Part 6, “Asking About Former Residents.”
(For earlier parts of this series, please click this link: Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin.)
From the public records, in September 2007: If you once lived in Whitewater, but moved to a nearby town, that doesn’t mean that you’re free from Chief Coan’s suspicious gaze. In this exchange, Coan contacts a friend about someone who lives in nearby Cambridge, Wisconsin. The exchange appears below in black font, followed by the actual PDF documents I obtained, and then my commentary in blue font.
The exchange:
From: James Coan [mailto:JCoan@ci.whitewater.wi.us]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 3:38 PM
To: [I have deleted, as I explain below]
Subject: Question
Hi, hope all is well! I am wondering If you recall [I have deleted name — name appeared in the documents that I received] (sp?)? If so, do you think that he could be our “John Adams” (author of “Free Whitewater”)? Several people from the School System thought that it might be him. I don’t know the guy, but I’ve heard that he is kind of eccentric.
Jim
P.S. FYI, [I have deleted name] got a job as manager of [I have deleted name of employer]. Between living in a condo and working at [I have deleted name of employer], [name] is feeling like a “teenager” compared to the people she routinely interacts with. Take care and say hi to [name] for us!
P.S.S. [sic] [Name] and I went to ”3:10 To Yuma” the other night. Although it was pretty good, it was no “Das
Boot”. [Name] and I reminisced about our movie going days with you and [name]. It’s just not the same without
you!
******
From: [I have deleted name]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 5:09 PM
To: James Coan
Subject: RE: Question
Hi Jim: I never thought of [name] but he kind of fits the mold, although he was so busy he had to leave the Park
Board and I believe he has relocated to Cambridge…my take on [name] was that he was not so much of a
complainer, he saw a problem/issue, brought It up and encouraged suggestions and solutions. Some of the stuff I
read in the FW was way too harsh for [name]…
Good to hear that [name] has a job she really enjoys; rumor is (OK, I am starting it) she is looking for a place YOU
can retire too [sic] (not her)! And, the “pain and suffering” she endures at [name of employer] is considered penance, correct?
I want to go to the Yuma movie, and also catch the new Jodie Foster flick. I think I can drag the HR Director to
one, since his wife is living in Utah for the next year, until she can retire. You are right, tho…it’s not the same
without you, [name], [name], and don’t forget [name] and [name]! Darn, we a;most had a bus full!
Say Hi to all; we hope to get back this fall and close on the house (keep your fingers crossed) but always enjoy hearing from you!
[Name]
The files:
I have made the PDF files confirming this exchange available here — 2008-1 (5). Deletions from the City of Whitewater are in black throughout the documents, typically so that the city can shield the names of those who have complained about my blog. That’s fair enough — a person should be able to complain anonymously or pseudonymously.
There’s an inescapable contradiction, though — city officials worked to uncover my name, and left untouched the names of private citizens they suspected of being me, and deleted only the names of those who complained about me.
My deletions, of the names of private citizens, often ones ‘suspected’ of being me, are in red. Coan, and those who aided him bandied about names of private citizens, and those names are in the documents that I received, but I will not display those names the way these public officials shamefully discussed them among themselves.
I have also deleted the names of Coan’s friends. Remember, Whitewater: I have treated Coan with more privacy than he has treated his fellow residents.
My comments:
1. Harsh? I’ll leave it to others, after seeing how Coan views our fellow residents in his emails, if I have been harsh. You are free to form your own opinion. After all, it’s your right to hold an opinion.
2. Searching Far and Wide. Chief Coan initiates this email exchange: “I am wondering if you recall…” He does so during ordinary working hours, as a public employee, using public resources. The man that Coan is inquiring about is no criminal, he’s apparently someone who served our city on a public board, and then moved away.
Note, too, that Coan observes that rumor holds the man is eccentric. Does Coan think that makes the man more likely to be a critic? If conventionality favors Coan’s conduct, it would be far better that we should all be eccentric…
3. Problem Solver?. Please note the irony in the idea that the man about whom Coan inquires is, according to the reply, was someone who encouraged solutions. This is apparently in contrast to my approach.
So a man replies to Coan and uses the platitudes of a Successories card to say that one should encourage solutions, all the while ignoring Coan’s severe error of judgment in thinking that he — Coan — can use public time & resources to search for his lawful, political critics engaged in political and public commentary.
The man writing in reply to Coan cannot see the forest for the trees.
By the way, here’s a solution for you: Ask Coan to stop hunting his political, lawful critics on the public dime.
How’s that? I feel better already.
Next Up on Tuesday, March 4th at 10 AM CST: Part 7, “Chief Coan’s Researcher.”