Here is another unpublished Star Letter to the Editor. I told you that John Coleman was busy since he had to go through so many letters from readers and that space was limited.
Did you like the new term that John coined "vigilant fairness." I do. It means as an example that if you are Al Teshuba, you can get a letter published on February 15 (Campaign conducted with mutual respect) and on March 07, 2006 (Above-ground plans archaic and unhealthy.) but not if you are Bill Marra writing as Chair of a Hospital and then as a private citizen.
Oh well, I guess it helps if the second letter happens to be a cause that the Mayor supports. My calculation shows this second Teshuba letter was published about three weeks after the first not the "six to eight weeks" that applies to other mere mortals.
But my favourite part is about "profiling." Whew, that word is an odd one to use in this context. The Star must be vigilantly fair about a person "profiled as a potential candidate in a news story."
Wait a minute though, it was the Star that decided to interview Marra and ran the news story in the first place. If the Star had not run the story or "profiled" him, then he presumably could have had two letters in the Star just as Teshuba did.
Oh so that's how they do it if they want to keep you out of the newspaper Letters section. Now I know!
---------------------
Hi Ed. Please feel free to publish my letter on your Blog. I am forwarding the letter I submitted and John Coleman's response. I responded to John and indicated to him that I understood his rationale. My Lori Dupont letter appeared in last week's Weekend Edition and because I have been profiled as a "potential candidate", the Windsor Star will be exercising vigilant fairness to everyone.
Thanks in advance Ed!!
-----Original Message-----
From: Coleman, John
Sent: March 7, 2006 6:35 PM
To: 'Bill Marra'
Subject: RE: Document2
Hi Bill, i'm just catching up with some letters that hadn't been used. As you know, your letter on the Dupont case was published on Saturday, and we are only able to use a letter every six to eight weeks from one writer - based on the increasingly high number of letters we receive, and out of fairness to other writers.
We also must be vigilant during an election year to ensure fairness to everyone, particulary when it comes to individuals who have already declared, and in the case of someone who has been profiled as a potential candidate in a news story.
sincerely john coleman
----------
From: Bill Marra
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006 11:02 PM
To: John Coleman
Subject: RE: Document2
As a member of a Council that was also accused of being "dysfunctional" by critics, I have some sympathy for what the Mayor and Council are experiencing.
I took strong offence at that label and still do. Remember, it was the past Council that laid the foundation for this Council to be able to exert such a strong influence on the Senior Levels of Government, and our American friends, as it relates to the border issue. My regret, to be frank, is that this council's efforts have not yet matched our expectations.
I expect that being in a municipal election year, the smallest irritant is blown out of proportion at Council. When you have people of different opinions and views, one should not always expect harmony and agreement, but one should not expect the need for "group therapy" for those whom we elect. I recall some disagreements on our Council, some of which were quite bitter, but at no time did we lose our respect for each other. One of the skills that I possess is the ability to work with people and bring people together. I am confident that this helped avoid the type of animosity that we are now seeing with our Councillors.
City Council must refocus on the matters important to Windsorites. Clearly, trust must be re-established by working with Windsorites openly to achieve a border traffic solution that makes sense. Windsorites want to be engaged. They showed up by the hundreds at two public meetings over the past week.
There is a real threat to the economic security of our region by the migration of industry and traffic to the Blue Water Bridge area. This needs to be taken seriously and dealt with imediately.
Our Super Bowl experience proved once again how important our downtown is with regards to our tourism industry and economic development. Accordingly, we must start to develop our Urban Village and not just rely on the Casino as our salvation.
We must also re-establish productive working relationships with the Senior Level of Governments and our American neighbours since we cannot do it alone. We must simply bring all of the stakeholders to the table. Through the Mayor's Office in Windsor and the Mayor's Office in Detroit, invite the local stakeholders for the Border all to the same table. Our crisis is a Border Traffic Crisis. We must develop a fully dedicated transportation corridor which will take International Trucks from the 401 to a Border Crossing and from the Border Crossing to the 401. Get the trucks off our city streets.
Our Mayor and Councillors must put aside their personal differences and work with our community and our stakeholders for the benefit of everyone. Windsorites want to work with City Council. Is City Council ready to work with Windsorites?
Bill Marra
-----------------
From: Bill Marra
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 8:05 AM
To: John Coleman
Subject: Document2
Good morning John. I submitting this letter for your Opinion Section of the paper.
Thank-you
Bill Marra
Did you like the new term that John coined "vigilant fairness." I do. It means as an example that if you are Al Teshuba, you can get a letter published on February 15 (Campaign conducted with mutual respect) and on March 07, 2006 (Above-ground plans archaic and unhealthy.) but not if you are Bill Marra writing as Chair of a Hospital and then as a private citizen.
Oh well, I guess it helps if the second letter happens to be a cause that the Mayor supports. My calculation shows this second Teshuba letter was published about three weeks after the first not the "six to eight weeks" that applies to other mere mortals.
But my favourite part is about "profiling." Whew, that word is an odd one to use in this context. The Star must be vigilantly fair about a person "profiled as a potential candidate in a news story."
Wait a minute though, it was the Star that decided to interview Marra and ran the news story in the first place. If the Star had not run the story or "profiled" him, then he presumably could have had two letters in the Star just as Teshuba did.
Oh so that's how they do it if they want to keep you out of the newspaper Letters section. Now I know!
---------------------
Hi Ed. Please feel free to publish my letter on your Blog. I am forwarding the letter I submitted and John Coleman's response. I responded to John and indicated to him that I understood his rationale. My Lori Dupont letter appeared in last week's Weekend Edition and because I have been profiled as a "potential candidate", the Windsor Star will be exercising vigilant fairness to everyone.
Thanks in advance Ed!!
-----Original Message-----
From: Coleman, John
Sent: March 7, 2006 6:35 PM
To: 'Bill Marra'
Subject: RE: Document2
Hi Bill, i'm just catching up with some letters that hadn't been used. As you know, your letter on the Dupont case was published on Saturday, and we are only able to use a letter every six to eight weeks from one writer - based on the increasingly high number of letters we receive, and out of fairness to other writers.
We also must be vigilant during an election year to ensure fairness to everyone, particulary when it comes to individuals who have already declared, and in the case of someone who has been profiled as a potential candidate in a news story.
sincerely john coleman
----------
From: Bill Marra
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006 11:02 PM
To: John Coleman
Subject: RE: Document2
As a member of a Council that was also accused of being "dysfunctional" by critics, I have some sympathy for what the Mayor and Council are experiencing.
I took strong offence at that label and still do. Remember, it was the past Council that laid the foundation for this Council to be able to exert such a strong influence on the Senior Levels of Government, and our American friends, as it relates to the border issue. My regret, to be frank, is that this council's efforts have not yet matched our expectations.
I expect that being in a municipal election year, the smallest irritant is blown out of proportion at Council. When you have people of different opinions and views, one should not always expect harmony and agreement, but one should not expect the need for "group therapy" for those whom we elect. I recall some disagreements on our Council, some of which were quite bitter, but at no time did we lose our respect for each other. One of the skills that I possess is the ability to work with people and bring people together. I am confident that this helped avoid the type of animosity that we are now seeing with our Councillors.
City Council must refocus on the matters important to Windsorites. Clearly, trust must be re-established by working with Windsorites openly to achieve a border traffic solution that makes sense. Windsorites want to be engaged. They showed up by the hundreds at two public meetings over the past week.
There is a real threat to the economic security of our region by the migration of industry and traffic to the Blue Water Bridge area. This needs to be taken seriously and dealt with imediately.
Our Super Bowl experience proved once again how important our downtown is with regards to our tourism industry and economic development. Accordingly, we must start to develop our Urban Village and not just rely on the Casino as our salvation.
We must also re-establish productive working relationships with the Senior Level of Governments and our American neighbours since we cannot do it alone. We must simply bring all of the stakeholders to the table. Through the Mayor's Office in Windsor and the Mayor's Office in Detroit, invite the local stakeholders for the Border all to the same table. Our crisis is a Border Traffic Crisis. We must develop a fully dedicated transportation corridor which will take International Trucks from the 401 to a Border Crossing and from the Border Crossing to the 401. Get the trucks off our city streets.
Our Mayor and Councillors must put aside their personal differences and work with our community and our stakeholders for the benefit of everyone. Windsorites want to work with City Council. Is City Council ready to work with Windsorites?
Bill Marra
-----------------
From: Bill Marra
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 8:05 AM
To: John Coleman
Subject: Document2
Good morning John. I submitting this letter for your Opinion Section of the paper.
Thank-you
Bill Marra
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