Dear Editor:
I goofed! I erred! I made a mistake! No, far worse! I made a …
gasp… assumption!
Dear Editor:
I goofed! I erred! I made a mistake! No, far worse! I made a … gasp… assumption!
In my letter published Aug. 29 I wrote, as an example of mayoral candidate Al Pinheiro’s “leadership” style: “His ‘solution’ to the proposed WalMart EIR study: ‘This is something we should first talk about at a retreat.’ There’s true leadership! Go behind closed doors where none can known how a position is reached nor by what route.”
Once The Dispatch hit the street, my telephone hit me! I was chastised, condemned, criticized, yelled at, corrected, put down, upbraided, educated, enlightened and even prayed for. When I finished with that caller, and before another outraged Gilroyan could get through, I did what should have been done before planting my size 13s between my Crest-cleaned pearly-whites.
I checked the fact!
The City Council retreats are open to the public and the press. Advance notice is made available and, usually, the retreats are held within walking distance of downtown Gilroy. The major difference between a retreat and the regular Council meetings: at the retreat, the public cannot speak out on whatever issues are to be discussed.
Had I taken time to ask questions on the subject rather than assuming what would be, my statement might have read: “His ‘solution’ to the proposed WalMart EIR study: ‘This is something we should first talk about at a retreat.’ There’s true leadership! Get together where the public can watch but not be heard. How will that ‘lead’ Gilroy to a working solution concerning what really is a non-problem?”
I therefore apologize to those readers who were given an erroneous assumption as fact; to City Council members – who don’t need another criticism for what they don’t do; and to the Dispatch editor, for using this newspaper to make a statement not based in fact. I’ll work hard not to do it again.
James Brescoll, Gilroy
Submitted Thursday, Sept. 4
