sarcasm is intended, photo is to create "visual interest" in this
article, blog post by John Hoff
This blogger was dismayed to learn some days ago that suspended attorney Jill Clark appears to be embarking upon a phoenix-like pro se legal career, click here for previous article.
End The "Nomi Blog Wars"
Obviously, for several years Clark and this blogger have been on opposite sides of a complex conflict over the fate of North Minneapolis, a conflict some have dubbed the "NoMi blog wars."
But recently this blogger has made peace with IBNN blogger Don Allen (who once testified as Clark's witness against this blogger in the "Blogosphere Trial of the Century") and this blogger has repeatedly urged an end to the "NoMi Blog Wars" and a focus on more productive, "common ground" issues to help our troubled, blood-soaked neighborhood.
Clearly, the "wars" in our neighborhood do not cover merely social media and don't stay within the bleeding geographic boundaries of North Minneapolis. This is a complex socio-political conflict happening which involves litigation, which involves mainstream media, which sometimes includes actual killing and gunfire between...
...armed and constantly evolving groups fighting over various resources, territory and issues; sometimes issues as small as a mere verbal "diss."
Compassion For Opponents And Libraries For The Masses
How are we going to end this mess? How are we going to make things better?
Well, I would like to contribute a small act of compassion and common ground. In reading Clark's recent pro se lawsuit about the library system, I saw some fairly interesting issues concerning whether a portion of a public library system had been "given away" contrary to law and/or public interest.
Well, I wouldn't be the person I am today but for public libraries and the librarians who staff them. Growing up in colorful rural poverty, I managed to develop myself early in my life mostly through easy access to all the knowledge of human civilization. This knowledge was made available to me, mostly, through public libraries and super-helpful librarians who took an interest in me.
So when I catch a whiff that something is amiss with a library system, my interest and passion becomes strongly engaged because I think of young people who are poor, but wanting to develop themselves with books...like I did as a young person. (This may be one reason I was so strident on the topic of the Holler property and the need to expand our neighborhood library)
Yes, Jill Clark's lawsuit was dismissed on (strong) technical grounds. But is there something to the underlying allegations in the suit? (No, not the stuff about being "falsely imprisoned," rather I mean the stuff about a portion of our library system being given away without proper operation of law)
In the lawsuit, I also saw the mind of an attorney--an intelligent and complicated mind which has been "broken" by various stresses and personal issues--valiantly struggling to still be a lawyer and to act as an advocate for what she perceives (rightly or wrongly) as the public interest.
In recent years, I have seen the mind of beloved relative growing dimmer with age. Thus I am pointedly reminded by Almighty God that sooner or later, my own mind (in which I take some degree of pride) will grow dim.
I am reminded to try to have some freaking compassion.
Atrocities Were Committed By Both Sides In The "Great NoMi Blog Wars"
Therefore, in an act of compassion, I am removing a court document about Jill Clark's mental health condition, click here for the article where it previously appeared. I am also removing two videotapes on YouTube in which I imitated Clark's mannerisms and another video wherein the uttered name "Johnny Northside" was repeatedly looped.
Publication of these videos took place in the heat of battle over the fate of our neighborhood. JNS blog could have acted better under the circumstances and refrained from strident acts of mockery.
Honesty In The Historical Archive
It has always been the practice of this blog to be scrupulously honest in its historical blog archive, to not go willy-nilly removing and/or altering material because of the shifting political and personal concerns of the moment.
Consider, if you will, articulate writings on the subject of altering historical archives by, for example, George Orwell in his dystopian novel 1984, required reading of every high school student back in my youth. Compare with Wikipedia entry on the topic of a "memory hole" which elaborates further on Orwell's concept.
What's done is done and, as Pontius Pilate said, "What I have written, I have written." For me, removing material from this blog is always very big deal. I don't do it lightly, and I am quite critical of bloggers who remove or alter their writings for petty personal considerations of the moment, like "somebody's feelings were hurt by the truth and now they're writing harsh things about ME."
In those rare instances where some alteration happens on this blog (mostly for purposes of correcting error) I believe some public notice is ethically required to avoid being like Orwell's "Ministry of Truth."
And THIS blog post would be THAT public notice.
To the degree I would publicly pontificate on this subject at all (I feel I should do so sparingly) I truly think Jill Clark should work for some legal clinic helping the poor and oppressed rather than file unsuccessful pro se lawsuits on the subject of libraries or anything else.
The twilight of one's career (legal or otherwise) can still be meaningful and have important impact. Rocky Balboa talked forcefully and simply about still having "stuff in the basement."
Whatever Clark decides to do, this blog resolves to report upon it in a less strident tone with considerably less colorful rhetoric. I only hope everybody on all sides can work together to help our beloved North Minneapolis neighborhood instead of constantly tearing at each other, often over incredibly small stuff.
And I point the finger first at myself.
1 comment:
There is no "NoMi Blog war". There is just this bully blogger, John Hoff, who uses the internet social media to harass, intimidate, and retaliate against those that dare to disagree with him.
Hoff has a documented history spanning almost two decades of harassment.
Hoff antagonized individuals until they resort to civil action to get him to stop. Hoff preys on the weaknesses of his opponents, defaming them and attacking their children and relatives. He gets people (yes numerous people) fired from their jobs, and then blogs about his accomplishments without any concern for the damage he has done.
THERE IS NO NOMI BLOG WAR - JUST A TOTAL ASSHAT NAMED JOHN HOFF.
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