3/10/2010 6:05:00 AM Column: The uneducated and the ignorant
John Phillips Jr. Golden Valley Resident
I have made mistakes in my lifetime, and in most all cases, I have sincerely apologized for my transgressions, my ill choice of words and the hurtful and mean-spirited expressions, and I moved on.
Words have meaning and can hurt people when used inappropriately. Curse words are the weakness of true intelligence, the uneducated crutch of the ignorant person. How low can we go? (Pete Rose made a big mistake and he's paying for it.)
In February, Mr. Tom Sockwell, the District II elected representative of "We the People" in Mohave County, absolutely and uncharacteristically questioned a citizen of these United States about his intentions during a Board of Supervisors meeting. Tom crossed the line when he asked in a loud, angry tone of voice, "What do you people want?" And for just the briefest of moments, time stood still; rights were questioned, justice was set back, racism and segregation rose up, and the whole of humanity was once again disrespected, discarded, dismayed and declared as second class to a "superior" people. Shame. (Mark McGwire had his name removed from I-70 in St. Louis.)
As a young supervisor in Chicago, I witnessed and experienced the hatred and volatility of the words "You People," and I had to literally run for my life to escape an angry mob at Cook County Hospital. My life was in peril, my car was destroyed, my family terrorized and my front door was covered with swastikas and other vile threats.
I was called in early the next morning, escorted to my supervisor's office, told that our government-funded program was being cancelled and not re-funded and immediate staff reductions were necessary. Yep! I was fired! I was escorted off of the premises, thankfully.
All of my apologies came too late. We moved shortly thereafter out of state to begin again. I was ashamed and hurt, mentally and morally, but I moved forward in another field. (Richard Nixon made an error in judgment and paid a heavy price, but he moved on.)
I was hired as a purchasing agent by an auto supply manufacturer, I was active in the National Purchasing Association, I organized golf outings. Life was good, but in 1981, the auto industry took a hit, and I was dismissed. I languished for six months before joining an international appliance producer as director of purchasing and moved to Pennsylvania. I traveled overseas, helped start up a factory in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, again set up golf tournaments, and attended church (as a choir soloist). Professionally, life was good. (Bill Clinton "did not have sex" but disgraced the presidency, but then he moved on.)
During my tenure (over 16 years), I was befriended by our vice president of sales and became Uncle John to his entire family. He came to the U.S. from Italy in 1954 on the Andrea Doria, which later sank in 1956. Mario was just 2 when he arrived. He has naturalization papers (children were not issued passports), which much later proved unnecessary (his dad was born in America, toiled in the steel mills and Westinghouse Electric in Pittsburgh for 27 years).
He returned to Italy with his wife and three boys. He never earned more than $14,000 per year. His dad saved and saved, bought and paid for a home, some rental property, and put three boys through college. One is the owner/operator of a $30 million heavy equipment dealership in West Virginia. One is a certified public accountant for a school district in Pittsburgh, and Mario is a 35-year employee for the international appliance producer. The family, naturalized or not, worked long and hard, saved and prospered. They are true patriots and examples of living the American Dream.
So now, I hope, Mr. Sockwell, and to you, too, Mr. Ron Walker, hired county manager/doorman for Mohave County, you can see a connection to my disgust and shame for your inappropriate remarks and lack of common sense, and compassion of our citizens. Who do you represent? Certainly not me (I'm in District I), and by the response in the Kingman Daily Miner, both in print and online, and other local publications, not too many other constituents.
You have disgraced and shamed all of us and blemished our Constitution with your ignorance of history, your arrogance and total disdain for all people, except yourselves.
"You people" only shows how deeply the segregated and arrogance of a white people is ingrained in your upbringing and true character, and your lack of tolerance and compassion is sorely lacking.
Y'all from Texas, when a person is wrong (and you are), he owns up to the wrong and offers a sincere apology for his error, not arrogance or superiority on political speak, and we move on.
With deep regret, I ask how long have you lived in Arizona, an open-carry and carry concealed weapon permit state? Guns are our right. Had this whole sordid affair never happened, or at the very least, had you apologized and calmed the emotions, the hurried policies would not be necessary. If you really understood the U.S. and Arizona constitutions and laws, and did your job to earn your salary (shades of Paul Beecher), you might have recognized the loopholes long ago and not hurried up to CYA.
You ran scared, needlessly, and did not even consider a cooling off period. You just opened another Pandora's Box because of your ignorance, misinformation and your hyper emotions. For shame!
Our law-abiding gun owners know the law, respect the law, many are National Rifle Association supporters, and would not have threatened or harmed the BOS at any time at your meetings or in any other way. They (we) displayed our respect for the law, voiced our displeasure calmly and intelligently in an orderly, lawful manner and moved on. Shame on you for your narrow-minded, emotional policies; these truly are not necessary. Perhaps y'all should go back to Texas, and this time, stay there.
I hope the Sockwell recall is moving forward and successfully (we need 3,750 valid signatures from District 2). New elections are not until 2012, far too far away to allow this BOS to continue looking down on us and passing unnecessary laws and policies.
And perhaps the BOS (translation: Good Old Boys) will reconsider Mr. Walker's contract of $170,000 per year? Send him back to Texas. Sorry, Buster. He's your choice and "friend." Tsk! Tsk!
Reader Comments
Posted: Saturday, April 10, 2010
Article comment by:
We the People{me} Thinking
Looking for feed back{tragedy of commons}by Gerrett Hardin{wikipedia}related links sustainability-game theory applied to human behavior.
Posted: Thursday, March 25, 2010
Article comment by:
Betsy Ross
Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous. What am I going to do with you? You need to calm yourself. You accuse the people who are protesting the things Sockwell is doing...you accuse them of being unhappy, angry, miserable people whose homes are in foreclosure. Are you describing yourself? Because it seems odd you should attribute those emotional problems to people you don't even know. I wonder if YOU are the one who is miserable, unhappy, angry, etc. You are full of accusations and you ramble a lot. As I said...relax.. Calm yourself. Take a pill.
Posted: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Article comment by:
We Can Recall Sockwell
Folks, the recall is really charged up, we are raising money and getting signatures! This county has been under the corrupt thumbs of this BOS for too long, and they have gone too far. We can now remove Sockwell from office. Help us do this. Please go to RecallSockwell.com to help! We meet every week, we need your help, be part of history to clean up this county! RecallSockwell.com for info!
Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010
Article comment by:
Please Step Up and Help with www.RecallSockwell.com
To help with RecallSockwell go to www.RecallSockwell.com or e-mail MohaveFreedom@Yahoo.com The cause is growing stronger every day, but we still need people to circulate petitions and we need donations. Now is the time for change and we can do it
Posted: Monday, March 15, 2010
Article comment by:
anonymous anonymous
It is amusing, to read the commentary here, angry tea party folks with their pitchforks on slings, sitting behind their anonymous computers, dreaming they are some big movement, when it appears they could not even muster a decent showing at the polls recently! Guess it proves my theory, majority of them are harmless, angry, unhappy folks in misery due to all their lifes woes, fianancial, emotional, etc, maybe sitting in a upside down mortgage, worrying when the evcition/foreclosure notice will be tacked on their front door, or sitting in that apartment worrying about the "IOU" they might be soon getting from their state unemployment benefit or if this check this month is the last one, and then they face eviction and a life in their car, if its paid for, if not then they have to hide from the repo man, yes I guess if I had all these worries and refused to look in the mirror and see who really brought me to this point in life, I to might be like them, looking for a scapegoat for all my own lifes shortcomings! 18% to 20% real unemployment today, when one counts those on the rolls and those who have exhausted their benefits, you folks are not the majority, but I am not joining your pity party of blaming everyone under the sun, no we make our own choices and we make our own beds in this life, some have made some very hard beds and whining and crying 24/7 will not make them any softer! Sad fact is just as many uncaring folks out here who will have no sympathy for you, I feel sorry for you, but you make folks who might have sympathy turn away in disgust, since crying and whining and blaming others for you own issues is not very appealing and sounds to unsympathetic for most of us to digest, but hey keep on thinking you folks in this 18% 20% misery class will some how force the 80% to 82% to give into you, not likely to happen, since unfortunately for you folks, human nature is greedy, self centered, which is your major issue!
Posted: Friday, March 12, 2010
Article comment by:
az mac
Roger D. No one showed up to disrupt a meeting. They showed up to get answers to questions that no one would answer any other way. When the BOS goes against the law then it is time to start asking questions. You should know all the facts before you comment on some thing you do not know about. The group broke no laws except Tom Stockwells law that he made up to suit his agenda. By the laws in Arizona Tom Stockwell should go to jail. A simple apology from the BOS would have stopped the whole thing. Any cost to the county over this is from the BOS breaking the law. They all should just resign and save the county the money from having them fired. Yes there are people ready to take their place that believe in the constitution and peoples rights. Even Sen Ron Gould and the state lawyers says the BOS was wrong.
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Article comment by:
True American
Yes Sockwell is a Moron, everyone Knows that! And if Walker is making $170,000.00 a year, We The People are getting Screwed! Let's keep on making the life miserable by keep telling the truth! Oh and it is so laughable that Tom "The Thug" Sheahan is in Charge of the Kingman Jail. I am sure that 75% of the Inmates have more Honor and Integrity than Tom the "Thug" What a Joke!
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Article comment by:
V Stokes
@me me.... The county website has this.... http://mcimv.co.mohave.az.us/imf/sites/moh_elections/jsp/launch.jsp
And to find out who is who...go here... http://www.co.mohave.az.us/ContentPage.aspx?id=188
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Article comment by:
For a Better Kingman
This letter was rambling and incoherent, with references to things that make no sense at all. In other words, the perfect letter to fire up the tea [partiers].
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Article comment by:
me me
I would like to know
What are the BOS Districts? Who is elected from what District? What are the boundaries of each District?
This info is not publicized. I want to sign the Recall if I am eligible.
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Article comment by:
Tench Coxe
Wilton G Thank you for posting what appears to be a real name, however our Rights as human beings , and Americans is a very LARGE issue , especially when our elected officals feel they can violate them with impunity.And have done so and conspired to do so. To Here come the complainers. Yes I will complain and much more when the issue is my God given Constitutionally recognized & warranted rights. the SHAME is on the BOS , Walker, County Attorney's office and the Sheriff. Their behaviour will result in a huge cost for the County at a time when there is so little to go around , all because they chose to break the law. From the blatant bias with the McCain episode up to the most recent events they have been lawless and elitist. The BOS and Mr Walker need to do the right thing for the people of this County , RESIGN! Save us the expense that their actions will have incurred.
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Article comment by:
Allan Gleason
That was a very good 6-beers letter! However, the tone of it and most of the comments attempt to show that our county government doesn't respond, nor attempt to serve the people it represents. I don't believe that!
Actually, the overall theme seems to propagandize gun-toting libertarianism which, I fervently hope, is not the will nor interest of the citizens of this county.
Could the county leaders have handled the situation better? Probably,
But I fear such groups like the NRA, the so called "Minutemen" and the "tea party" folks much more than I worry about a few, probably well-meaning elected officials who try to solve our many problems.
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
Bigotry and civil rights
These are huge issues. Don't think so, come to a meeting and we shall show you how it feels. Read the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. whats your names little girlz?
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
Grand Rapids Ken
Way to go John! You sure did say it well! Good luck for better representation and government. Bless you all.
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
ica rus
@Roger D, Wilton Gurrero, and DM: Well said indeed, the forkers are tilting at windmills.
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
D M
Well said Roger D.
and to "The Watcher" your "treated like uneducated and blind followers " BECAUSE you are
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
Ray H
Well Said , Sir. WELL SAID !!!.
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
JON Walker
Could not have put it any better. I'm only 20 years old and I feel as though I could do a better job listening to the people than these "politicians". What a disgrace. LETS GO PEOPLE.
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
Here come the complainers
Still none of you are announcing that you would like to run for BOS. Tsk Tsk on you people, step up to the plate. As for your letter Mr Phillips, very well written indeed, although I agree, what Mr Sockwell said was not intended as a racial biassed slur, but an honest question. You folks are just trying any tactic you can to incite emotions and racial tensions to accomplish your goals. Shame on You.
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
Wilton Gurrero
Blah!!! my gosh. I feel as if people are going to be annoying for a long time about this non issue.
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
Patricia Moran
I am the 80-year-old lady from Pittsburgh who commented before in this section. I am SO impressed by John Phillips, Jr. above. What a GREAT letter! This letter says it all. I commend you, sir. Patricia
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
The Watcher
Very well written and it reflects the thoughts of many of us in Mohave County, especially in Tom Sockwell’s district. The residents are tired of being treated like uneducated and blind followers of local government. The time is rapidly approaching where Sockwell will be without a job after the recall, [deleted] wondering, “What could I have done differently. If I had not put my foot in my mouth by verbally attacking one of Mohave County’s residents, admitted our mistake by allowing John McCain’s personnel to pass out campaign material, had allowed Luca Zanna to pass out McCain’s voting record and if we had apologized for our errors, I’d still have a job.”
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
ACE 101
Awesome, I'm astonished at how well your words flow as if I am reading a novel.
Great job!
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
Roger D.
Unlike the other kool-aid drinkers who have chimed in, I found your piece to be all over place. First of all, Tom Stockwell was not put in by 'We The People' of Mohave County. He was elected by the constituents of his district, which might be yours but it definitely does not apply to the rest of Mohave County. Secondly, your paranoid exaggeration of the term 'You People' is laughable. How you go from citing an incident where it was used towards a group of people of one race to one where Tom Stockwell said it towards a group of people who show up to the board meeting intending to disrupt. Your group was not made up of all Italians or Blacks or Hispanics or Women or even AARP members, so where is the context behind your lame argument? Don't bother because I know the answer to that one. There isn't, just something you and rest of your group created in your own minds like regular 'ol political hacks trying to stir up emotion among the ignorant.
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Article comment by:
Joe Citizen
Without a doubt well written and well said. I am tired of local leaders thinking everyone is dumb and ignorant, this letter is straight to the point and dead on.
The only thing these politicians will remember come 2010 and 2012 is SIGNATURES!
Stand up to them, because they are doing it to us everyday without a care in the world.
