Criticism of the criticism: A call for reflection and forgiveness

To the Editor:

I’m writing about the paper’s three attacks on the Oneida County highway commissioner concerning inadequate Thanksgiving snowplowing.

You report that two of the possible causes may have been two broken trucks, and six trucks that hadn’t been delivered. It’s unclear why you blame the commissioner for those things.

I don’t recall any previous complaints about the commissioner. Still, you chose to belittle him, referring to an idea of his as “moronic,” and to demand his firing. 

It’s hard to understand this level of anger, but there’s a clue in one piece which veers off topic to complain about something unrelated to the plowing — county employees will be getting salary increases next year.

Any regular reader must be familiar with your apparent disdain for government employees, including district attorneys, judges, public health officers, corporation counsels and others. It’s been on display for years, and it has gone well beyond ordinary editorialism, to include overblown criticism and even personal attacks.

It usually goes like this — someone errs or does something you disagree with, and a piece is published demanding harsh retribution. There never seems to be much effort to understand different viewpoints, look for the good in people, or embrace a willingness to forgive. 

Many of these hit pieces mention a “good old boys” network in Oneida County. Having worked for Oneida County, I can say that it sure feels like there is a good old boys network in Oneida County, and it feels like you are that network. I imagine that most local government employees must know that, if they err, or even do something that you disagree with, they could be your next target. 

Your pieces on plowing didn’t expose graft, or even a serious ongoing failure of performance. What those articles do is illustrate the concept of “punching down.” You have the paper and the ink, and there is little a public employee can do to respond to attacks without risking more attacks.

This year, this month, at Christmas time, take a look inward. Think about what it’s like for the county employees who works with no “net” under them. If they lose their jobs, they might lose their homes or have to move their families. Think about the anxiety and fear they must experience when you unreasonably demand they be fired. Think about mistakes that you have made in your life, as we all have, and what it would be like if you faced the sort of retribution that you demand.

Now, I suppose that it might occur to you to respond with a hit piece about me. After all, I was a public employee. Go ahead and print one if you need to. I can handle it.

On the other hand, maybe during this Christmas season you could try a different approach and stop the attacks. It might give the papers a better image, and it would certainly make our community a better place to live.

Tom Wiensch

Rhinelander