it come again..


24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Maybe he missed all the turmoil and anger, the threats, lawsuits, the animosity aimed at family members and employers, that drove normal protest under ground and onto the blogs. But he certainly could not have missed the election which was completely democratic. No one vented anger or formed mobs. We simply went one wet, blustery day and voted.
Not being too cynical, I'm wondering if Mr. Cuthbert is eyeing elected office.

Anonymous said...

The man has a bully-pulpit & is entitled to use it. Not sure if he is entitled to judge those who contribute to blogs if he doesn't read them. What he has experienced does not make him an expert on what he choses not to study. Like not reading a book and pontificating on its content. Odd this timing - he has lived here for years.

Anonymous said...

Welcome. Mr. Cuthbert. It is good to have you with us.
If you find anything on any of the Aurora blogs that you find " insulting, uninformed and biased ", do feel free to
offer your opinion. It will be considered, sometimes disagreed with, sometimes agreed with, but certainly taken into consideration. I see no evidence of vested interests here but then I am perhaps prejudiced. How can you condemn what you do not know? Please allow time, if you are so inclined, to get to know individuals with all sorts of different opinions. We argue, fight and support one another. It's called Aurora and we like it just fine.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes things aren't what they seem. I was impressed with Bruce's appearance on Alison's show. He speaks well for his cause. What he failed to mention, and may not know, is that the donors of organs cry during the process despite the fact that the doctors have declared them to be ' brain-dead ' and incapable of feeling. The team working on one of our family members confessed that it happens in every case and that they cannot figure out why.
Please do not lecture us on our business - get on with your own, but know things aren't always what they seem.

Anonymous said...

Does he really believe what he wrote?

Anonymous said...

Perhaps Mr. Cuthbert should learn how to spell anonymity before using it again.

Anonymous said...

Anger and hate of complete strangers emerges from the gift of life. Should not happen. Sad.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Cuthbert wasted a beautiful Sunday writing his angry missive. Whatever for?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous posts.... not this again. We have already seen the rants from Chris Watts about this and if you read his blog, it is a very one-sided editorial. No one posts differing views there because you cannot do it with registering a name.

Most of the real reasons to post anonymously have been listed here. I personally have had phone calls at my home.... angry phone calls.... after I posted something a while ago with my name. I do not need to get into an argument with someone I don't know at 10pm.

I disagree that anonymous posts may not have the same weight. They are just as valid as any with a name attributed to them.

Besides, who wants to put their name out there when yahoos like Anonymous at 6 May, 2012 7:46 PM comments about spelling mistakes. These are the kind of people that like to argue for arguement sake.

Anonymous said...

Nope. He was not angry. Just offering some vitriolic advice out of the goodness of his soul. The response would have been much the same if he had not signed the comment. People cut him some slack because it was his first venture. Had he not wished his identity to be taken into consideration, he could have been ' anonymous'.

Anonymous said...

The man chose a bizarre way to introduce himself onto a forum he professes to despise. Time will tell what might have motivated the move. That guess about possible elected office is plausible.

Anonymous said...

You tell 'em, Cuts!

Anonymous said...

Another fascinating flip-flop. Mr. Cuthbert appeared on the scene breathing fire and issuing wreaths of smoke. Leaves after tepid thanks for his polite reception and a couple of complaints about what he believed to be mistakes made by those commenting.
You have to wonder if he got up Sunday morning and said, " Today I'm going to take Evelyn Buck to task for the way she runs her blog. "
What was the man expecting ?

Anonymous said...

I support Mr. Cuthbert expressing his opinion and do wonder how people could infer political aspirations from his statements or make the off topic comments they did. Very childish.Nor do I interpret his action as a flip flop. You have just proven his point; there is lack of credibility in derogatory anonymous posts. Kudos to Mr. Cuthbert, more people should be as up front as he is. I however remain anonymous. I don’t need to be subject to the irrational assault he was.

Anonymous said...

OK is thi sman really serious or is he just living in the late 70's still? .... or actually way before then - THIS IS CANADA Mr. Cuthbert - our families fought hard to ensure we have the freedom of speech and freedom of rights - one of those rights is the ability to post a blog in the year 2012 with or WITHOUT providing your identity! I for one would be very frightened to live in a country that you were unable to make this kind of choice (maybe you need to consider running for office in some third world - totalitarion country vs. the pleasant little town of Aurora. The sad reality is that should you be planning to run and represent our town in a political manner your chances just took a severe nose dive - we don't need another Morris regime where citizens are afraid to share their views and concerns, and in my OPINION ... (another wonderful right we have in this country) - if you were in office I would not want to deal with your back lash that you proved to be part of your demeanour when you took aim at one of the most political influencers this town has ever seen! I commend you on your work with organ donation, but maybe you should stick to that rather than posting about things you apparently are not too familiar with. Simply stated .... get over it and welcome to the year 2012!

Anonymous said...

To May 6th @ 7:46, Anonymous

Add "rational" to the list of errors. It should be "rationale", the noun. "Rational" is the adjective.

Anonymous said...

The anonymous vs. named posting debate again! Yawn, yawn!

Anonymous said...

Sorry. did Mr. Cuthbert have a ' topic '? It read more like a list of complaints about a forum in which he had no interest or understanding.

Bruce Cuthbert said...

It appears a clarification is in order. My post was in no way motivated by political aspirations nor was it intended to disparage Mrs. Buck. She is someone whose efforts I support. Instead it was intended as a question asking why a person of such integrity would not require the same of others Mrs. Buck provided a reasoned answer which I appreciate. As subsequently discussed with Mrs. Buck it would have been better conveyed verbally. We agree that sometimes the written word appears harsher and conveys a different message that was truly intended. Lesson learned. In regards to going back to the Morris environment it is certainly not my desire. I don’t feel identified posting was the problem but instead that abuse of power was. In fact the post was made in frustration to the proxies in the community that I believe are obstructing progress by council and others in relation to community issues. Those are the factions and malcontents who are protected by anonymity that I referred to in the original post. I posted with my name in the belief you should practice what you preach not to seek exposure. Hopefully this provides a clearer understanding of my intentions and motivation.

Anonymous said...

2:10 PM Sorry, Mr Cuthbert. you are incorrect once more. Most of those commenting on this blog & others are totally supportive of what Council is trying to do with the garbage they inherited. You are totally out-of-line lecturing us about the abuse of power. Frankly, how dare you when you know us not? Municipal politics is nasty, in Aurora particularly. Do the research, read all the historical references and legal documents.
As to your statement about lacking political aspirations, why should we believe this comment? You could well be a false identity on an anonymous blog.

Anonymous said...

We cannot know your intentions, Sir. But your performance does resonate. It is almost identical to Councillor Ballard's scripted attack on Mayor Dawe. Why you bear malice to a group of complete strangers is a mystery. No one here is running for office. We are ' proxies ' to no one. Most of the time we don't even agree with each other. You?

Anonymous said...

Weird stuff. I have spoken to Bruce for some length of time & he is a nice guy, but incapable of writing the 2 comments attributed to him. which begs the question " Who is writing this drivel? "

Anonymous said...

Is Mr Cuthbert the long-lost RtB?

Anonymous said...

My guess is that some of the more supportive anonymouse posts wriiten here for Mr. Cuthbert are indeed written by himself .... how ironic!