Day: November 7, 2011

Letter from a Lakota Father: If you can’t beat the message, steal it!!!!!!!

I have watched in some surprise how the Pro Lakota Levy people either indirectly or directly attempt to shut down the message of the NO LAKOTA LEVY. Police reports have been filed, but nobody really cares that thousands of dollars in investment have been stolen from people’s property. Over the last 48 hours it’s been our big 4’X 5’ signs as seen in the pictures here that have turned up missing. Those signs are too big to put in the back of a car, it would take a truck to steal them. And they were stolen using razor blades to cut loose the ties. And it would also require the police departments who are on duty to look the other way while cars and trucks drive around in the middle of the night stealing property. After all, aren’t all these public employees united in their anger toward Issue 2, and therefore protecting each other?

It is the only logical conclusion, because it would take a lot of time and a lot of car trunks to steal that many signs, especially the big ones.

But is it a surprise………..no. While I was taking calls from all over the community by angry people who have lost their NO LAKOT LEVY signs I received this note from the father I mentioned in a previous, heartbreaking article. You can review that situation at this link.

https://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/sex-at-lakota-schools-i-just-want-to-see-justice-said-the-husband/

The reason they have to steal the signs is because they cannot argue the message on the signs. It was reported in the Cincinnati Enquirer just today that even after 12 million dollars cut, Lakota topped every district in Cincinnati in academic achievement, and they did it without a superintendent. They know this levy is about one thing………..CONTRACT COSTS! They are protecting their incomes at our expense, so they seek to shut down the message. That’s what they did to the man who wrote the letter below, which I include here without any editorial measure on my part. I wonder how many just like him are out there in Lakota who are in a similar situation. We’ll never know, because just like the sign theft that is going on, the school pushed this story under the rug as well.

The author of this letter, we’ll call him “FINAO” wanted me to post this to share with others. It is his recommendation of how you should vote for the Lakota Levy and the school board members. When reading the letter and thinking about what kind of pain this guy is talking about consider that bad things go on in big programs, Ohio State comes to mind, and Penn State most recently. When a person comes forward and asks for help, they should get it, and not be shoved under the rug. Bad things happen when the rug gets too full, and I would argue that the rug at Lakota is getting pretty full. Under that rug you’ll find lots of stuff, including our signs.  (THE PICTUES INCLUDED WITH THE LETTER ARE WHAT’S LEFT OF OUR SIGNS SHOWN ABOVE)

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The end of one journey and beginning of another

I have always made it a point after a long journey whether it was business or personal to reflect back on my actions and decisions to simply learn and become a better person.

I soon realized that in order for our story to be felt as real and for all to understand I would have to put a face on it filled with an objective but emotional approach. But it would have to be done in a way to protect the confidentiality and emotions of my family. So here I am today.

The story about individual behaviors and personal agendas shared with you over the past few days in this blog are real and our story will be told again, by someone else, if changes are not made. The emotions of pain, frustration and disappointment were real and were caused while attempting to seek the truth. But there was a satisfaction knowing that my story was kept by me within the confines of the Lakota schools not only to protect its integrity but allowing those responsible to hear my story, justify their decisions and make the changes necessary to do what was right. Do what was right for the Lakota schools, its students, families and ultimately its taxpayers. In most cases I was met with silence, an action I can reassure you was not comforting.

When I reached the end of my resources at Lakota I came to a crossroads. I could move on knowing that I defended my family and feel blessed that I met one good person along the way, Ron Spurlock, who was the only one who ever said” I understand because I am a parent”. Or I could search for that one last person that would allow me to accomplish the only goal I had: Tell my story and help me understand and come to terms with whether decisions made were made in the best interest of my family and the Lakota schools.

To do that I would need to find someone who is committed to their cause. Whether I agreed with their cause was not important as long as they were objective, fair and understanding while I told my story written with facts. I found that person in Rich Hoffman.

Until I met Rich Hoffman I had never spoke with him or even read his blog but if I listened to what people around me were saying we would have never met and that would have been a loss for more than just my family.

But we did and I watched as his skepticism turned into concern and I knew then I found the right person. It is important to note that upon leaving I gave him no expectations and/or demands just simply thanked him for giving me closure on this journey. I said if he believed in my story simply do what was right for all of Lakota as long as he protected my family; because I have been there once before and will never go there again.

For me to name names at this time would be counterproductive because the individuals responsible for our years of pain and frustration know who they are. And if they are able to lay their head on their pillow at night believing they did the right thing for my family and Lakota then so be it. I am proud of my family for facing our issues and making the necessary changes to be stronger then we have ever been. Our daughter is growing emotionally and showing us what we knew she was always capable of doing.

I close with this simple advice:

Before you vote for your board candidates make sure you know who they are, what they represent and more importantly memorize or write down their promises and/or commitments. There may be a time, in your right as a taxpayer, to question them if their decisions fall outside that. Be comfortable that they will make positive changes and uphold the accountability of others along the way.

And finally the levy is not as simple as yes or no. Understand the facts on both sides making sure they were presented in an objective way; the only emotion shown was in their belief of such facts. Be comfortable that those making financial and educational decisions do so with your family in mind along with the students and taxpayers of the Lakota schools.

I learned from one of my life’s mentors that a mistake is not bad unless you refuse to acknowledge it and learn from it for the betterment of those around you. I know from experience our satisfaction and growth will someday be well worth the journey. Thanks for listening and be strong.

FINAO

For the answer to everything click the link below!

https://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/the-answer-is-c-who-runs-society-the-engine-or-the-boxcar/

Rich Hoffman
https://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/ten-rules-to-live-by/
http://twitter.com/#!/overmanwarrior
www.overmanwarrior.com

The “Wind” is Taking the NO LAKOTA Levy Signs: A sin known but left alone is still a sin!

Since Sandy Wheatley of the Move Forward Lakota push used references to the bible in the debate we had toward the end of September, I’m sure she could appreciate an event of BIBLICAL proportions since she also said recently that the reason the No Lakota Levy signs were missing was because the “wind” was blowing them away. You can see that reference and debate here:

https://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/the-circus-of-lakota-my-debate-with-the-pro-levy-people-its-the-wookie-defense/

Well……as you can see, one of our very large signs located on Hamilton-Mason went missing over the weekend and it appears that the loss was biblical in nature. You see, when the owner of the sign went out to discover where his sign had gone, he saw that the “wind” had torn away all the straps that held the sign in place, cutting them completely in half. The sign mysteriously disappeared into the heavens leaving only the frame of the sign behind.

Also, as you can see, these “good” Christian soldiers of the Move Forward campaign are running such a clean campaign that they are putting their signs in front of our signs in a childish attempt to cover our message. Isn’t that very………………Christian of them.

Oh, I’m sure God is on their side.

Well, I wouldn’t bring God into this if I didn’t know that being good and kind was an important attribute to some of the people working on the Move Forward campaign. If they knew there was vandalism going on surely they wouldn’t endorse it with ignorance. Or surely they wouldn’t participate by offering encouragement.

No, I wouldn’t think so. Surely not. Nobody is that much of a lowlife, are they?

Well, I heard from a Levy supporter, one of those kind people who were at the school picking up signs and other material to support the levy. For those people I have a message here:

https://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2011/11/06/dont-be-stupid-vote-all-school-levies-down-and-vote-yes-on-issue-2/

The email from the levy supporter is wonderful in showing the quality of the mind of their supporters. Read the email for yourself:

This is from a guy named Carter,

> I hope all of you are will to take the same pay cuts you want the teachers to take,
> remember that schools are a service industry and payroll will be the largest part of the budget. I am sure none of you have every been to a band competition or a football game or an art show. The impact has also already started. I am sure you could not tell me who the band director is at East and how the band did this year and the last 10 years. You would like our students to just be average and not prepared for college. If you put signs near the school where kids walk by and expect nothing to happen, this is why you think only of yourself.

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What do you say to a person like that? They live in an education bubble and clearly need a basic education to even have a foundation discussion. Yes, I know who the band director was, Mr. William Thomas. I wrote about him at the link below. I actually like that guy.

https://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/macrocosm-and-the-microcosm-its-a-math-problem-displayed-in-art/

Hey Carter, or the Levy Supporters working the campaign. Where were you when one of your treasured teachers seduced the mother of one of our community families using the child to do it? Oh….yes……where were you when that crime was being committed against the child’s family? You can read about that situation here.

https://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/sex-at-lakota-schools-i-just-want-to-see-justice-said-the-husband/

Oh, maybe adultery isn’t a crime anymore. After all, it’s only sex………….right. The problem with this story is I know that everybody on the inside of the Lakota Levy knows about the case I’m talking about, yet they chose to turn their eyes away from it. I think they actually believe that God is on their side, because I also know some of them are very active in their churches. So when I hear comments like, “The wind is blowing down the signs of the No Lakota Levy People,” coming from the Move Forward Campaign I have to assume that the same blind eye is being turned toward the knowledge of vandalism of the No Lakota Levy signs, and the knowledge that some of the employees that are employed at Lakota are actually quite bad, such as the teacher who attempted to break up this family. Don’t tell me you don’t know……………….it’s all the rage?

But maybe it wasn’t God or the Wind at all who took our signs at the home on Hamilton-Mason Rd. Maybe it was something else; some sinister force conjured up by the true nature of a black heart hiding behind a veil of goodness………………………..perhaps. But as we inspected the fasteners of the lost sign I can tell you one thing……………………….IT WASN’T THE DAMN WIND!!!!!!!!!!!

Just remember Move Forward Lakota people, a sin known but left alone is still a sin, even if you turn your eyes away and pretend you know nothing.

For the answer to everything click the link below!

https://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/the-answer-is-c-who-runs-society-the-engine-or-the-boxcar/

Rich Hoffman
https://overmanwarrior.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/ten-rules-to-live-by/
http://twitter.com/#!/overmanwarrior
www.overmanwarrior.com