Somebody Took This Photo With My CameraLast night I called Mike Kestner to inquire about the current status and composition of the North Side Marketing Task Force. Some questions had arisen in my mind and I needed to find somebody who would talk to me on the record. Mike was willing to talk on the record.
Mike says...
...there are currently only three official members of the task force: himself, Jerry Moore, and GeorgeAnnia Yantos. Mike says Jerry Moore is the Chair.
Well. Isn't that special. At least Mike will talk to me on the record. You gotta give him credit for that.
Here's a few more things Kestner was willing to say on the record, while I was scribbling down notes.
"You (Johnny Northside) do a great disservice to North Minneapolis," Kestner said. "As a native son to the Northside, I think it's naive to think there will be agreement about how things should be done, who should do it, and what's right and wrong."
Kestner proceeded to tell me I was being used politically by certain factions, and that I should stop painting certain people as bad characters. He said he was shocked that people get pulled into my blog and compared me, unfavorably, to the National Enquirer. He called Jerry Moore a "good human being." He said I (Johnny Northside) was being "played" by certain factions who have their own political agenda and that I would understand more if I stuck around for a while.
Oh, and then he called me (on the record, mind you) a "vicious and mean human being."
Uh huh. But at least he's TALKING to me about what is going on with the Northside Marketing Task Force, from his own unique point of view. And I always say that if I can't get information on the record I really can't do my job. Sometimes I need to say it louder than usual. Like right now.
So if anybody knows something else about the Task Force and its current composition and wants to say it oh-so-anonymously, well, consider the comment threads open. Which I think is pretty nice, considering I'm a mean and vicious human being comparable to the National Enquirer.
16 comments:
Ah, but WHICH factions are playing you and WHAT is their agenda?
Inquiring minds want to know...
What is wrong with these people???? What do they expect public sentiment will be when they continually attempt to hijack community organizations and exclude the people that the oranizations were set-up to serve in the first place?
To Connie (Ranty)
Ah, but at least I get to play.
If J Moore is the Chair, you can betcha it is SLUG VILLE USA there as well as when he was top DOG of the old JACC...sick 'em Johnny NS...YOU are a brave man sticking your neck out there EVERY day to tell the folks the truth about SLUG VILLE J MOORE style.
So you got called names just for asking who was on the committee? I can imagine what he would have said if you had asked him what it was that they were accomplishing.
What is wrong with these people? You must be referring to Georgianna Yantos, who is actually the Secretary of the NMTF, and who hasn't provided board meeting minutes since last fall. My sources say that without these minutes, the board has splintered and a rash of resignations followed. She has attempted to claim votes were taken that weren't, without quorum, in secret meetings. I think you need to get your facts straight Mr. JNS. It sounds like Mike Kestner is the only remaining member of the NMTF who has tried to open the process up to the community. I would try to get Yantos on record, or request the meeting minutes. Then you might find who hijacked the community organization.
What's up with the Jerry Moore fixation? Are you his jilted lover or something?
The NMTF board officially voted to remove Mike Kestner and Jerry Moore on June 17. From what I've been told by NMTF board members Susan Bendickson and Georgianna Yantos, Mike considers this action invalid because he thinks the NMTF board is not the real board, in much the same parallel-universe way as the Old Majority JACC people think the sitting JACC board is not the real board.
But it's clear the way the wind is blowing. Mike Kestner is entitled to his opinions, but he's no more an NMTF board member than Jerry Moore is the JACC executive director or Pedophile Pete is on the Jordan public safety committee.
To Margaret: it would be incorrect to conclude I was called names for asking who was on the committee. Rather, I was called "mean" and "vicious" for a number of reasons, mostly what Mike Kestner sees as my propensity to characterize certain individuals as "bad actors." Part of my difficulty is that I will only write what I can get on the record. Mike was willing to call me a mean and vicious person ON THE RECORD.
So there you go. I keep telling people involved in various sides of issues that if they will tell me their point of view, I will put it out there, even if I disagree. Mike called me a mean and vicious person. That's his point of view, and I put it out there.
To the anon below Margaret: Thank you for the correction to Georgeannia's first name. I've corrected the text accordingly. Confusingly, I hear people refer to her verbally as "Georgeanne" all the time.
As for the other stuff, that's your anonymous opinion and you're entitled to it. Feel free to say more about how MIKE KESTNER is the only one trying to OPEN UP THE PROCESS.
That sure isn't MY experience with Mike Kestner, in fact that's one of my main complaints with him: while supposedly involved with a MARKETING campaign, which means putting out information in the public eye, Kestner's gut-level default instinct is constantly to CONTAIN and CONTROL information like everything is CLASSIFIED and TOP SECRET.
But information, ideas, arguments, fact, points of view want to flow freely like water. That's known as the "hacker ethic." INFORMATION WANTS TO BE FREE.
So if you're involved in MARKETING but you're putting NOTHING out there in the public arena, what are you doing?
NOTHING!!!!!
But will the ideas get out there anyway? Oh, yes, they certainly will.
Finally...
Thank you, Evan, for saying that stuff and saying it on the record. My little plot worked. Somebody who knew the facts came forward and posted to this thread and now everybody knows.
To Ranty's question about which factions and what agendas, I give you the above Evan Reminick as an example.
Tell us Evan, why the NMTF decided as a board to suspend dealings with you as a contractor specifically. Please tell the truth, because if you don't, I will. In great detail.
Also Evan, Susan Bendickson's term on the NMTF expired last November, so how is she a board member? A number of current and past NMTF members will corroborate on this. And why is our fiscal agent Northway refusing to recognize them or release funds to them?
How many people were at this June 17th meeting? Are they on the NMTF board? Was there a quorum? What has your financial stake been in supporting Georgianna and Susan?
And John (JNS), I did not call you a vicious, mean human being. I in fact said you are mean-spirited and vicious in your attacking others through your blog. Big difference. But hey, what's a little journalistic integrity?
Maybe later, when I have time, I will also set the record straight for your readers about the call you made to me, and some of the things YOU said.
Dear Mr. Kestner,
I think I was right when I told a group of "folks" that you wanted a JOB out of the NMTF, maybe the webmaster title.
Let's just move on to something different.
Mike, your specific words were written in my notes, and you did indeed say "vicious and mean human being." In fact, you told me to go back and "dot the i's and cross the t's" and I replied, "HA! There is no 't' in 'vicious and mean human being.'"
Surely you remember THAT?
But, to be fair, I think you ALSO called me vicious and mean spirited. So let's just say we're both right and we both remember what was said about my vicious mean human being-ness. Thank goodness you agree I'm accurate about what you said about Jerry Moore who is (in contrast to myself) a good human being, according to you.
You want to keep having the discussion, lay out the details, BE MY GUEST. I think the colorful politics are part of the fun of this place called NoMi and this stuff should be out in the open.
To Evan:
We say "Pete the Pedophile" not "Pedophile Pete."
(Doing my outrageous parody imitation of Pete)
"How is it Pete always manages to insert himself into these discussions?"
(Too bad Pete can't enjoy this thread because he's NOT ALLOWED TO BE ON A COMPUTER!)
To Johnny Northside & all persons commenting,
Good morning,
Within the past week I have been visiting the blog and viewing the comments posted with regards to Mr. Moore and Mr. Kestner. I've read alarming statements and seen the frustration. I woke up very early this morning thinking about this situation and wondered how the lives of those involved have been affected. If I am loosing sleep, how are the ones accused and judged in your blog doing? How are you doing? You get to play, but at what cost? I see much negativity and ill-will that serves us all badly.
For instance, statements that include: possibly, allegedly, point of view, remains in question, I feel, could have been, not confirmed, unconfirmed, if, probably, might be, may, and he might do, all depict doubt and the opposite of fact. We can not act on what people might do, but on what they are doing. Yes, keep a watchful eye with the proper channels. Call out the actual misdeeds. And when they are officially dealt with, be proactive and move forward.
To mention Mr. Moore, Mr. Kestner and a pedophile in the same sentence is beyond reprehensible. Do you understand what you are insinuating? This is shameful and I have real concern that you understand how shameful it is. Not to mention the terms asshole, cold, manipulative, sad human being, and stupid. I think it is you as a collective that know not what they do. Is this what you allude to as substantive discussions? These blog writings do not come from a brilliant pen as they did for Bob Dylan. Let's leave him out of these inferior rants.
To suggest that Mr. Moore's employment options are limited and then cite these limitations as being a manager trainee, selling insurance, or enlisting in the military is INSULTING. Many people, with or without a college degree, have these types of occupations. Could some of them live in your neighborhood? It serves me no good, nor is it my business to know that Mr. Moore has been denied unemployment benefits. That is a private matter. Since when did how many kids you have, or with whom become considerations for employment? And why is this an accepted topic to freely blog about?
We are all witnessing this type of "information" flowing feely like water. It may be free but it carries great influence and even greater repercussions. Where is the responsibility and accountability? Is it hiding within your computers?
A question that pertains to one of the issues at hand is how do you elicit change from within if the talent to do so is not present? This is not meant as an insult, but a suggestion that outside perspective and influence, from areas that have proven success, is wise. Even those with the greatest intentions need guidance. This should be welcomed in harmony and partnership with the ones it serves.
I toiled with whether or not to post my comment anonymously. I truly wanted to express my thoughts in the open but this witch-hunt keeps me from doing that. This disappoints me on many levels. What I wonder is if my words can be truly read and understood. Can we take the time to "listen" before responding with additional noise.
In hopes of a better future, I wish you well.
Well, I think part of responsibility and accountability is to provide a forum where people can have these discussions, whether anonymously or in their own name.
The record shows I approve substantive discussion, even that which I don't agree with which takes me to task.
As for the comment about Pete the Pedophile's warped reality, and whether that reality can be compared with anybody else's warped reality within the Jordan Neighborhood, I thought it was an insightful and humorous remark by Evan.
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