RETURNING A FAVOR TO MS. HINKEL

Regular readers will recall Lisa Hinkel's recent participation in this forum.  Ms. Hinkel is a member of the Grand Rapids Board of Education who took exception to my criticism of her position on school elections.  However, she did grace me with her pity:  "I will definitely pray for the ignorance and white-male anger sy[n]drome from which you suffer."  I am grateful for that.

So I now want to return her kindness and alert Ms. Hinkel that someone under the false e-mail address "nicksajoke @ angrywhitemen.com" has been using her internet access to harass Nancy Capriglione and her husband in the comment section of our recent story on Corky Overmyer.  (The all-seeing eye of L.A.W. can track these things, you know.)  It seems that the intruder has been clever enough to make reference to "angry white men" to give the appearance that it is Ms. Hinkel who has been posting defamatory comments in response to Ms. Capriglione.  However, I think we can all agree that a public official of Ms. Hinkel's caliber would not engage in such loathsome behavior, especially under a psuedonym.

Furthermore, Ms. Hinkel and Ms. Capriglione were fellow members of the Board of Education.  No doubt that means Ms. Hinkel would have nothing but a sense of comity with Ms. Capriglione (despite significant policy differences), which is further evidence that the scurrilous remarks were made by someone other than Ms. Hinkel.  And I am certain that Ms. Hinkel would not abuse our forum for such a purpose because we had cause to praise Ms. Capriglione's positions in the past while criticizing hers.

Therefore, Ms. Hinkel, please take action and track down the intruder who has been abusing your internet access.  We do not want to be forced to block messages from your IP address if this miscreant continues to post malicious comments here.

[NOTE:  In the comment section, Ms. Hinkel's husband Bruce has admitted to posting the malicious remarks about Ms. Capriglione's husband.  Because my tone in the article above was clearly ironic, I apologize to Ms. Hinkel for insinuating that she was the culprit.]

Comments

[Horatio Bunce]

Well put Mr. Tingley, and for Mrs. Hinkel "It is characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things" Henery Thoreau.

[Bruce Hinkel]

I am the intruder, Lisa's Husband Bruce. The comments directed at Nick were appropriate considering he was representing himself as a constituent of Ms Hinkel who had not received a reponse, to what I'm not sure.

Quote"Take it from someone who knows..."

Therefore the "Disingenuous Peity" to which I refered.

The second, more direct comment stands on it's own two feet.

Let the games begin...

Bruce Hinkel

[The Executive Director]

Mr. Hinkel,

There are no games to begin. Ms. Capriglione made no derogatory comments about Ms. Hinkel. This Nick you are angry at has not posted here. No matter, you had no business posting defamatory comments about anyone in this forum. Work out your problems elsewhere.

Bill Tingley
Executive Director

[beentheredonethat]

Bruce - you have it all wrong. This was not Nick representing himself as a constituent of Ms. Hinkel, this is his wife, who as you know, was on the school board at the same time as your wife.

The "Take it from someone who knows" comment was in regards to your wife blocking my e-mails. It is very hard to conduct board business or discussion when members are blocked. Yes, many months ago, my husband did send her, along with other board members and superintendent Bleke, e-mails criticizing the jobs they were doing, which due to a glitch in our system come under my e-mail. He does however sign his e-mails with his name. Mr. Allen, the board president at the time, even told her this when she went to him to complain about them. Notice, I did not say that she came to me at all, or contacted my husband. If your wife can't stand the criticism, maybe she she shouldn't run for public office, because it is her job to listen to her constituents whether she agrees with them or not. Which brings up the other point about screening calls. I have overheard her say that she does this - again in a situation where there is a lot of criticism in what she is supporting.

As far as the second comment standing on it's own two feet - how? You don't even know my husband, in fact you've never even met him, and if you did you'd know that he does not partake of illegal substances, if that what you are referring to. He rolls his own cigarettes, that's about it. That is where my "slanderous comments" comes in to play.

Better check who you are talking to and about before you make comments such as these, especially in a public forum. "Judge not, lest ye be judged."

And remember, there is no anonymity on the internet.

[Ames]

Do people ever grow up?!