Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Thank you for the tremendous amount of support I have received regarding my discussions on ?‘PATA is failing?’ and ?‘censorship.?’ In a matter of a few hours, I received 4 telephone calls, 9 e-mails and 6 comments from individuals at the Pickerington basketball game last night against Westland. All 19 were so very supportive of my opinions. All 19 felt many PATA members were extremists and would retaliate by attacking the credibility of school supporters and their families.

In fact even Gail Oakes commented on 1/21/01, ?“Most people that I have talked to fear retaliation if they speak out. This includes ?… parents who fear retaliation will be taken out on their children via sports or classes. This is not a healthy situation for our school and community.?” It is ironic that so many agreed with Oakes but not in the way she intended. So many fear retaliation from PATA extremists if they speak out and defend school board members, administrators, teachers, coaches, township trustees, city officials and council members. I personally have faced such harassment for promoting our outstanding school district and its outstanding administration and the majority on our board.

Currently, I?’m sure some of PATA members are working diligently on how to shut me up and keep my opinions off their website. I am prepared for their personal attacks on me. I expect a censorship decision soonon the PATA website. PATA?’s censorship and extremists will guarantee the team of Sanders-Carlier-Maurer gets elected to the school board this fall, which would be fantastic. Vote Sanders-Carlier-Maurer this fall!

Dear Mr. Uher,

What fantastic news you bring! This site is being read by many more people than I ever expected. PATA should be proud their voices are being heard. I have always thought this was a forum for informed debate. So far, so good. Oh sure, there has been some strongly opinionated people, those you are labeling extremists. I don?’t think they are necessarily that, and you shouldn?’t try to lump them all in together or label PATA as extremists simply because of a couple of postings. Lordy, if that was the case, the Uhers and Maurers of Pickerington would have negative labels applied to you too.

Just for my clarification, are you saying that the 19 people you spoke with live in fear of retaliation by ?“PATA extremists?”? The reason I ask is to find out exactly what kind of retaliation they fear. Perhaps I should fear it, too, but not being able to imagine what it is they fear, I won?’t for the time being.

As to your opinions on censorship, you are entitled to your opinion. Great sacrifices have been made in history to put down censorship. I don?’t think PATA is trying to undermine any of those sacrifices. I also realize, since you are a very published individual, that you have strong opinions on Mr. Rigelman. Well, please accept that others have opinions too. My opinion, and what I read into the web administrator?’s opinion before the posting in question was deleted, is that it was just plain bad taste. If you want to attack the man, as you often do, over his role on the school board, that?’s fine. That is part of taking on the responsibility of elected office. There is a place for that here in this message board. But if you intend to conduct personal attacks on a man over his private medical information, please stick to the public media publications you and John control.

Up until your postings on this board, I had great respect for you and John. I do not in any way agree with or support what you stand for, however, I totally respect your unselfish dedication and commitment to something you believe in. I don?’t think PATA will censor you, or at least I hope they don?’t as long as you thrust and parry in good taste. Since this is a public forum, I don?’t believe PATA ever thought that everyone who participated would agree with them. What good is that? If you stop the labeling and the childish ?“they?’re picking on me?” posture, I can imagine some spirited debate on this web site.


By Concerned Voter