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Where's Your Honor, Lieutenant?(Part II)

From:
Date: 03 Sep 2001
Time: 20:41:32
Remote Name: 24.45.179.191

Comments

First, let me apologize for my unfortunate use of sarcasm in my last correspondence. After viewing your website, I let my emotions get the better of me and sank to an unacceptable level. It is however, apparent to me that I have somehow struck a chord with you. My major indication of this was the unsolicited three emails that you sent me over the last three days.

I’m not sure that you understood the point of my last email based on your correspondence to me. In no way do I mean to imply that either you or any of those you command are anything but extremely dedicated professionals. Your department does a great job of protecting the lives and property of Fairfield citizens. You have a dangerous and sometimes thankless job, and I am nothing but thankful for your dedication, and that of the firefighters of Fairfield. When we need you, you’re there!

I do wish however, to try and clarify the point I attempted to make in my last response to your web site, and this time I will do so without sarcasm. You may disagree with me, but here goes…….

When I read the Fairfield-Citizen, I was surprised to learn that a lieutenant in the department not only set up this site, but also maintains it. A lieutenant is a LEADER, and in my opinion, must lead by example. The use of a public forum for disagreements with the top elected public official of a town by a leader is to me, unacceptable. It cannot be good for department morale, discipline, cohesion or your image as a leader, to have used this medium.

Would/will you be as tolerant to accept a web site criticizing you in the future if some of those you lead lose faith in your leadership as a commander? Will you once again state the First Amendment and the Constitution as the basis for their right to do so, as you have with your right to set up this site?

What if a call you make or a command you give someday costs a Fairfield firefighter his or her life? Will you be so tolerant of a splashy website with airplane sound effects, which second-guesses your leadership?

With over twenty years of military experience as an officer, commander and leader, there have been plenty of times that I have disagreed with my commander-in-chief or my chain of command. The use of a degrading web site or other public forum to express disagreement however, is unacceptable by anyone in a chain of command, much less and officer or leader. You, like I, serve an elected chain of command. If you disagree, please don’t “air out your dirty laundry” on a web site. We all get frustrated. I do not disagree with your right to get frustrated with your leadership, only your method and forum for expressing this dissatisfaction.


Last changed: September 05, 2001