Honesty, Loyalty and Integrity - Three words I try very hard to live by. I take great offence if someone implies that I am anything less than honest and loyal or that I lack integrity.
On July 19th, the Salem Statesman Journal ran a very negative article on Oregon’s initiative process.
I’ll be the first to say, the process needs some work, but the idea is very good.
The Salem Statesman Journal article rants on about fraudulent (Read the article here) signature gathering referencing Bill Sizemore as well as a couple of initiatives that apparently got caught with seemingly fraudulent signatures on initiative petition sheets.
One of the messages I got out of the article is if someone comes up to you and aggressively tries to get you to sign one or more initiative petitions, chances are he’s a paid signature gatherer (with little or no real vested interest in the petition[s] he wants you to sign), and he’s probably going to go home at the end of the day and copy your information onto several more petitions.
The most irritating thing about this article is they used my picture as the poster boy for initiative fraud. The picture is from one of the events we had on the capitol steps for The Respect For The Law Act, Initiative Petition #112.
I never received a nickel for my signature gathering efforts on behalf of Initiative #112, in fact I have substantial time and money invested in promoting #112. I feel it was my privilege to be able to participate in a campaign that I really believe in.
I am outraged that the Salem Statesman Journal put my picture on an article that by association implies that I and the campaign I was working on was anything less that 100% honest and by the book.
This was the first initiative petition attempted by Oregonians for Immigration Reform, and I’m certain it will not be the last. The last thing we need is to be disparaged for fraudulent signature gathering on our first (or any) attempt, even if it is only by loose association.
I liken the Salem Statesman Journal’s placement of my picture on top of this very negative article to them perhaps placing it on top of an article about a serial rapist. No, the article never mentions my name or the initiative campaign I’m collecting signatures for, but the guilt by association is overwhelming.
On July 19th, the Salem Statesman Journal ran a very negative article on Oregon’s initiative process.
I’ll be the first to say, the process needs some work, but the idea is very good.
The Salem Statesman Journal article rants on about fraudulent (Read the article here) signature gathering referencing Bill Sizemore as well as a couple of initiatives that apparently got caught with seemingly fraudulent signatures on initiative petition sheets.
One of the messages I got out of the article is if someone comes up to you and aggressively tries to get you to sign one or more initiative petitions, chances are he’s a paid signature gatherer (with little or no real vested interest in the petition[s] he wants you to sign), and he’s probably going to go home at the end of the day and copy your information onto several more petitions.
The most irritating thing about this article is they used my picture as the poster boy for initiative fraud. The picture is from one of the events we had on the capitol steps for The Respect For The Law Act, Initiative Petition #112.
I never received a nickel for my signature gathering efforts on behalf of Initiative #112, in fact I have substantial time and money invested in promoting #112. I feel it was my privilege to be able to participate in a campaign that I really believe in.
I am outraged that the Salem Statesman Journal put my picture on an article that by association implies that I and the campaign I was working on was anything less that 100% honest and by the book.
This was the first initiative petition attempted by Oregonians for Immigration Reform, and I’m certain it will not be the last. The last thing we need is to be disparaged for fraudulent signature gathering on our first (or any) attempt, even if it is only by loose association.
I liken the Salem Statesman Journal’s placement of my picture on top of this very negative article to them perhaps placing it on top of an article about a serial rapist. No, the article never mentions my name or the initiative campaign I’m collecting signatures for, but the guilt by association is overwhelming.
I guess it would be nice if the Salem Statesman Journal would also mention those of us that are trying to do it right along with those that try to cut corners rather than stick all of us in one big cesspool. Oh, but that would be responsible journalism.
