I find Friends for Fullerton’s Future (FFFF), which most people seem to call “Tony Bushala’s blog” so I’ll do the same, to be important reading for understanding Fullerton and OC politics. At its best, it’s very interesting. At it’s worst, it’s much like the worst of Orange Juice Blog or Lib OC or Pedrozastan or OC Weekly or The Register, but there’s just so much more of the worst than anywhere else. This bothers me because I have a lot of respect for Tony Bushala as an activist, even if we agree on only half of our issues. When I push him on what solutions his slate of candidates supports, it’s not so much a matter of politics as it is of really wanting to know whether they are going to throttle Fullerton for the sake of anti-government ideology. I would love to hear a firm commitment that the answer is “no.”
I’ve tried to avoid writing about FFFF nearly as much as I’m tempted to. It’s a fascinating place — suffused with the Tea Party spirit of right-wing Mme. LeFarges, above which the more respectable types like Tony and those running for office present their arguments that the cheering section will repeat like screaming drunken fans.
Not my cup of tea — but, again, they’re right about some issues and I try to respect that when I visit there. They make no bones of wishing that I would shut up, but it’s still generally without the bounds of normal politics.
Where I have a problem — there and here — is with vicious personal attacks made from the cloak of anonymity. I know that Dan C., Pedroza, and other bloggers claim to be opposed to them as well, especially when they’re the targets. Normally, I try to respond to something particularly offensive with a comment that undercuts it. Occasionally, something will get deleted, but it’s rare — and when it happens, it’s never (so far) been about me.
Sometimes, though, something comes through that’s so stark that I doubt that people who aren’t really part of the OC political scene will believe it. That happened tonight.
A commenter has appeared on FFFF with the name of “Matt’s Evil Twin” who believes that I am the liberal analog of Matt Cunningham. (If being the liberal analog means not earning any money through politics, that’s one argument for it.) He, like other pseudonymous and anonymous posters at FFFF (and elsewhere, here included) likes to toss out insults and accusations. My attitude is that this is cowardly — and I said so. Here’s what ensued:
by Matt’s Evil Twin on May 4, 2012
I think a coward is a fat American guy who rally’s on about equal rights for women and then imports one one from Asia.
I am discusted by those that claim to be “Liberal” and then buy a wife using their citizenship as a lure, because they are too fat and ugly to get a woman.
This is a problem in North Orange County. I hope as an elected official, if sucessful you will address this. In the meantime, this would be a great subject for you to bring up at your Democratic Party meetings.
We all care about poor, helpless women being tricked and taken advantage of, especially by white men who see themselves as saviors.
Wow — lying that shameless about such personal matters is certainly impressive in its way.
I’ll address this here exactly once: I met my wife here in California. She had planned on going back to Asia to be with her children — and she almost did, which would have put off our being married for over a year. I had to court her like mad to get her to spend an additional six months here without them before we could even visit them — which was one of the hardest things that she’s ever done. Then it was about another year before three of them could come here. This was a heart-wrenching struggle, but was worth it. You apparently have no idea of what life is like for even legal immigrants.
You are a rotten person and a bigot and you always will be. While I am fat, at least I might someday lose weight.
Anyone else here who wants to comment on this guy’s post, in support or in condemnation, please do.
I was at a meeting of the Democrats of North Orange County tonight at our new field office in Fullerton, and as often happens someone commented on how I was so brave to run for office here, that they wouldn’t have the thick skin for it. That need for thick skin to deflect the slings and arrows of cowards keeps a lot of good people out of politics. Lucky for me, my wife comes from a country where political candidates sometimes get kidnapped and murdered, so vicious lies like this, while unpleasant, aren’t the end of the world.
I do with that people would give up the bigoted notion that foreign-born wives who come here are just out for U.S. citizenship — and I presume that Bob Huff and Chris Norby, for two, would agree with me. My hope is that some of the FFFFsters will speak up and shame that FFFFwad, but I won’t hold my breath.
I just thought that people here might be interested in a glimpse of politics that they don’t usually see — or seek.
FFFFwad———-that’s a good one bud! I find blogs tend to bet mean-spirited when anonymity frees those inclined to throw stones. The fact that you’re entering the political pool gives some the bold feeling they are participating in this process, and they can test you and criticize you and question and insult you. I think you can dish it out and take it. I also think families should be off limits. Period.
I met your wife at an Occupy function, and I am impressed by her integrity, loyalty and compassion. Our county needs more of these qualities, so if importing niceness and goodness from ANYWHERE improves the gene pool I vote yes! YES.
Thanks. The only way to stop cowardly bullies, in politics or otherwise, is to stop making bullying fun for them. It takes time and effort.
You may note that my “dishing it out” mostly people asking people about their policy preferences and criticizing them for being vicious bigots.
I wouldn’t say that most commenters on FFFF are FFFFwads, but FFFFwads do seem to do pretty well there.
The Navel Gazing way is to engage and enrage the haters. It doesn’t alienate readers, if that’s what any blog fears.
If anything, they’ll be back for more.
Interesting but what you experienced is so typical of anonymous posters that spew personalized insults vs. engaging in meaningful dialogue and debate. Usually it seems to me that it is just better to ignore them, vs. trying to engage them, and move on. I agree that attacking one’s family, as well as one’s personal appearance, is not acceptable. Come to think of it, have you considered doing something to get rid of all that grey on your face? (just kidding)
I get plenty of normal abuse there as well when I participate. I differentiate between that sort of thing and this. This one is on a different level of ugly.
I like the gray in my beard, actually. My natural beard color is a reddish that would be hard to match with a beard coloring, so if destiny took that away from me I’ll stick with the gray!
@ Greg D:
That is a great picture of you and your wife!!!
I am usually clean shaven. Although I am lampiño (Spanish for hairless chest, back and arms – perhaps TMI), I have to shave daily. My wife hates it if I let my goatee grow for a few days.
Families should be off limits, especially for vicious negative attacks.
Generally, yes. I’d make an exception for criticizing their public policy actions if they’re acting in public life. (Clarence Thomas’s wife, for example, is fair game.) I also make an exception if they have hair like Callista Gingrich, but I’m not proud of it.
Is a bootey like MLRO’s fair game?
Depending on what you mean by that, “no” or “talk to the Secret Service about it.”
greg,
those guys are assholes and, regardless of your position, you should not have to put up with that sort of crap and family should never be brought into these things. and, as a gesture towards you and as a symbol of my solidarity with many of your causes, i want you to know that i am leaving now to go participate in the occupy staples center event happening this evening. i think that tnt is covering it
Words cannot adequately convey how deeply I am touched, willie. (At least, they will not.)
Wow. – I can’t believe you responded to him.
That’s the worst thing about trolls when they really, truly, are what the term means… focused and concentrated on using every ounce of internal spark they have on reaching into the world, and making things worse, with no up side for anyone, ever… is that if you walk away… and try to sleep… you’ll debate & put them to shame in your head all night instead of working on your own ramp toward the success of your own project. :/
^^^ This is why I’m not so quick to judge Columbine as “beyond cause” etc.
Because on a sublimated level… with enough of it from enough people like this, who’s focus on any objective scale, would mandate that they just don’t deserve to live, it makes perfect sense, and if you could just focus in on just the bullies alone… it would actually feel right.
Yeah, I’m a horrible monster… but this guy would go on my “Basement List”.