For starters, I'm still not convinced that Councilwoman Marikay Abuzuaiter is or ever was a confidential police informant. I still believe the e-mails were doctored before they they were sent to Yes! Weekly journalist, Eric Ginsburg. As to what the story accomplished, well that's another story altogether.
For starters, Marikay and her family has since received several death threats. And business at her restaurant that caters to Greensboro's more well-to-do has suffered. Amazingly, Marikay's political support in the East and South of Greensboro is now stronger than ever before.
Actually, it's not amazing at all. Marikay and her husband own 2 businesses in East Greensboro and have been very active in helping our neighborhoods for many years. One article in an alternative weekly by some kid who has only been here a few years isn't going to undo what for many has been a lifetime of knowing Marikay. You see, Marikay came here in 1973 when her parents moved here while she was in college. And unlike all those New Yorkers that were coming here then, Marikay was from Kentucky and fit right in. While those New Yorkers were busy bitching at us about how we did everything the wrong way, Marikay was busy teaching us better ways.
And while Marikay might not have lived in East Greensboro her children went to public schools in East Greensboro because of forced busing. Instead of sending her kids to private schools, Marikay worked to make our schools better.
No, one anarchist leaning journalist from out of town cannot undo what Marikay has done for my community. But here's what Eric Ginsburg and those who took advantage of him have accomplished thus far.
You painted Marikay as a police informant. Well guess what? I, Billy Jones, and other members of Occupy Greensboro met with GPD Captain Anita Holder and other GPD officers at the Greensboro Coliseum to discuss the use of a City owned park by Occupy Greensboro. Does that make us police informants? I've passed along tips to Chief Miller in person involving real and dangerous criminal threats to Greensboro-- does that make me a confidential police informant?
Just for the record, he already knew what I told him and no I can't blog it lest I put an ongoing investigation and my own life at risk.
Previously, Jodi Huigens Riddleberger, of Conservatives for Guilford County used that same City owned park. I can only assume Jodi also had to meet with police. And knowing Jodi she probably had her children with her. Does that make Jodi and her children police informants?
I called 911 to report the murder of Reginald Demarcus Wrenn as it was happening and told the 911 operator I did not want GPD coming to my home. Living in East Greensboro I rarely go a week without calling 911 for something-- does that make me a confidential police informant? Just because one officer uses the words, "confidential informant" does that make it so? What is the official definition of "confidential informant"? And did Eric Ginsburg interview the GPD officer to verify that the officer did in-fact write those words?
Can you not see the absurdity in this line of thought?
So what has the "outing" of Marikay accomplished? Well if you were looking to weaken her political support in Greensboro's more affluent neighborhoods you might have gained. If you're looking to erode her support in Greensboro's poorer neighborhoods you have lost you ass big time. Here she is stronger than ever. If you were looking to hurt her among conservatives it backfired completely. Marikay had almost no conservative support before but now that many conservatives see her as a possible victim of an attack led by Robbie Perkins and a left leaning media they will be more likely to vote in her favor. So she gains a conservative vote for every liberal vote she looses while picking up votes in the East and South. Marikay wins!
So who looses? The Greensboro Police Department looses. Just this morning one of Greensboro's most prominent and upstanding young people posted the following to Facebook in reference to this article in the N&R:
Greensboro cops. They are egos with bad haircuts, who couldn't protect nor serve their way out of a paper bag."
I know this person. This is a law abiding, tax paying, young professional raising a family and living in one of Greensboro's top 3 upper class neighborhoods. This is a person who probably voted for Robbie Perkins in the last election but won't vote for him again. This person, unlike Billy Jones, is the type of person that Greensboro keeps saying Greensboro wants to attract. I follow lots of Greensboro's up and coming young people on Facebook and Twitter for this very reason, to keep my finger on the pulse of what they're thinking and how they feel about Greensboro and right now the Greensboro Police Department and City Leaders are scum in their eyes. How do you plan to keep them here when the bait you're trying to attract them with is considered scum?
So who else looses? Robbie Perkins looses. More and more of these young people are beginning to believe Billy Jones' tin foil hat conspiracy theory. Why? Because the longer GPD refuses to call in the SBI the more plausible my theory becomes in the public eye. Am I right? We don't know but what we do know is the City of Greensboro has proven time and time again it is unwilling, unable or incapable of investigating itself. And yes, folks, if e-mails were doctored in order to effect an upcoming election that is in-fact a Federal Crime and deserves to be investigated. The fact that City officials are taking the matter so lightly only adds to our distrust of Greensboro Government and the Greensboro Police Department.
So who loses? Greensboro looses. And unless you prove me wrong, Billy Jones wins, tin foil hat and all!
For starters, Marikay and her family has since received several death threats. And business at her restaurant that caters to Greensboro's more well-to-do has suffered. Amazingly, Marikay's political support in the East and South of Greensboro is now stronger than ever before.
Actually, it's not amazing at all. Marikay and her husband own 2 businesses in East Greensboro and have been very active in helping our neighborhoods for many years. One article in an alternative weekly by some kid who has only been here a few years isn't going to undo what for many has been a lifetime of knowing Marikay. You see, Marikay came here in 1973 when her parents moved here while she was in college. And unlike all those New Yorkers that were coming here then, Marikay was from Kentucky and fit right in. While those New Yorkers were busy bitching at us about how we did everything the wrong way, Marikay was busy teaching us better ways.
And while Marikay might not have lived in East Greensboro her children went to public schools in East Greensboro because of forced busing. Instead of sending her kids to private schools, Marikay worked to make our schools better.
No, one anarchist leaning journalist from out of town cannot undo what Marikay has done for my community. But here's what Eric Ginsburg and those who took advantage of him have accomplished thus far.
You painted Marikay as a police informant. Well guess what? I, Billy Jones, and other members of Occupy Greensboro met with GPD Captain Anita Holder and other GPD officers at the Greensboro Coliseum to discuss the use of a City owned park by Occupy Greensboro. Does that make us police informants? I've passed along tips to Chief Miller in person involving real and dangerous criminal threats to Greensboro-- does that make me a confidential police informant?
Just for the record, he already knew what I told him and no I can't blog it lest I put an ongoing investigation and my own life at risk.
Previously, Jodi Huigens Riddleberger, of Conservatives for Guilford County used that same City owned park. I can only assume Jodi also had to meet with police. And knowing Jodi she probably had her children with her. Does that make Jodi and her children police informants?
I called 911 to report the murder of Reginald Demarcus Wrenn as it was happening and told the 911 operator I did not want GPD coming to my home. Living in East Greensboro I rarely go a week without calling 911 for something-- does that make me a confidential police informant? Just because one officer uses the words, "confidential informant" does that make it so? What is the official definition of "confidential informant"? And did Eric Ginsburg interview the GPD officer to verify that the officer did in-fact write those words?
Can you not see the absurdity in this line of thought?
So what has the "outing" of Marikay accomplished? Well if you were looking to weaken her political support in Greensboro's more affluent neighborhoods you might have gained. If you're looking to erode her support in Greensboro's poorer neighborhoods you have lost you ass big time. Here she is stronger than ever. If you were looking to hurt her among conservatives it backfired completely. Marikay had almost no conservative support before but now that many conservatives see her as a possible victim of an attack led by Robbie Perkins and a left leaning media they will be more likely to vote in her favor. So she gains a conservative vote for every liberal vote she looses while picking up votes in the East and South. Marikay wins!
So who looses? The Greensboro Police Department looses. Just this morning one of Greensboro's most prominent and upstanding young people posted the following to Facebook in reference to this article in the N&R:
Greensboro cops. They are egos with bad haircuts, who couldn't protect nor serve their way out of a paper bag."
I know this person. This is a law abiding, tax paying, young professional raising a family and living in one of Greensboro's top 3 upper class neighborhoods. This is a person who probably voted for Robbie Perkins in the last election but won't vote for him again. This person, unlike Billy Jones, is the type of person that Greensboro keeps saying Greensboro wants to attract. I follow lots of Greensboro's up and coming young people on Facebook and Twitter for this very reason, to keep my finger on the pulse of what they're thinking and how they feel about Greensboro and right now the Greensboro Police Department and City Leaders are scum in their eyes. How do you plan to keep them here when the bait you're trying to attract them with is considered scum?
So who else looses? Robbie Perkins looses. More and more of these young people are beginning to believe Billy Jones' tin foil hat conspiracy theory. Why? Because the longer GPD refuses to call in the SBI the more plausible my theory becomes in the public eye. Am I right? We don't know but what we do know is the City of Greensboro has proven time and time again it is unwilling, unable or incapable of investigating itself. And yes, folks, if e-mails were doctored in order to effect an upcoming election that is in-fact a Federal Crime and deserves to be investigated. The fact that City officials are taking the matter so lightly only adds to our distrust of Greensboro Government and the Greensboro Police Department.
So who loses? Greensboro looses. And unless you prove me wrong, Billy Jones wins, tin foil hat and all!
