Dear EDITOR:
Harold Williams is upset I use
”
shuck-and-jive
”
toward the conduct and/or statements of the Gilroy Unified
School District’s
”
leadership.
”
Dear EDITOR:
Harold Williams is upset I use “shuck-and-jive” toward the conduct and/or statements of the Gilroy Unified School District’s “leadership.” He claims it’s “an old ethnic phrase that basically means ‘a contemptible lie’.”
A better reference, Harold, is found within a good dictionary. One definition of “Shuck” – ‘… something of little value…’; of “Jive” – ‘… glib, deceptive or foolish talk …’
Before you speak, Harold, of your personal interpretation of my words, assure the accuracy of your own.
You did catch me in a grievous error. I wrote, “But congratulations to you, Mr. Editor. Your strong efforts in support of Measure I included your refusal to print opposition views in any form throughout the campaign’s last week.”
That was wrong! My letter of opposition, a lone voice against the overwhelming support already published, appeared one day before election. To you, Harold, to Mr. Editor and all Gilroy citizens who read that statement – I apologize for writing a wrong slant on the subject!
I’d like to know, Harold, how my error “humiliated myself” – and to whom? You’re thinking is not clear.
You stated I “further insult the intelligence of anyone who reads The Dispatch” with my “attempts to ‘prove’ that ‘Gilroyans’ were ripped off.” You say I use “spurious replication to create a numbers game.” Why then do you create your own numbers game, Harold? Perhaps we’re both guilty of what Gregg Easterbrook, writing in The New Republic, says; Torture numbers, and they’ll confess to anything.
My point: following the election, GUSD Superintendent Edwin Diaz stated, “The passage … is a message from the community …” In a letter to the editor, he claimed “… Because the citizens of the community have made the education of our children a priority…” Mr. Editor did the same in an editorial – ALL “Gilroyans” – ALL “the community” – supported Measure I, I wrote”roughly 13 percent of all Gilroyans” passed Measure I. Further, I rounded that down “… just over 10 percent of ‘Gilroyans’ burdened all Gilroy taxpayers with a 25-year millstone.”
You indicated, Harold, the 2000 census put Gilroy’s population at 41,464 people. Of that total 5,287 voted for Measure I. Ten percent equals 4,164 – of ALL GILROYANS. Thirteen percent equals 5,382 – of ALL GILROYANS. That remains a very low percentage to create this 25-year burden for all taxpayers.
Harold, the best means for self-evaluation, improvement and growth is to hear how others receive one’s viewpoint. Thank you for writing. Your views will, hopefully, make me read and re-read what I place before others to assure accuracy in all ways.
James Brescoll, Gilroy
Submitted Monday, Dec. 23
