Open letter to Racine County Citizens
I would first like to thank all the Racine County citizens who voted for me in the recent judicial election, especially my core committee members who devoted countless hours on my behalf. I take your vote of confidence as your trust in me to administer justice independently and with dignity and respect. I will not breach this trust.
I also want to urge the ending of countless Internet messages directed at my recent opponent. The statements that I have read are at best classless and at their worst discriminatory and defamatory. I believe such statements would not be made face to face to my opponent and it is only the apparent anonymity of the Internet that serves as a forum for such vile and unnecessary comments.
I ask that now we direct our attention to making Racine a better community in which all of us can live and raise children.
Gene Gasiorkiewicz
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Gene Gasiorkiewicz was elected to the Racine County Circuit Court bench on Tuesday, defeating Georgia Herrera.
If this were facebook I would be hitting the 'Like' button.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't this message come out BEFORE the election? Magnanimity only applies after elections -
ReplyDeleteGee 10:54 why didn't the Herera campaign do the same?
ReplyDeleteOK Dad.
ReplyDeleteYour honor, your comments are spot-on, yet they will likely fail to have any impact on those who leave such remarks. I am willing to bet that few (or perhaps none) of those who leave sleazy, snide comments under the veil of anonymity participate in any efforts to bring about constructive improvements in our city, county, state or nation. Instead they stroke their own sense of self by demeaning others. Sad, but true. That's why I refrain from going to the comments section in JT or Post. But thanks for trying and for conducting such an admirable campaign.
ReplyDeleteGlenda - you said "That's why I refrain from going to the comments section in JT or Post" - so what are you doing out here?
ReplyDeleteI was responding to Gene's comment. I only went here so that I could respond. 'Leave your comment' is the only vehicle available for response. I tend to avoid nasty ranters whenever possible. (Plus I didn't realize I had checked the follow-up results box. It is now unchecked!)
ReplyDeleteGlenda - if you don't go out on the comments link - why do you keep commenting. What an idiotic thing to say.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that Gasiorkiewicz is appealing to his own supporters to stop sliming Georgia - as he himself was doing through the campaign. I did not see him appealing to the supporters during the campaign - do as I say, not as I do!
ReplyDeleteWe all knew he had class, depth, guts.
ReplyDeleteThe only one sliming during the campaign was Georgia - how do you say dig up dirt and spread lies?
ReplyDeleteTo all you Anonymous cowards:
ReplyDelete"I believe such statements would not be made face to face to my opponent and it is only the apparent anonymity of the Internet that serves as a forum for such vile and unnecessary comments."
You fit right in.
Important members of Racine's power base were supporters of Herrera. It makes perfect sense for Gasiorkiewicz to attempt to reconcile or placate them. Even a judge needs connections with/to people in powerful places. This admonishment is aimed more to gain favor with them than it is to silence the rabble.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right! That's why I said that magnanimity is for after the election. And BTW, I voted for this guy - I'm one of those idiots who praises those who oppose things I want when they are right and admonishes those I agree with when they do stupid, self-serving things.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see him say this now, BUT he should have said this BEFORE the election. He gets a tip of the hat AND a wag of the finger.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that Jusge Mark Nielsen also made a comment on the Journal Times site admonishing other comnenters. At least, I assume it was him. I'm glad that commenters are riling up officials enough to break their silence. Maybe someday they wil actually represent the people of the city of Racine, Wisconsin instead of themselves and their connections.
ReplyDeleteI voted for Judge Gasiorkiewicz too, and my first thought upon reading this was also "why now, after the campaign?" I'm sick of elected officials telling us what to do. We elect you, we tell YOU what to do.
"Now that I'm the boss, the rest of you shut up." Sorry, but we don't elect imperial leaders anymore. The internet allows the people to voice thier opinion. If you don't like that, then you don't like the people. Of course, many elected individuals despise the people that they supposedly reporesent, looking down upon them as the unwashed masses.
Party on!
Lol...appalled at someone asking for a little respect and restraint! We gasp at the rudeness of it all! Who are you to ask me to not be rude?...how...rude!
ReplyDeleteA good argument or some civil disagreement is all well and good. Even a heated debate is okay by me, but there were and are some things said that go beyond good taste and fair play.
A guy asking people to go about their business if they can't say something decent shows a lot of class. The race is over, the horse is dead. There are plenty of new targets- go play in the sandbox somewhere else.
Lol...appalled at someone asking for a little respect and restraint! We gasp at the rudeness of it all! Who are you to ask me to not be rude?...how...rude!
ReplyDeleteA good argument or some civil disagreement is all well and good. Even a heated debate is okay by me, but there were and are some things said that go beyond good taste and fair play.
A guy asking people to go about their business if they can't say something decent shows a lot of class. The race is over, the horse is dead. There are plenty of new targets- go play in the sandbox somewhere else.
Georgia is a strong woman, she doesn't need anyone fighting her battles. The comments are in fact classless, but hiz honor should mind hiz own business.
ReplyDeleteWhen I voted for Gene, I thought I was voting for the next judge, not God. I Hope I don't regret my decision, like I did after voting for Dickert last year.
ReplyDelete8:18, you must have missed it - myself and others would have been all for making these comments before the election, not after the comments were made while the candidate remained silent - then his coming out asking for people to be nice.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Racine doesn't vote because it's a choice between bad candidate number 1 and bad candidate number 2. I haven't vote FOR anyone in Racine in a long, long time. But what should we expect? By definition, lawyers lie for money. Then they become judges and lord over other lawyers lying for money.
ReplyDeleteHis next ruling should be to take his campaign signs down. His are the last ones still out on the streets.
ReplyDeleteOrbsCorbs:
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear you say "I'm the boss" if you ever end up in his court. I think he would set you straight. You voted for him to be the boss.
As for the comment about the Internet is about freedom of speech, I would remind you the same laws apply to you whether you are on the Internet or in person. If you defame someone you could be taken to court. Your identity can be discovered from your IP address so be careful.
Just like in theaters you can't shout fire if there isn't one, you can incite wrongful or untruths about someone. If you get someone pissed off enough you will have to answer for it.
Bottom line is simple. Treat others like you would like to be treated.
Edit
ReplyDeleteI left one letter off of one word.
you cant (not can) incite wrongful or untruths about someone.
OrbsCorbs, blah, blah, blah...
ReplyDeleteOrbs corps, blah, blah, blah...
Hor devours, blah, blah, blah...
All that you anonymous hacks do is rip on anyone who identifies themselves. This is much worse that the Journal Times ever was. All anonymous, all attacks, all the time.
Sorry, but I have no respect for Racine judges, courts and lawyers. I've been involved with them many times: all lies, all the time.
Time to rejoin the anonymous horde in taking potshots at others.
Party on, cowards!
Orbs - you don't respect anyone but yourself.
ReplyDeleteThis letter from Gasiorkiewicz is just more hypocritical crap. He watched the blogs and waited months to suddenly get righteous. These bloggers are your kind, Mr. G., your supporters. Don’t try to distance yourself now. Just live with the shame
ReplyDelete1:12 - Gene is a 1st class guy and his comments were appropriate. He has taken the high road throughout and after the election - unlike his opponent which has already been well documented.
ReplyDelete