Editor's Note: We received this e-mail not from Peter Stern but from another source yesterday. Stern did not include the RoundUp in his e-mail blast. First, we have to say that the RoundUp has and always will provide everybody the opportunity to express their views. We encourage constructive and informed views from all sides whether they be anonymous or named. We discourage comments that are not germane to the topic and we block comments that contain profanity, are vulgar or make personal attacks on family members of public officials. Sometimes a comment comes along that is so completely off the wall that it also does not make the cut. About 97% of all comments received by the RoundUp are published and unedited.
To be clear, the RoundUP has no publishing agreement with local political columnist Stern. We are not withholding his articles because we disagree with them, we simply do not publish many of his articles and commentaries because we don't have to. Stern is a prodigious writer. He regularly sends the RoundUp volumes of material. Publishing even a small portion would take up all the oxygen in the room. As an experienced writer, Stern, by now, should have learned that the discretion to publish rests with the editor. And he should also know that developing a thick skin is a necessity in the punditry business. As our readers know, the RoundUp covers controversial political topics. Many are of a local nature. It is a volatile and at times hostile arena, especially in Hays County where our coverage is unique and challenges the status quo. So it should come as no surprise that sometimes things get a little hot in the kitchen.Send your comments and questions to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Peter at pstern@austin.rr.com or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the letter
Hello all,I am providing a courtesy to let you know that I will no longer send in articles and provide questions/comments on articles and commentaries to the Hays County RoundUp and/or blog editor Bob Ochoa.
Editor Ochoa several time has withheld my articles and/or commentaries because it has become apparent that he wants to control information on his site that he does not or may not agree with.
In addition, I have implored Mr. Ochoa to remove any commentary that chastises or in any way confronts or attacks a writer or reader directly instead of responding directly to the article or commentary. In addition, Ochoa protects writers from using their true identity, unlike many other blogs and news sites who believes ideas and comments must be identified with and to a real person. Because he has opted to do so, Editor Ochoa has created a somewhat hostile blog environment that has prevented many readers from taking part in conversation and/or commenting. There have been some readers who have stated their concern about this, yet Ochoa still does nothing. When I confronted the blog and Editor Ochoa in a commentary regarding these several issues on one of the threads, he opted NOT to print the comments twice.
I once had respect for the Hays County RoundUp and Editor Ochoa and I gave him the chance to respond to my disappointment and criticism. He has chosen NOT to respond in any way other than to block my commentary so that readers would not and could not read or respond to it.
Consequently, I no longer will take part in a controlling blog that prints nothing that may criticize or disagree with the Editor and one that blocks positive criticism and/or counter-responses to provocative individuals whom Editor Ochoa permits to hide behind an “Anonymous” title to protect themselves when writing attacking commentary and/or finger-pointing to various writers, instead of focusing on what is written.
You may want to reconsider your own participation or at the least question Editor Ochoa for the actions he opts to continue. I had hoped that the site would become more of a vehicle to discuss openly the urgent issue of Hays County; however, instead it seems that Editor Ochoa in his own way is impeding the Truth regarding some site issues, protects provocative commenters and violates the right of Freedom of Speech or at the least inhibits it.
So, I no longer will read or participate on the Hays County RoundUp site. I regret that I have been forced to make this decision and I wanted you all to know the reason for my no longer being part of the site’s community.
Regards,
Peter Stern
Driftwood
14 comments:
Hey Bob,
"He, who dost protest too much.."
Bob, are you serious?
"Publishing even a small portion would take up all the oxygen in the room."
That's pretty hostile and aggressive right there and seems to underscore Stern's remarks about you as an editor/person and a hostile environment here.
Sounds like you are taking Stern's words very personally and are being far too defensive.
In fact, you may need "to develop a thick skin" as you suggested to Stern.
You may want to think about how you are reacting.
Personally, I have to agree with much of what Mr. Stern says in his email. This has been the case with the RoundUp and most of us know it.
Good honest public debate is hard to come by and sometimes that means saying it like it is. I applaud Bob for putting Stern's letter in the blog. I personally have enjoyed reading all of the comments. Some comments give me my laugh for the day and others make me think.
I honestly don't blame Mr. Stern for leaving, but I'm sorry to see him go.
I can't really blame Mr. Ochoa either, since it is his blog and he can do whatever he wants.
He could have tried to work more with Mr. Stern to keep him in the community. Mr. Stern gave some open, honest and centered commentary which we all need here. He will be missed.
Mr. Stern - good riddance. Your odious nonsensical rants are probably why Ochoa has decided to cut out the articles that you send. Now we just have to hope that Bob gets wise about the O'dellians.
My suggestion to Senor Bob is that he screen the vile, ignorant and mean-spirited attack comments but continue to allow most Anonymous comments if they have anything of value to say. That would be a productive middle ground.
What I hear from a couple of writers - one conservative and one liberal to be specific - is that they refuse to put their names up because the attacks make them feel bad and they don't need such ugly nonsense in their lives.
A couple of writers I have spoken to feel like the Roundup has become not so much a forum for intelligent community problem solving - but more a venting vehicle for angry people with no solutions or purpose (other than to attack and dump their hate).
I know one thing for sure. I know I liked reading the Roundup more when the likes of Jack Hollon, Richard Sullivan, and yes, Peter Stern was putting up their stuff which for some reason or another really pissed off both the right and the "middle."
Btw, there really is no such thing as the "left" in America. What we are seeing is a nation - egged on by an exploitive and divisive media - that has gone so far to the right the middle is now seen as left.
Mr. Stern says
"In addition, Ochoa protects writers from using their true identity, unlike many other blogs and news sites who believes ideas and comments must be identified with and to a real person. Because he has opted to do so, Editor Ochoa has created a somewhat hostile blog environment that has prevented many readers from taking part in conversation and/or commenting."
Under Mr. Ochoa's policy, each poster can decide whether or not to post and whether or not to attach their name to the post. This policy doesn't stifle debate, it encourages debate!
Furthermore, some of the more hostile comments I see come from someone who uses their own name(most of the time) and chastises those of us who do not.
Uh, wait ... The RoundUp always has allowed everyone to express their views? Like when you refused to publish any follow up to the piece I wrote about pursuing a decentralized wastewater management plan in Wimberley, citing as a reason that you didn't want to "look like" you were promoting my commercial interests. Then when even TWDB told the City and its GBRA "handlers" what I'd been asserting all along, their conventional was way too costly, you continued to refuse to air anything about the options available to them, or anything to the effect that certain city fathers were adamant that my message was not going to get front and center. Yeah, really responsible.
The small minded will always bicker and whine over small inconsequential matters, such as apparently Stern, Venhuizen and Boschert. I have always viewed this as one of the most informative and entertaining political sites around. So much information has been exposed here that I would never read in the pages of the local rags. O'Dell's article (Amazing ruling) is the latest greatest example, no spin, no spin quotes, just the facts. While the roundup carries on its brave battle to expose cronyism and corruption, some of you would rather argue over whose ego should be attended to more. I say join the fight against political corruption or get out of the way. Ochoa is being too nice. He should ban you all from the comments for good.
All too accurately named "Lemming" states:
"...some of the more hostile comments I see come from someone who uses their own name(most of the time) and chastises those of us who do not."
Of course he is talking about me but is to "shy" to say it with his own name.
This is exactly the point some of us are making.
It is not "debate" when the Lemming does not state facts and examples to back up his attacks. He just says I am using "hostile comments" without showing me or readers why or how. I do not use hostile coments on commenters who use their name. And if you can find examples disputing that claim, show us.
For example, when I said in a previous comment that "Republicans think with their asses," in that context I am clearly talking about the Republican politicians, not all Republicans. In fact, Peter Stern is a Republican, and he agreed with me.
And, yes, I am hostile to ignorance and hypocrisy. But it is equal opportunity hostility.
By the way, Lemming, when you say I am hostile, maybe if you would feel compelled to use your real name and you would show readers examples of actual personal attacks I have made to individuals who actually show their real name.
You have little credibility when you say someone is hostile with a fake name and even less when you use no facts or examples.
As I stated before, I respect all opinions from all pespectives when the writer has the courage to use their real name.
And I will continue to chastise anony-mooses who use vile and ignorant attacks behind the shadowy curtain of fake monikers and hidden tags.
Now, if someone with a real name wants to rip me using facts and/or examples, let me have it.
Mr. Ochoa and several other people here are extremely petty and foolish.
They are like too many of our leaders/politicians.
They are too ego-involved and self-righteous, especially to other people disagree with them.
Mr. Stern merely pointed out what many of us know, but don't state on this site for fear of reprisal.
I love the Roundup because it is so completely beautifully out of control.
Move on! This is boring!
Mr. Ochoa, why did you get so bent out of shape with the email Mr. Stern sent to [apparently] a select few.
You said yourself you owed Mr. Stern nothing. You did not have a contract with him.
Mr. Stern doesn't owe you anything either. So, who he contacted about his leaving is his own business.
I don't comprehend why this bothered you so much.
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