The Local Area Watch

EDITOR'S REVIEW: WILLIAM WILBERFORCE WANTS YOU! A STORY OF AMAZING GRACE

Title:  Amazing Grace

Time:  Around two hours.

Moving Rating:  “PG”, a family film although there are some disturbing scenes depicting the cruelty of the slave trade.

Synopsis:

This is a historical film depicting the true story of William Wilberforce, scion of a wealthy merchant family and member of the British parliament, and his political campaign two centuries ago to ban the African slave trade throughout the British Empire.  Chattel slavery was the backbone of the labor force in many British colonies, especially the lucrative sugar cane plantations of the West Indies.  Many in England made fortunes from this, and the vile enterprise of slave trading fueled it at a horrific cost in human lives.  The movie chronicles Wilberforce's uphill battle as a member of the House of Commons to outlaw the African slave trade by (along with a little parliamentary gamesmanship) changing the hearts and minds of his fellow Britons who had accepted with little thought the unseen brutality and carnage of the African slave trade.  It is a movie that renews the spirit for the pursuit of justice by reminding us that even the hardest hearts against the human dignity of others can be overcome. 

Movie Review:

Amazing Grace takes us along William Wilberforce’s journey from a young man early in his political career whose faith called upon him to put an end to the slave trade through the dispiriting defeats as a middle-aged man to his eventual victory over that great evil in his later years.  The film shows what a commonplace slavery was even in England itself, not just its empire, two hundred years ago and the general indifference of the British public to it.  It also showed how many prospered from slavery supplied by a slave trade at the cost of Africans beaten, shackled, caged, and starved to death by the hundreds of thousands during the cruel and perilous passage across the Atlantic from Africa to the Caribbean.  Interestingly, it also showed the guilty knowledge of the ship owners plying this evil trade, who tried to keep the huge loss of life an industry secret.

Your heart rises and sinks with the advances and retreats of Wilberforce’s campaign to vanquish the slave trade.  You are roused when Wilberforce transmutes his personal disgust with slavery into a call to arms against it as he sings “Amazing Grace” to his astonished card-playing comrades in parliament.  You despair when Wilberforce calls a conference of those comrades to battle the slave trade and walks into a nearly empty meeting hall.  You feel how Wilberforce steels himself for that battle when consults with his mentor, John Newton, a slave trader haunted by the ghosts of 20,000 Africans who died in the bowels of his ships who became an Anglican clergyman and penned “Amazing Grace” as a powerful hymn that no one is beyond redemption.  You also feel how weak a vessel Wilberforce physically is as this battle makes him a bed-ridden wreck.

But there is victory for Wilberforce in the end, and the parliamentary machinations by which he achieves it provides unexpected suspense.  Just as unexpected is the satisfaction of the final scene in which the viewer is treated to a parade of a Highlander military unit in full kit playing the hymn “Amazing Grace” on their bagpipes.  While it is difficult to show through writing how absorbing this film is, it does pull you in, as evidenced by the fact none of the theater-goers left as the credits scrolled over the final scene.  All stayed, but then that is the power of both the hymn and the film Amazing Grace, the power of redemption.

Final Opinion:

Few can walk out of this movie and not be moved by the story, the history, and the song.  It was inspiring on many levels.  This movie will appeal to history buffs and those who like stories of redemption.  This movie was heartbreaking and heartening all at the same time.

Few Americans know the story of William Wilberforce who ignited the abolitionist movement that eventually exploded in this country as the Civil War and united the Royal and U.S. Navies as the military force that exterminated slavery throughout the world.  Even fewer Americans appreciate the soulless indifference of most people two hundred years ago to the misery of their fellow man until Wilberforce stirred consciences not only against slavery and the slave trade, but the abuse of women and children, grinding poverty, and the inhumane conditions of prisons and insane asylums.  Society’s pitiless cruelty, poverty, and brutality towards the young, the weak, and the old that we take for granted as outrageous is a lesson we have the benefit of learning from men like Wilberforce who shook his fellow citizens out of their complacency towards such depravity.

So leaders do matter.  One man can make a difference.  We can take a page from history, and like Wilberforce, fight against the darkness, destruction, and cruelty that indifference allows to inhabit our souls.  Amazing Grace reminds us that we can redeem ourselves in this way.

My Recommendation:  Definitely go see Amazing Grace.  It is appropriate for people of almost all ages.  It is certainly an important history lesson for the young and old alike.

Rating:  Four plus stars!

Reviewed By:  Bridget Dupont-Tingley, Editor L.A.W.

IF YOU CAN'T DO THE TIME, DON'T DO THE CRIME

It appears that Grand Valley prof, Hermann Kurthen, has mastered the delicate art of making an ass of oneself.

On Monday Kurthen pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor of obstructing an arrest.  The charge arises from his participation in an anti-war demonstration on St. Patrick's Day.  About 150 demonstrators, including the usual suspects in River City's "protest" community, pranced around a southeast side neighborhood next to Calvin College where they made a nuisance of themselves at the home of U.S. Representative Vern Ehlers and later at Woodland Mall.  They disturbed the peace with bullhorns, trespassed upon private property, vandalized some homes, and tussled with security guards at the mall.

As to be expected from progressives in these parts, they wanted to make a big noise but do nothing that involved more than a commitment of a little time on Saturday afternoon when nothing's on television anyway.  All of the offenses were petty.  There was no lasting damage or injury.  An anemic protest that didn't add up to much.  Even the main target of their anti-war demonstration, Ehlers, was a bit pointless.  Our local congressman is already wet on the Iraq war.  Hardly a villainous war-monger to bravely march against.  All in all, a show of poseurs that had more sappy baby-boomer nostalgia for the rallies of the Vietnam era than any real fire-breathing substance to it.

So maybe to give the anti-war demonstration a little heft, Prof. Kurthen mustered up some outrage at the Grand Rapids cops trying to control the more obnoxious protestors.  Reportedly he interfered with the police doing their job and had to be wrestled down to the ground, where the cops clapped on the cuffs and arrested him.  Well, by his own lights at least, you'd think resisting the atrocities of the jack-booted thugs would have salvaged some of the good professor's progessivist dignity.  Who wouldn't be proud to wear the scarlet letter of the theocratic war machine and do his time in its gulag on trumped up charges?

Ah well, it seems that Kurthen would rather be true to himself.  He joined an assinine parade of fair-weather dissenters and decided that he hadn't completed making an ass of himself until he fought the misdemeanor charge and the small fine that goes along with it.  So much for the courage of one's convictions.  These days it seems that within our "protest" community convictions are fine so long as they don't result in a conviction.  It's all just a lark.  Nothing that should disturb the placid waters of their everyday lives.  They want to wear the mantle of civil rights marchers, draft resistors, and Vietnam war protesters of a generation ago without taking the risks to earn it.

G.R. PRESS GIVES THUMB'S UP TO HEARTWELL'S NEW RIDE

Mayor George Heartwell wants Grand Rapids taxpayers to buy him a new car, and on yesterday's editorial page, the Grand Rapids Press opined that we should be happy to do so.  In fact, the Press dismissed political opposition to Heartwell's request as "puffing", "pontificating", and "political theater".  After all, what's twenty grand for a new Ford Escape Hybrid when $5.7 million has to be cut from the city government budget to pay for out-of-control employee and retiree health care benefits?

For starters, it's twenty grand that doesn't have to be cut from services the government provides to city residents, businesses, and taxpayers.  There's no question that the lack of political will to cut deeply into the bloated bills for the city's payroll, benefit packages, and pensions approaches the scandalous.  That should be the #1 issue in balancing the budget.  However, that doesn't mean ignoring the small stuff in the meantime, like a new car for the mayor.  Why shouldn't a first principle of budget-balancing be that city officials, staffers, and employees take all the hits before the rest of us do?

According to the Press, what must come first is giving the mayor of Grand Rapids a "respectable ride".  After all, visiting dignitaries shouldn't be carted around in just any ol' set of wheels.  Well, perhaps not, but then I'm not sure a Ford Escape Hybrid piloted by the mayor is going to impress anyone, especially when he needs to pull off the road to run the extension cord into a local citizen's home to recharge the battery.  (OK, I know that's not how gas-electric hybrids work.)  If the Press's point is that the second-largest city in Michigan needs a fancy car to transport out-of-town guests to and from city government functions, fine.  Let the city government spend forty or fifty grand for a plush ride every five or six years that any city official can use for the appropriate occasion.  Meanwhile, let the mayor use whatever other vehicles are available in the city's garage for routine business and commuting.

What doesn't make sense is having the taxpayers pony up to buy a car suited only to the personal peculiarities of our top city official.  The taxpayers should only be asked to pay for what serves the public's interest, not the mayor's fancy.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS CUT LINK TO REPORT CRITICAL OF GLOBAL WARMING SCIENTISTS

Last summer we criticized the Grand Rapids Press's reporting on the "global warming" issue.  (Click here and here.)  We took River City's newspaper of record to task for uncritically accepting global warming as a fact that requires government action to counter.  Moreover we chastised it for not covering the substantial news available challenging that alleged fact.  Notably absent from the Press's coverage was the Wegman Report.

As we reported, the Wegman Report was commission by the Energy Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.  The authors expertly refuted the methodologies of climatologists in the global-warming camp used to fashion raw temperature data into claims that man is cooking Mother Earth.  In particular, they completely dismantled the notorious "hockey stick" graph of Dr. Michael Mann, which gave rise to the current hysteria over global warming.  Furthermore, they also explained the perverse motivations of many climatologists to support an unscientific consensus on global warming.

Because the Wegman Report is an important document meriting serious consideration, the House Energy Committee made it available for the public via the Internet.  However, since the Democrats took over Congress and now run the House Energy Committee, under Michigan congressman John Dingell, they have removed the report from the committee's website.  Even though the taxpayers bought and paid for the Wegmen Report, the Democrats apparently don't want the public to have access to it because the report doesn't support their political position on global warming.

Heaven forbid that the government should let the voters have access to expert analysis on both sides of a controversial issue.  But not even the House Democrats in the age of the Internet can keep inconvenient information buried.  Here is a new link to the Wegman Report.  It's a tough slog, but well worth reading.  (For a summary, here's a document put together by House Republicans.)

EVIDENCE OF EVADING INCOME TAX ON PERSONAL USE OF CITY-OWNED VEHICLES

One of our readers raised a good point in response to the previous article.  He noted that compensation can be reported on forms other than a 1099, including a W-2.  True, which is why we crafted our freedom of information request to the City of Grand Rapids to cover all documents reporting compensation to Mayor Logie for personal use of city-owned vehicles.  Below is the text of that request.

January 25, 2002

Mr. G. Douglas Walton
Office of FOIA Coordinator
Grand Rapids City Hall
300 Monroe Avenue, N.W.
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503

Re: Freedom of Information Act request

Dear Mr. Walton:

I request a copy of the following public records pertaining to John H. Logie’s use of the vehicle taxpayers have provided him during his tenure as Mayor of Grand Rapids:

1. All records or evidence deemed adequate and sufficient by the City to support Logie’s claimed business use of that vehicle;
2. All records the City requires Logie to retain detailing his use of that vehicle;
3. All reports or summaries Logie provided to the City recording his use of that vehicle;
4. All worksheets, audits, or reports that record the taxable value of Logie’s personal use of that vehicle;
5. All 1099’s, W-2’s, or other forms on which the City reported income to Logie for his personal use of that vehicle.  [Emphasis added.]

I make this request under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act, Public Act 442 of 1976.  I do not wish to inspect these records first, so please send copies to our post office box.

For purposes of determining the applicability of any fees, you should know that we are not seeking information for a commercial use.  We are a non-profit organization chartered to monitor recipients of public benefits for conflicts of interest and to report our findings of such to the public.  We are willing to pay fees for this request up to a maximum of $25.  If you estimate that the fees will exceed this limit, please inform me first.

Sincerely,
Wm Q. Tingley III
Executive Director

In response, the City Attorney's office certified that no such records existed and so denied our request.  As it happened, this FOIA request was a follow-up to a narrower request that the City Attorney had denied a few weeks earlier.  In that request we had specifically asked for Logie's mileage diaries recording his business use of the city-owned vehicle he had been given.  At the time Logie had claimed that he needed personal possession of a city-owned vehicle because of the many miles he had to drive on city business.  However, to not be taxed on business use of the vehicle, he had to keep track of the business miles he put on it.  That is normally done with a mileage diary.  So we asked for Logie's diaries, and the City Attorney's office said they didn't exist.

To ensure that this wasn't a matter of the diaries being in Logie's actual possession as opposed to truly non-existent, we appealed the denial to the Grand Rapids City Commission on that basis.  However, the City Commission, which Logie headed at the time, stonewalled our appeal and refused to acknowledge it.  That was fishy.  For these reasons and others, including recent information about continuing abuse of city-owned vehicles, we know that personal use of city-owned vehicles has not been reported to the IRS as compensation.  The knowing failure to report income on a federal tax return is tax evasion.  It is a serious matter that the taxpayers should not tolerate, and city officials have had at least five years' notice of this problem now.

MAYOR TOTALS HIS CAR; WANTS TAXPAYERS TO BUY HIM A NEW ONE

Last month Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell totaled his car in accident downtown.  As a consequence, he announced that he wants the City of Grand Rapids to buy him a Ford Escape Hybrid (of course, Big Sister would want a hybrid) for his personal use.  City Commissioner Rick Tormala has already responded that he will vote against the request for the obvious reason that the city government is in a budget crunch.

It should be noted that it has been the custom of the city government to provide the mayor with a city-owned vehicle for personal use.  So, Heartwell's request is not without precedent.  However, that does not mean the taxpayers have an obligation to meet that request.  First of all, city residents are doing with less from their city government because of the shortfall in tax revenues from the state while not cutting enough fat from the budget.  If the residents can do with less, so can Heartwell.  Apparently, he understood this when he first took office and made a show of declining the customary personal vehicle perk.

Second, Heartwell's change of mind about that perk is a part and parcel of his conception of the office of mayor as a personal fiefdom.  Recall that he fought for a big pay raise.  He signed the "Mystery Development" confidentiality agreement as mayor to obtain special personal access to information about the project.  When Michigan voters passed Prop 2, Heartwell declared he would use his office to advance his personal political beliefs about race without regard to the lawful decision of his fellow citizens.  When he wanted to ban smoking, he said as mayor he can demand that we do as he does.  When a developer was disgruntled with Heartwell's arbitrary stand against his project, Heartwell proclaimed that as mayor he would fight "tooth and nail" to stop him.  And so on, one incident after another reveals that Heartwell understands the office of mayor as his property for aggrandizement.  Now as mayor he wants a car from the taxpayers.  Not because that would serve the interests of the public, but because he personally needs one.

Third, whether or not it makes good policy to provide a car to Heartwell, it should not happen until the city government cleans up the income tax evasion related to the personal use of city-owned vehicles.  If an employer provides an employee with a vehicle, personal use of that vehicle is deemed taxable compensation that the employer must report to both the employee and the IRS on a Form 1099-MISC.  The employee then must include the amount of that compensation on his federal income tax return.  If the employee uses the vehicle for both his personal use and business use, normally he keeps a mileage log recording his business use so that will not be included as compensation on the Form 1099.  When we FOIA'ed the City of Grand Rapids to get copies of the Form 1099's and mileage logs for then-Mayor John Logie's use of the Buick Rendezvous the city provided him as a perk, the City Attorney's office reported that no such records existed.  That means Logie was receiving compensation from you the taxpayers that was not reported to the IRS.

Apparently the city government's practice of not reporting as compensation to city employees their personal use of city-owned vehicles continues and is widespread.  Basically, it is payment under the table to city employees, and the taxpayers are getting it stuck to them from both ends.  They foot the bill for the vehicles they are providing city employees while not receiving any tax revenues from them for personal use of those vehicles.  If Heartwell wants to demand a car from the taxpayers, then he should demand that the city government stop this corrupt practice now.

PRESS BURIES AMWAY DEFEAT IN SATANIC CULT CASE

Starting in the early 1980's a group of Amway distributors spread the falsehood that competitor Procter & Gamble Co. donated part of its profits to satanic cults.  As evidence they claimed that the Fortune 500 company's man-in-the-moon logo was a symbol of satanism.  These distributors began circulating their tales of P&G's links to satanism to customers via voice mail in 1995.  P&G responded by filing suit against the Amway Corporation and the rumor-mongering distributors under a federal law that prohibits false advertising.  The case was heard at the U.S. district court in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Amway was eventually dismissed from the suit, but twelve years later a jury awarded P&G a judgment of $19.25 million against the distributors.

The Grand Rapids Press buried the climax of this long-running story on E4 of the business section, the very last page of yesterday's newspaper.  While the projects that Amway's owners are pitching get puff pieces on the front page, for instance the expansion of the Van Andel Institute, the bad news doesn't seem to make it there.  If nothing else, sticking the story on the back page certainly helped to keep under wraps the Press's lack of scrutiny of Amway's ludicrous response to the adverse court decision.  A miffed flack from the company's public relations department denounced P&G for "destroying" the lives of these now-former distributors.  However, the flack didn't actually say that these ex-distributors hadn't done what the jury said they had, nor was any explanation forthcoming as to why they are now ex-distributors.  Granted, you'd expect Amway's mouthpiece to make self-serving statements.  It just that you'd also expect a reporter to question them.

But then you're looking at this from the perspective of the man in the street.  You need to consider the matter from Amway's angle.  Burying an unfavorable story without any critical reporting is just the kind of favor you'd expect from the daily rag when the publisher is a friend of the company's owners.

EDITOR'S REVIEW: FLICK OF THE MONTH, "THE 300"

Title:  "The 300".

Time:  Around 2 hours.

Movie Rating:  R – contains graphic violence, blood and nudity (not for the young).

Synopsis:

A robust and highly stylized re-telling of the famous Battle of Themopylae and the honor and heroics of the Spartan warriors who ultimately suffer a bloody slaughter at the hands of the massive Persian army.  It’s a motivating movie that reminds the viewer of how the underdog may lose, but through sheer brawn, bravery, and pride is not defeated and so sets the stage for victory in the end, toughing the hearts of people for centuries to come.   

Movie Review:

The themes of “The 300” reminded me of a recent movie, “The Last Samurai” starring Tom Cruise.  Like the brave and out-numbered Spartans facing the massive killing machine of the Persian army who preserved honor and achieved (ultimately) victory, the last samurai and his men were greatly out-gunned by a modernized imperial army and so defeated, and yet in defeat conquered the new Japanese war machine which adopted the samurai ethic.  “The 300” to the best of my knowledge, is the first modern movie of the Battle of Thermopylae, and though fictionalized is dedicated to the themes of honor that motivate soldiers to defend what they love. 

First, the cinematography and graphics were incredible in this movie. It appears much of this was done with green screen technology, so most of the desert scenes, mountains, bluffs, oceans, animals, massive armies etc. were are all created by a computer. The amazing quality of the computer animation took the viewer away to another time and another world - incredible. The colors were dark and grainy with only touches of color which set the mood for the carnage to follow.  The well-known military historian Victor Davis Hanson was consulted on the movie to help inject a history lesson for the viewer. In turn, a comic book writer and illustrator was employed to craft scenes and how they would look/play out when you blended history with legend. Finally, directors and producers put the final touches on the scenes created by live actors and off-site sets with computer animation to come up with the final product.  As is true for most movies these days, the director took much artistic interpretation and stretched events for the sake of story-telling.  There is an obvious deviation from the real Battle of Thermopylae in “The 300”, but that’s OK as you at least get the picture for what might have happened and the impact of the Spartan last stand on their fellow Greeks.

<< MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD! >>

This is the story.  The Spartan city-state was unique.  Although there were many Greek city-states, few had standing armies as the Spartans did.  Boys were taken away from their mother’s side when they were very little and spent years in warrior training to be a lean, mean fighting machines. They were taught to fight, use their wits, stand their ground, and stay in prime physical, mental, and spiritual health.  “The 300” reveals the Spartan warrior culture to us by showing the military training of Leonidas, who would become king of Sparta and lead his troops to their final stand against the Persians at Thermopylae.

The action goes into high gear when King Leonidas, constrained by law and custom against rallying the entire Spartan army against the invading Persians, has three hundred of his best men suit up as a personal “personal body guard” for a “stroll” to the Hot Gates (i.e., Thermopylae).  [Chick talk:  When I refer to the Spartan army suiting up – I mean simply a leather loin cloth, a scarlet red robe tied around their shoulders with a bronze clasp holding it in place, a deadly sharp spear in one hand, a bronze shield in the other, and a helmet.  Oh, and maybe a pair of leather sandals as well.  The traditional Greek warrior with their finest on display.  Nothing else.  Very spartan.  Although historically this isn’t accurate – Spartan warriors usually had no foot gear but did have more body armor covering themselves – the director must have decided less is more.  Guys couldn’t care less what they had on, but the women in the audience were pleased at this minimalist fashion twist that exposed the Spartan warrior in all his glory.]

Once the Spartans and some of their fellow Greeks from neighboring city-states establish their defenses at the opening the narrow seaside canyon of Thermopylae, through which the Persian army must pass to invade Greece, we get to see a surreal stylization of the Persian host.  First there is a flotilla transporting the invaders stretching to the horizon.  Then there is the landing of thousands of military units from all corners of the Persian empire, all with strange uniforms and bizarre weapons.  Plus there are giant beasts of war, including a dinosaurian rhinoceros and magnificent elephants, used like ancient versions of mechanized infantry.  Leading this otherworldly war machine is a ten-foot-tall Xerxes, self-styled god and emperor of the world, borne across the battlefield in a great pyramid by dozens of slaves.  Not what history holds is true, but quite an eyeful.

We watch Leonidas outwit the Persians with his tactics, as his Spartans repel wave after wave of Persian attacks in battle scenes that are interesting to watch.  We watch Xerxes move from contempt to admiration of his enemy as he tries to cajole Leonidas with everything a god-emperor can command, including the Spartan king’s own glory as ruler of Europe.  But Leonidas will have none of it, even in the face of certain death, because that glory would cost him his honor.  And so comes the final stand.  The Persian commands, “Spartans, put down your swords.”  King Leonidas of the Spartans replied with venom in his voice and eyes, “Come get them”.  (According to military historian Victor David Hansen, these quotes are historically accurate.)  And the last battle is on, with all but one of the Spartans falling in battle to buy the rest of the Greek city-states time to muster a defense against the Persians.

The lone Spartan warrior who survived had been sent ordered back to Sparta by Leonidas to tell the city leaders of the desperate battle being fought so that they would release the full weight of Spartan military might to defend Greece.  Through we learn about the three hundred warriors who would become legend.

<< END OF SPOILERS >>

Final Opinion:

There is no doubt that this movie is geared toward teenaged boys and guys of all generations. It’s loaded with military preparation, battle scenes, blood, gore and all the usual carnage that ensues in war (and some sex scenes to boot).  It’s not for the faint of heart.

For instance, all those important battle preparation scenes where walls were created to keep out the enemy – the walls were constructed from pebbles, rocks and boulders and of course, mortar was made up of dead human heads, legs, arms, torso and bodies. It’s interesting to see army men being beheaded with sharp swords and watching a human body stand alone for a moment before it realizes it’s died and falls to the ground headless. This chop-chop process happens so often that you become numb. Instead of being repulsed, it becomes  slightly amazing over time.  Same with seeing man after man speared in the head, torso and heart.  You start focusing on wanting the Spartans to win more than the carnage and death to be found everywhere.  Fortunately, strong gal that I am, I appreciate history, military battles and the process of war so, I handled it with a certain level of understanding and respect even if I was a wee bit grossed out now and then.

Although many of the battle scenes in this movie were fantastical for making the viewer sit up and take notice and feel the shock and awe…which by the way, you can’t help but do in “The 300”…the movie didn’t do much for educating the viewer on the real history of the aspirations, envy, rivalry and eventual irritant to war that occurred for over two centuries in this region. It did not inform the viewer about any important historical issues from this region and era such as;  who were the great generals of antiquity, what battles had geographical and intrinsic strategic value,  what infantry tactics were used, what were the rules of war in this time, how were bodies of the dead handled, what communities were nearly erased off the planet, which became those that future nations would envy for centuries, and how did all these battles affect art, poetry, playwrights and philosophers of the times, etc. So…for those history buffs who crave more than two hours of battle bliss, consider getting the dozen or so books out on The Battle of Thermopylae and others on the history of the Peloponnesian Wars and other Greek tragedies that can be found at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Walden and other book stops.

One thing that’s important to clear up is the title of this movie, “The 300”. Historically, it’s actually off. A quick snap shot of history shows the movie took the high drama route here rather than shooting for accuracy. Victor Davis Hanson notes much about The Battle of Thermopylae in his book, “Ripples of Battle” and some other books he has on Greek military and battle history.  When the Spartan offensive was discovered, everyone did not leave and only 300 men were left behind as this movie seems to imply. Rather, many Thespians and Thebans stayed along with about 300 Spartans. Some did leave, but not everyone. History is accurate in that most scholars and documents seem to support that all that had remained were annihilated at the end of the battle. Of the 1,400 Greeks who stayed behind with King Leonidas, the Thespian dead was estimated to be 50% of the casualties.

VDH notes in his book that this is a remarkable proportion because when we remember that they composed only about 10% of the original Greek force of about 7,000 hoplites. Sparta lost about 4% of its landowning citizens at this battle. The Thespians and Thebans provided a larger contribution and smaller resources in their sacrifice, but history loves a good story. In the end, the Thespiaes lost most of their own and several generations ceased to exist not many years after this battle and one other a year later.  “A single afternoon can doom an entire people,” VDH notes so profoundly.  History enjoys recalling the bravery, brawn and manliness of 300 Spartans.  Unfortunately, history seems to often forget or be remiss when it comes to twice that number of Thespians  died that same day in history. So, VDH, military historian and professor of the classics feels “The 300” should be more accurately, “The 700”.

On a side note….an Iranian official recently lashed out at this movie in press conferences shown on cable t.v. and noted in newspapers for insulting the Persian civilization.  Javad Shamgadri, an art advisor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, accused the new movie of being “part of a comprehensive U.S. psychological war aimed at Iranian culture.”   Shamgadri was quoted to say, “following the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Hollywood and cultural authorities in the U.S. initiated studies to figure out how to attack Iranian culture. Certainly, the recent movie is a product of such studies”.  Who knew a war that was over a millennium old before the Prophet Mohammad was even born would eventually cause modern day Iran to believe it and we are part of a sinister plot to take them down.  Since they deny the holocaust, I’m sure they’ll find a way to re-write history regarding the Spartans too. Can’t have a handful of thugs in loin clothes make them look bad. No, they do that so well all by themselves. I think everyone should see this movie just to spite Ammy at a minimum (you think he would be happy they made the military leader of the Persian army, Xerxes look twice the size of the average man and about 10 feet tall – still not good enough! That’s not God-like enough for them!).

In the end, Victor Davis Hanson says it well in his book, “Between War & Peace”, he notes, “Isn’t going into battle just a bad idea? Every war is a bad idea. When are there ever attractive options in risking soldiers in times of national crisis…Preemption may be saner than reaction… we need not embrace the idea of collective punishment and war to accept the truth that sometimes entire peoples can go off the deep end and require military defeat to be brought back out of their trance…”.  Well said Mr. Hanson, well said.  It appears the Spartans, Thebans and Thespians, those before them and those after them, have had to make the same difficult choice for the survival of their citizens and their nation.

My recommendation:

I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys military history and/or war movies. It is definitely a motivating story that reminds humans that 1) sometimes we fight when we don’t want to 2) that someone who fights for the good of others can sometimes do amazing things that were never planned or intended from the start, 3) that sometimes we can’t choose the path of least resistance, it’s just not an option and 4) the final ending may not always be perfect or what we would like, but it’s the process of getting there that can make the difference.

The Spartan nation lived to fight another battle in the future by loosing some of their brightest and best at The Battle of Thermopylae.  Hopefully, movie viewers will take the message from this movie of more than blood and gore. It’s a movie of pride, respect and dignity for one’s self, one’s family, one’s community and one’s nation.

Enjoy!  I give this movie 4 out of 5 loin cloths (it’s not my fault they are wearing so little).

Signed, Bridget Dupont-Tingley, Editor L.A.W.

DISCIPLINE NOT CHARACTER-BUILDING IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Once again the Grand Rapids Area Transit Authority has shut down the Rapid terminal in downtown Grand Rapids where students from the city's high schools gather to changes buses going to and from home.  The reason is that too many of these students are thugs who insist upon brawling instead of waiting peaceably for transfer buses.  These slugfests are serious enough to result in arrests by the Grand Rapids police, as happened Tuesday and prompted Wednesday's closing of the terminal.

In response, officials of the Grand Rapids Public School District are wringing their hands.  According to the Grand Rapids Press, the district's director of security, Larry Johnson, says he's disappointed but closing down the terminal is not the answer.  Yet he and the ten security officers he has assigned to the terminal have no answers.  "I'm at a loss about what to do", he bemoaned.  Superintendent Bernard Taylor was similarly clueless.  On the one hand he has complained that arresting brawlers creates an unfair impression of city students, while on the other he has begged students in a letter to behave better.  (Think about this for a moment, dear readers.  Doesn't such a letter do exactly what Taylor complains of, because he lays the problem on all students instead of just the miscreants?)

Of course, that's the heart of the problem:  To avoid holding those responsible for the increasing violence among city students, public school officials blame everyone else.  If not always directly, they do so by putting the burden of solving the problem on everyone but themselves.  Why this is so, is a bit baffling.  It's not difficult to solve.  Expel those students who will not comply with the discipline that keeps the order necessary for effective education.  Yes, I know that the pantywaist bleeting against explusion is that our public schools will no longer have any influence over these thugs to somehow put them on the path of good citizenship.  True, but then that's not their job.

A student's unwillingness to behave is not the responsibility of our public schools to correct.  It is the job of the student's parents or guardians, not our public schools, to build the character in him or her that doesn't succumb to impulse and malice.  It is the job of our public schools to maintain discipline so that all other students have the opportunity to learn in a tranquil environment.  By not expelling the thugs and miscreants, public school officials have tacitly put the interests of these bad actors over the great majority of students who are at school to get an education.

HEARTWELL YIELDS TO TORMALA ON SECRECY AGREEMENTS

After yesterday morning's dust-up, Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell asked City Commissioner Rick Tormala, along with fellow Commissioner Roy Schmidt, to develop a policy regulating confidentiality agreements that private parties ask city officials to sign.

Having yielded to Tormala on the issue of controlling confidentiality agreements, Heartwell continued to defend his signing of such an agreement with "Mystery Developer" Duane Faust to keep Faust's proposed project secret from the City Commission and the public.  He argued that it was better to know what Faust wanted to do than to be kept out of the loop, and so he had no choice but to sign a confidentiality agreement.  (Did Heartwell seriously think that Faust thought he could make any headway on project that was premised upon purchasing an important municipal property without bringing any city officials into the loop?  Maybe the mayor was as soft-headed as to think so, but developers in the past have been able to work with Grand Rapids city officials without formal confidentiality agreements.)

Whatever Heartwell's rationalizations for signing the confidentiality agreement, he was careful to make sure that he did so in such a manner as to leave no trace of an official record that would have been subject to disclosure under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act.  There is in fact need on occasion for a government body to keep information secret on behalf of private businesses.  For example, a contractor might have a proprietary process for a service a government body needs.  If the government wants that service it will have to agree to keep that process a secret.  Therefore, any documentation of the process that enters into official records cannot be disclosed to the public.  The FOIA law anticipates that there will be instances in which the benefit to a government body (hence the public) outweighs the need for public disclosure and set forth a procedure for exempting such records from release:

"Trade secrets or commercial or financial information voluntarily provided to an agency for use in developing governmental policy if:
(i) The information is submitted upon a promise of confidentiality by the public body.
(ii) The promise of confidentiality is authorized by the chief administrative officer of the public body or by an elected official at the time the promise is made.
(iii) A description of the information is recorded by the public body within a reasonable time after it has been submitted, maintained in a central place within the public body, and made available to a person upon request. This subdivision does not apply to information submitted as required by law or as a condition of receiving a governmental contract, license, or other benefit."

Notably, this provision of the FOIA law protecting private business information from public disclosure still requires that certain records be made available to the public.  While FOIA allows a government body to keep a secret from the public, it cannot keep from the public that the secret exists.  In fact, it must disclose to the public upon request the promise of confidentiality, the authorization to make the promise, and a description of the nature of the secret.  Heartwell acted in just such a way that precluded any of these records from being developed and entered into the public record.  Therefore, Heartwell as the mayor obligated himself to a secret agreement with private parties about a transaction involving a major city-owned property without disclosing that fact to the City Commission or the public until he felt it served his political interest to do so.

To prevent such abuses of public office in the future, Tormala is right to demand a policy that will dictate how city officials will enter into confidentiality agreements with private parties.  That policy will be a good one if it complies with the existing FOIA law to ensure that its record-keeping provisions kick in so that if the city is keeping a secret, the public can know that it is.  However, even in the absence of a set policy, Heartwell had no excuse for acting as he did.  Both precedent and commonsense argued against signing a confidentiality agreement, but imbued with that sanctimonious sense that he knows better than the rest of us, Heartwell ignored those informal restraints.

HEARTWELL SHUTS DOWN DEBATE ON SECRET AGREEMENTS; TORMALA CALLS MAYOR A COWARD

At this morning's meeting of the Grand Rapids City Commission, Mayor George Heartwell -- as promised yesterday -- responded to Commissioner Rick Tormala's criticism of his secret role in the now-bust "Mystery Development".  Waiting until the end of the session Heartwell made a statement.

Specifically at issue for Tormala was the fact that about a year ago Heartwell and two other city officials signed confidentiality agreements which obligated them to private interests to keep their plans for purchasing city-owned and other property at the southwest corner of downtown Grand Rapids secret from the City Commission and the public.  Apparently the public didn't include local bigwig Peter Secchia who advised Heartwell on how to handle this affair, including resisting attempts by the media to obtain public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.  Therefore, Heartwell used his public office to give certain people special access to information about the "Mystery Development" that was denied to the public.  Moreover, Tormala was concerned that the confidentiality agreements are now missing, and so there is no public record of exactly how Heartwell and the other city officials secretly committed themselves to private interests seeking to buy city-owned property.  To prevent this problem in the future, Tormala wanted the City Commission to pass a measure requiring review and record-keeping of such agreements by the City Attorney to safeguard the public interest.

Heartwell responded this morning by defending the confidentiality agreements.  He claimed it was necessary for him and the other officials to sign them as a matter of public interest.  He asserted that if the agreements hadn't been signed, the "Mystery Development" may not have come to pass (well, it didn't anyway) or may have significantly increased the project's costs (because the out-of-towners might have had to pay the locals more for their property?).  Heartwell didn't explain why these problems for the project's backers were necessarily problems for the public.  Nor did he explain why no one should be concerned that the confidentiality agreements are now missing.  He did add that if the City Commission wanted to bring forth information about the city's role in the "Mystery Development", it could do so, but as far as he was concerned the matter was closed.  Heartwell then attempted to adjourned the City Commission meeting.

At that point Tormala spoke up and told Heartwell that he hadn't given him an opportunity to rebut his defense of the confidentiality agreements.  Heartwell refused to let Tormala speak, stating that the meeting was adjourned.  Tormala retorted, "That's a cowardly thing to do."  Bowing his head and gathering his papers, Heartwell walked out of the meeting.  Tormala promised to raised this matter again.

TORMALA CHALLENGES HEARTWELL ON SECRECY AGREEMENTS

According to FOX-17 News last night, Grand Rapids City Commissioner Rick Tormala has rebuked Mayor George Heartwell for signing an agreement last year with "Mystery Developer" Duane Faust to keep plans for redeveloping the southwest corner of downtown Grand Rapids a secret from the public.  (This is the same agreement we criticized Heartwell and two city officials for signing.  See here.)

In the wake of the collapse of the "Mystery Development",  one of Tormala's complaints is that there is no record of the agreement that Heartwell signed, so there is no way for the public to know how the mayor obligated himself to Faust and his project.  That certainly isn't in keeping with the general policy of open government that we have in Michigan.

To remedy this Tormala wants to pass an ordinance that will require the city attorney to review and keep a record of confidentiality agreements that bind city officials to ensure that they are in the public interest.  I would argue that such agreements should be prohibited, or at the very least narrow in scope and limited in time.  That said, Tormala is on the right track and deserves our support as he pushes for this measure.  Heartwell has said that he will respond to Tormala's criticisms at today's meeting of the City Commission.

EDITOR'S REVIEW: GINGRICH ON FAITH IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY

Book Review:

Rediscovering God in America
By Newt Gingrich
Integrity Publishers, a Division of Integrity Media, Inc. – Copyright 2006
Available at all major books stores- Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Walden, Schuster, etc.

Synopsis:

Non-Fiction.  A walking tour of our nation’s capital and it’s glorious architecture and unending beauty. It is coupled with the history behind many of D.C.’s great monuments and the ideas that shaped our beliefs.  It’s a book that’s a reminder of who we used to be and  who we currently are.  It’s ultimately a reflection on the role of faith in our nation’s history and our future.  Small size and handy for on-the-go travel.  Fast and easy reading.

About the Author:

Newt Gingrich was Speaker of the House.  He has been a prolific writer and has published eleven books to date. He has been seen on t.v., cable news and radio. He is a sought after national speaker. He is married with children and also grandchildren and lives in Virginia. A complete biography can be found in the Wikipedia.

About the Book: 

This is a small, but power-packed book. It’s not quite pocket sized, but it is compact enough to carry with you on trips and visits to the capital.  The book is 137 pages long of general text and then an additional 22 pages of maps and photos of all the monuments, memorials and buildings cited.

Gingrich notes that a walking tour of our nation’s capital is a timely and important thing for all Americans – young, old, man, woman or child.   A scenic walking tour is noteworthy as it allows Americans to revisit amazing men and women and their important accomplishments to our nation, the critical events that shaped our country’s history, the incredible documents that identify who and what we are as a nation and finally, the great institutions that showcase how a democracy can work with and for it’s people.

Gingrich wisely recalls the words of the founding fathers to sketch a poignant picture of how this nation of ours came to be:  “The early colonists were clear that they did not believe the power flowed from the king down to the subjects.  Jefferson turned on its head the idea that power came ONLY from God, then to the monarch, and then to the people.”

This book reminds us of “Jefferson’s immortal words about ‘unalienable rights coming from our Creator’ echoed the thinking of so many of our founding fathers (including Franklin – one of the least religious of the founding fathers).  Franklin even proposed that the Constitutional Convention begin each day with a prayer. Franklin insisted as he aged that “The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – which God governs in the affairs of men”.   Jefferson may be recorded in history as a Deist and one who stressed the importance of questioning all things but, he also made clear in his writings that he himself had a deep conviction that American liberties area a gift from God.”

Gingrich has a PhD in history so, it is no coincidence that his grasp of the past is so profound and astute. He notes:  “The founders had a very straightforward belief that liberty was the purpose of a just government but, that the maintenance of this liberty among free people would require virtue.    If virtue was to survive, it would require “true religion” which was any religion that cultivates the virtues necessary to the protection of liberty. Any religion deserving of the respect of government, which would include the freedom to express in public the moral principles of such a true religion. For the founders, it was abundantly clear, religious liberty and freedom of religious expression would be indispensable supports for our democratic traditions of government and our pluralistic society.”

And so they have for over two hundred years.

As Gingrich notes so accurately:  “The benefits of these supports accrue to people of not just one faith but, those of all faiths, and for all people of goodwill, whether religious, agnostic, atheist or secularist. … A steadfast commitment to religious freedom is the very cornerstone of American liberty.”

Gingrich’s book provides numerous quotes throughout the centuries from Washington to Adams, Hamilton to Carroll, Lincoln to Jefferson, Morrison to Rush, Roosevelt to Eisenhower, and Regan to King. Quotes too numerous to note here but, immensely powerful and motivational.  They are well worth reading and understanding. These historical references remind each one of us that the history and faith that is God and the infusion of the Creator in the formation of the American public square are not exclusive of one another.

Gingrich’s book besides providing historical quotes and passages, is also a simple exploration of all the main monuments, memorials and building sites of interest in the Capital.  From the National Archives and The Declaration of Independence to the Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, to the WWII, Korean and Vietnam Memorials to the Supreme Court, Library of Congress, Capital Hill and on to The White House….a tour through these sites is a memorable visit through our nation’s lengthy, complicated, courageous yet, hope filled history.

Gingrich believes you will find these monuments and memorials provide support for an America that has always understood that the existence of a Creator in our public square is a part of our fabric – not apart from it.  As you tour the sites and re-read the quotes, you will see that those who seek to re-write history and write God out of our history are clearly in the wrong.

Gingrich sounds a clarion call for us to rediscover that America’s greatness is firmly rooted in our ongoing history as truly one nation under God.

My Review:

Put on those walking shoes!

This small pocket dynamo book was a very enjoyable read.  My guess is if you like history, you like architecture, you are open to faith…this book is right up your alley.

I have been to D.C. numerous times – my high school senior trip, business trips and general vacations as well over the last few decades. I have toured most of the sites and always attempted to see the newest exhibits as they were created.  Next time I go back, I'll check out some of the smaller details I've never heard before but, enjoyed finding out  due to this book.  D.C. is without question a great city with endless potential, opportunity and historic memories.

I enjoyed reading historical quotes from our founding fathers, their thoughts, ideas and wishes as they created this great nation of ours. Gingrich discussed briefly their struggles and hardships they all went through on their voyage of discovery to help form this nation.  There is also some insight shown regarding their attempts at critical planning as they were wise enough to know we would also have future struggles trying to keep this wonderful nation of ours intact for generations to come.

Gingrich points out some of those hardships we are experiencing now – schools no longer teaching history to students so they have no clue as to our nations origins; the court system ruling against faith and religion in any sector less private homes; news and print medias attempts to secularize the information we receive and; the elite working hard in all these areas to make sure we are purged of all religious expression from public life either due to fear, lack of understanding or simply being too sophisticated to have faith.

Many people in our country today are choosing to forget the past, re-write the past or worse yet…deny the past.  If they prevail, we are destined for very troubled times indeed. 

To paraphrase what Jefferson noted wisely so long ago, Americans need to know where this country came from in order to know where it is going. Our President, our Congress, our Court system all are sworn to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.  Each citizen bears the same responsibility to uphold and not destroy it.

This book gave snippets and glances of important historic speeches, quotes and book references so, expect to do further reading and research on your own if you want greater depth to these items. The tantalizing glimpses this book gave of our history was meant to re-fire your imagination and invigorate your mind to look back again at the past so, that as we better understand yesterday we can fulfill a brighter future.

The book has simple yet, helpful black and white photos of each memorial, monument and building. You can flip easily back and forth between the written passages and the corresponding photos at the end of the book to supplement what you are reading. You get the basics of when and why each site was created but, also interesting side notes that the average visitor might miss such as:

[1] The Ten Commandments engraved in bronze on the floor of the National Archives;

[2] The thousands of mementos left at the base of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that are now on display at the Smithsonian Institution for the masses to see.  A visual sign of love and loss that is never ending;

[3] A copy of the Gutenberg Bible, the first mass produced book, at The Library of Congress - only one of three perfect copies still in existence today;

[4] The exhibit in the basement of the Jefferson Memorial dedicated to his writings – both religious and secular;

[5] The amazing religious imagery on display in the Rotunda of The Capitol Building -eight different historical paintings of varying people and scenes from the past. 

All of these properties come together at the end of the book to paint a picture of a truly spectacular nation - its documents, its buildings, its institutions, its history and its people.  There is clearly good and bad to our history but, above all, it’s been a history with great heart and soul.

Gingrich makes note that “self-government is the most difficult way in which human beings organize themselves so, we must make it a national priority to study American history – the most profound and successful experiment in ordered liberty in all of human history, founded upon a conviction that our rights come from God.”

The special detail that Gingrich pointed out to readers  in the book that I thought was the least known tidbit was about the Washington Monument. It’s the tallest building in D.C. at 555 feet high. It is a monument dedicated to the father of our country.   He notes poignantly that the first rays of the sun illuminate the nation’s capital each morning and hits the top of the monument.  Inscribed on the eastern side of the four sided aluminum capstone to The Washington Memorial are the Latin words – “Laus Deo” – or “Praise Be To God”.  Washington’s deep conviction that the securing and maintaining of American liberty is owed to divine blessing, for which most Americans humbly give thanks.  This monument is erected in tribute to him and that gracious thought.

In the end, this book makes no excuses of where it is coming from. Point blank, it is meant to make you reflect on the role of faith in America, our nations capital and in our past, present and the future. What our founding fathers did with it set our nation in motion.   What our important leaders and politicians did with it over the past two hundred years was equally critical.   What our current and future generations do with it deserves equal merit and serious consideration. As Gingrich notes so earnestly at the end of the book, “Our values and history should not be ignored, minimized or ridiculed. We need to act to reverse this trend or our next generation may grow up with no understanding of core American values. This will destroy America as we know it, as surely as if a foreign conqueror had overwhelmed us.”

My Recommendation:

This book is a must for anyone who believes in this country, understands its past and prays for its long and prosperous future.   Retracing the footprints of our past really helps give concrete credence to the words, “God Bless The USA” that our President says at each State of The Union speech.  After you read this book and consider reading others that discuss the past in even greater detail, you’ll appreciate again the deep meaning behind that simple yet profound statement.

Gingrich has a winner here.  Only drawback - it was too short and I wanted more.  Read this book and see if you don’t support me on that one.

Enjoy.

Signed, Bridget Dupont-Tingley, Editor L.A.W.

NEW MICHIGAN WEBSITE

Hello L.A.W. Readers...

We thought we'd pass along to you a new website that was introduced to us recently and it can be found at:  www.rightmichigan.com.

It is a site run by a local man dedicated to news and information that is specifically relevant to The State of Michigan. Many recent articles tie into the financial woes currently being experienced from east side to west side, the Governor's recent town hall meetings and the continued layoffs, downsizing or complete removal of companies from our state (Delphi, Pfizer, Comerica and others) and the impact on our state as a whole.

We thought you might like to check it out as the site allows you to read articles posted by Nick and others and respond to what you have read. In turn, you can write and post your own articles of interest and get feedback to your thoughts. Since it is specific for Michigan and is a local blog, readers and writers may have special interest in such a site.

You can find this web site by going to our Public Interest Links at Local Area Watch for easy connecting.   As always, we do not necessarily endorse the views expressed by the organizations listed at our links, although we have found them to provide useful information for the engaged citizen.  And for those readers of ours who prefer a viewpoint to the left of www.rightmichigan.com, there's www.michiganliberal.com.

SHOW ME THE MONEY, DAVE!

Biotech is a bust in Michigan, because there's no capital to fund new ventures.  At least that's the story coming out of the latest "Biotech Connect" forum that the Van Andel Institute hosts every quarter.  Of course, anyone following the capital markets knows that that there is a glut of cash looking for good -- hell, even bad -- investments to put it to work and gin up returns as lousy as 10-11%.  There are private equity firms, hedge funds, and venture capitalists with pockets full of cash just around every corner -- except apparently in Michigan.  So is the lack of capital to invest in biotech, the latest darling of the money men, really the problem?

It is true that Michigan doesn't have as deep a pool of investment capital as there are on the East and West Coasts.  It is also true that investors have general preference for putting money into ventures nearer to home.  That's one of specific beefs voiced by "Biotech Connect" attendees.  As Jack Luderer, executive director of Western Michigan University's Bioscience Research & Commercialization Center, put it (according to Grand Rapids Press reporter Julia Bauer):  "The rule in the venture capital world is, the partners want to be home for dinner."  Well, who doesn't?  But that doesn't stop VC's, the PE guys, or the khaki-slacked hedge fund masters of the universe from pumping their cash into businesses half a continent away.  In fact, it is only angel investors, the fellows that focus on the raw start-ups to make micro-investments, who really stick close to home as a matter of principle.

The fact is geography is not a serious barrier to raising capital for biotech ventures in Michigan.  The real problem is that investors don't like what they see.  That doesn't necessarily mean there are no good biotech ideas coming out of Michigan, but there may well be a dearth of managerial talent that investors want to see behind those ideas.  Now that's where geography often plays an important role.  Industries tend to cluster in a region, and Michigan is not a biotech cluster.  So biotech business managers are elsewhere.  But even that can be overcome with the right price, but who will pay that price?

Well, certainly a true believer in Michigan's promise as a biotech mecca who has a $3 billion family fortune backing him.  And if that person happened to be running a large medical research institute, he would seem to be particularly well-placed to fix the problem of putting together the cash that would attract the biotech managerial talent who would in turn give far-away investors (you know, the money men in exotic locales like Chicago, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh) the confidence to back Michigan biotech companies.  Fortunately, folks, there is just such a person right here in our own backyard:  David Van Andel, chairman of the Van Andel Institute and scion of the Amway fortune.

So when Van Andel tells his fellow "Biotech Connect" attendees that all West Michigan needs to reach a "critical mass" of biotech talent to attract investors, I say that's simple enough:  "Show me the money, Dave!"  (Unless, of course, it's not there.)

"MYSTERY DEVELOPMENT" TANKED, SO LET'S STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE

As your Executive Director I took a far bit of flak last year for being less than enthusiastic about Duane Faust's "mystery development" for the southwest corner of downtown River City.  Now that Mr. Faust could not even pony up last week the administrative fee for the City of Grand Rapids to review his rather slim proposal to purchase and redevelop a key municipal property -- after the city officials did their best to run off any other potential buyers with a murky "request for proposal" process -- maybe I will get a little credit for foresight.  Maybe not.  After all, I wasn't the only one not so high on the whole deal.  Even a couple of people tasked with watchdogging this stuff for us, like Commissioner Tormala and that reprobate Boss Logie, cast a wary eye critical of how Mayor "Big Sister" Heartwell and the city staff were handling the affair.

[Note:  This is not to say that ex-Hizzoner Logie has seen the light and renounced his backroom, arm-twisting, conflict-plagued wheeling and dealing during his reich when he beefed up the weak office of mayor with a clever policy of a personal "lebensraum" claiming a seat on every board and committee in the area.  I only note that when none of his gang is wetting a beak in a deal, Logie can be surprisingly insightful as to the ethical lapses of others.]

Of course, there is now a lot of finger-pointing by everyone who hasn't already tried to stuff Faust's "mystery development" down the memory hole.  What probably won't happen is any lessons learned by city officials -- other than to keep a lower profile as they fumble through other dubious proposals in the future.  So, before this all gets swept under the rug, let us recall the questionable practices of Mayor George Heartwell, City Manager Kurt Kimball, and Assistant City Manager Eric Delong to push forward Faust's dream of making downtown G.R. a hip-hop music mecca.

Originally run on April 3, 2006 ...

HEARTWELL'S PECULIAR CORRESPONDENCE WITH MYSTERY DEVELOPER

On Friday we reported that Catherine Mish of the Grand Rapids City Attorney's Office certified, with one exception, that the City neither possessed nor controlled any documents related to the development proposed for the southwest corner of downtown G.R. by the "Mystery Developer", Duane Faust of ESNA Mortgage Corporation.  Mish specifically denied the existence as City records of the confidentiality agreements that Mayor George Heartwell, City Manager Kurt Kimball, and Assistant City Manager Eric Delong signed to keep the details of the development secret.

Because Heartwell has admitted to the agreements, it's now a public matter that they exist.  The remaining question is ontological:  Do they exist as private documents personal to Heartwell et al., or do they exists as official public records subject to disclosure under FOIA?  We concluded that the only way both Mish and Heartwell could be telling the truth is if Heartwell, Kimball, and Delong had signed the agreements as private citizens and not as public officials.  If so, Heartwell and gang have been abusing their public offices to promote a private interest.  For example, Second Ward City Commissioner Rick Tormala has publicly stated that Heartwell, without disclosing his relationship with Faust and ESNA, was pressing for the sale of the City's heavy equipment facility -- sometimes called the "City Island" -- targeted by Faust for his riverfront development project.

One reader asked this weekend why it matters if Heartwell, Kimball, and Delong don't have a financial interest in Faust's project.  First of all, we don't know if they do or don't.  They are keeping their relationship with Faust (or perhaps his backers) a secret.  Second, a private interest does not have to be financial to be contrary to the public interest.  Greed isn't the only vice a public official can have.  The bottom line is if Heartwell and the others have bound themselves to Faust's development as private citizens, for whatever reason, they cannot now use their public offices to advance that development -- at least, without a full public disclosure of their relationship with him.

This morning we learned of a new twist in this matter when another reader sent us a pair of documents containing the text of Heartwell's correspondence with Faust.  Peculiar is the first word that comes to mind about them.  They appear to be part of 22-page confidential prospectus dated April 19, 2005, to solicit financing for the "ESNA River Grand Development Project".  It appears to have been prepared by Step Strategy Advisors for Faust's ESNA Waterfront Development company.

The first document is identified as "Grand Rapids Letter of Interest" and described as "The River Grand project has captured considerable interest by the Office of the Mayor as evinced in the letter below."  That letter, dated July 12, 2004, purports to be from Heartwell to Faust in which Heartwell declares:  "I would like to take this opportunity to express my personal commitment to creating the entertainment hub of the Midwest here in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  I have reviewed the concept plans by your group and I am enthusiastic. ... I am firmly behind your team as they work to achieve this important development in our city."  Heartwell further says: "The City of Grand Rapids stands ready to provide you with the highest level of service and cooperation to make this project become a reality."

The second document is identified as "Grand Rapids Letter of Understanding" and described as "The Mayor of Grand Rapids has provided a letter to summarize the conversations that have taken place to date between ESNA Waterfront Development and the City of Grand Rapids."  This letter, dated February 25, 2005, again purports to be from Heartwell to Faust and copied to the City's outside legal counsel Dick Wendt (best known here as one of the River Rats).  In it Heartwell explains to Faust the restricted conditions under which the developer could obtain the City Island on a deferred payment plan.  He assures Faust of his "personal enthusiasm" for the River Grand Project and closes: "I look forward to working with you as this project progresses."

As I said, the documents in the ESNA Waterfront Development prospectus are peculiar because the text of both are framed within a facsimile of the mayor's official letterhead, yet the presentation is so crude that it suggests that original letters from Heartwell to Faust were on another letterhead, maybe personal.  Therefore, ESNA is trying to give Heartwell's letters the imprimatur of the mayor's office in its presentation of their text to prospective financiers for the River Grand Project.  Here's the thing, folks.  That would be fraud if Heartwell did not intend to Faust to believe that he was giving ESNA's River Grand Project the backing of his public office.  Yet why would Faust even be communicating with Heartwell for any other reason?

In fact, the text of Heartwell's letters to Faust plainly show that the River Grand Project has Heartwell's backing as Mayor of Grand Rapids.  So, people, we're back to the following problem:  Either Assistant City Attorney Mish has falsely certified that there are no documents related to the River Grand Project in the City's possession or control (which includes the personal control of Heartwell, Kimball, and Delong) or Heartwell and the others are abusing their public offices to ply a private agenda for reasons still undisclosed to the residents and taxpayers of the City of Grand Rapids.

On top of all this, the local media continues to report on the squirrelly character of Faust's finances.  Thus, the suspicion is raised:  Is this whole thing a pipe dream, or is Faust a shill for the real money behind this project?  Either way, exactly what have the mayor and the city manager secretly committed themselves to?  At the very least we are entitled to know whether they have done so as private citizens or have they encumbered their public offices.  It's time for public disclosure.

Because Heartwell has admitted to the agreements, it's now a public matter that they exist.  The remaining question is ontological:  Do they exist as private documents personal to Heartwell et al., or do they exists as official public records subject to disclosure under FOIA?  We concluded that the only way both Mish and Heartwell could be telling the truth is if Heartwell, Kimball, and Delong had signed the agreements as private citizens and not as public officials.  If so, Heartwell and gang have been abusing their public offices to promote a private interest.  For example, Second Ward City Commissioner Rick Tormala has publicly stated that Heartwell, without disclosing his relationship with Faust and ESNA, was pressing for the sale of the City's heavy equipment facility -- sometimes called the "City Island" -- targeted by Faust for his riverfront development project.

One reader asked this weekend why it matters if Heartwell, Kimball, and Delong don't have a financial interest in Faust's project.  First of all, we don't know if they do or don't.  They are keeping their relationship with Faust (or perhaps his backers) a secret.  Second, a private interest does not have to be financial to be contrary to the public interest.  Greed isn't the only vice a public official can have.  The bottom line is if Heartwell and the others have bound themselves to Faust's development as private citizens, for whatever reason, they cannot now use their public offices to advance that development -- at least, without a full public disclosure of their relationship with him.

This morning we learned of a new twist in this matter when another reader sent us a pair of documents containing the text of Heartwell's correspondence with Faust.  Peculiar is the first word that comes to mind about them.  They appear to be part of 22-page confidential prospectus dated April 19, 2005, to solicit financing for the "ESNA River Grand Development Project".  It appears to have been prepared by Step Strategy Advisors for Faust's ESNA Waterfront Development company.

The first document is identified as "Grand Rapids Letter of Interest" and described as "The River Grand project has captured considerable interest by the Office of the Mayor as evinced in the letter below."  That letter, dated July 12, 2004, purports to be from Heartwell to Faust in which Heartwell declares:  "I would like to take this opportunity to express my personal commitment to creating the entertainment hub of the Midwest here in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  I have reviewed the concept plans by your group and I am enthusiastic. ... I am firmly behind your team as they work to achieve this important development in our city."  Heartwell further says: "The City of Grand Rapids stands ready to provide you with the highest level of service and cooperation to make this project become a reality."

The second document is identified as "Grand Rapids Letter of Understanding" and described as "The Mayor of Grand Rapids has provided a letter to summarize the conversations that have taken place to date between ESNA Waterfront Development and the City of Grand Rapids."  This letter, dated February 25, 2005, again purports to be from Heartwell to Faust and copied to the City's outside legal counsel Dick Wendt (best known here as one of the River Rats).  In it Heartwell explains to Faust the restricted conditions under which the developer could obtain the City Island on a deferred payment plan.  He assures Faust of his "personal enthusiasm" for the River Grand Project and closes: "I look forward to working with you as this project progresses."

As I said, the documents in the ESNA Waterfront Development prospectus are peculiar because the text of both are framed within a facsimile of the mayor's official letterhead, yet the presentation is so crude that it suggests that original letters from Heartwell to Faust were on another letterhead, maybe personal.  Therefore, ESNA is trying to give Heartwell's letters the imprimatur of the mayor's office in its presentation of their text to prospective financiers for the River Grand Project.  Here's the thing, folks.  That would be fraud if Heartwell did not intend to Faust to believe that he was giving ESNA's River Grand Project the backing of his public office.  Yet why would Faust even be communicating with Heartwell for any other reason?

In fact, the text of Heartwell's letters to Faust plainly show that the River Grand Project has Heartwell's backing as Mayor of Grand Rapids.  So, people, we're back to the following problem:  Either Assistant City Attorney Mish has falsely certified that there are no documents related to the River Grand Project in the City's possession or control (which includes the personal control of Heartwell, Kimball, and Delong) or Heartwell and the others are abusing their public offices to ply a private agenda for reasons still undisclosed to the residents and taxpayers of the City of Grand Rapids.

On top of all this, the local media continues to report on the squirrelly character of Faust's finances.  Thus, the suspicion is raised:  Is this whole thing a pipe dream, or is Faust a shill for the real money behind this project?  Either way, exactly what have the mayor and the city manager secretly committed themselves to?  At the very least we are entitled to know whether they have done so as private citizens or have they encumbered their public offices.  It's time for public disclosure.

G.R. PRESS SPIKES MEMORIAL OBIT

Phyllis Jennings of Families United for Justice is no friend of Spectrum Health Corporation after her father died under suspicious circumstances in one of the facilities managed by the local health care behemoth.  As regular readers will recall, the Kent County medical examiner, who just happens to run a business on the side with Spectrum as his biggest customer, fumbled the autopsy of Jennings’s father to declare he could find no fault with Spectrum.  They will also recall how Spectrum has actively worked to squelch the coverage of this story in the mainstream media.

Even so, the scandal of a medical examiner in the pay of an organization he is responsible for investigating has gotten enough attention that some members of the Kent County Board of Commissioners are seriously considering the need for a full-time public official to run the medical examiner’s office instead of a moonlighter.  So, even if Jennings may never get justice for her father, her fight (along with that of the Sallie family) may soon bring about for us a long overdue restructuring of the medical examiner’s office.  For this we all owe her a debt of gratitude.

However, the Grand Rapids Press appears to disagree.  Jennings asked the Press to run a memorial obituary for her father on the second anniversary of his death at Spectrum-run Kent County Community Hospital.  The Press refused unless Jennings deleted from the memorial her family’s promise to her late father to “never give up our fight for the truth and for justice”.  There is, of course, nothing indecent, improper, or even controversial about such a statement to a departed loved one, but it looks like publisher Danny Gaydou’s Press insists upon sticking it to the Jennings family any way it can.  The fact that Gaydou is also chairman of Spectrum Health is no doubt merely a coincidence.