Who Wrote It? Yael Claims Authorship of Botched Diuguid Column
Things are breaking down over at the KC Star. Yesterday, a column published under the name of Lewis Diuguid was promptly hijacked by Yael Abouhalkah and posted prominently on Abouhalkah's "recent posts" page of the Star's Midwest Voices. Meanwhile, Diuguid refused to post the amateurish hatchet job on his own page at Midwest Voices.
The controversy over the botched column is understandable. It blithely repeats a false explanation of why the Recall Petitioners backed away from their failed petition drive, repeating the lie that the group gave up because of lack of funds. That lie was exposed on this blog, and the petition folk will acknowledge the money was not the problem.
Factual sloppiness is nothing new for the Star, though, and the real reason that confusion reigns concerning authorship of the column is the utter lack of thought or writing skill it demonstrates, along with the lack of a clear voice.
If it were really Abouhalkah's work, it would have more of a strident and hysterical tone. Abouhalkah has been unable to write about the Mayor without bitter emotions boiling up - failed dreams of walking through green fields hand in hand with the Mayor he so lovingly supported during the election. When it turned out that Mark prefers to hold hands with his wife, Abouhalkah felt scorned, and has repaid the slight with every bitter word Roget can provide.
On the other hand, the column could not possibly have been written by Lewis Diuguid. It does not include a single "I", or even a "we" - the hallmark of everything written by Mr. Diuguid. Surely, Diuguid had written this column, it would have included a couple paragraphs about him talking with his Hispanic friends at a bodega, or what the old black gentlemen had to say at the barbershop. It's his schtick - it's what he does.
Obviously, the webmaster at Midwest Voices was confused by this bland piece of poorly written bias, relying on falsehoods and old complaints. Who can blame him/her for going ahead and tossing it into the Abouhalkah bin despite the Diuguid byline. When it's factually wrong, wildly biased and tediously written, it just seems more like Abouhalkah than anyone else.
Labels: KC Star
posted by Dan at 6/23/2009 06:24:00 AM
14 Comments:
I giggled at your description of the writing styles of these two. It's so true.
I actually like Abouhalkah's writing -- though I don't always agree with him, it's always clear he's put some thought into the work. I can't say the same for some other writers at the star.
I think you hit the nail on the head about why he's upset with Funk; media players don't like the appearance of not being out in front of the pack, leading.
I like Diuguid, as well. As an aside, Diuguid has a cassette tape of the more...uh... colorful voicemail messages he's received in response to his published content over the years. You might (or might not) be surprised how many individuals offer crude opinions/suggestions about his proper place.
-Dave
you would think that gloria was putting The Star together when things like this happen
Dan do you REALLY think that The Funk has any noteworthy positive achievement to his credit during his first two years as Mayor? If so, list them. I promise not to delete any of them :)
Oh and by the way, Dan, if you really want to engage in a noteworthy dialogue, I am prepared to post my list of noteworthy disappointments or debacles that have occurred on Funk's first two years as well...
We can go back and forth... engaging in an actual dialogue! Yeech, what would you do then? What would I do then?
Funkhouser was swept into office by a razor (I added this word for clarity) thin margin promising desperately needed TIF reform and claiming that he would be "smart with the money." Two years later the Mayor has produced nothing but controversy, divisive rhetoric and one hypocritical statement after the next. The Mayor's financial credentials as a former auditor are now nothing more than a bad joke. The Mayor started his term by pushing forward a Super-TIF for a soccer stadium, he then failed to push through a pricey light rail scheme and on the way he went along with one horrible TIF deal after the next (I am adding the infamous, take care of the rich and powerful Boley Building TIF give-away) with a sweetheart Savoy TIF deal serving as his latest disgrace.
-----------------
Mostly a quote from the Blogger King, Tony Botello. What do you have to say about this, Dan??? Has he misspoken? Said anything untrue? Been vulgar??
Come on Dan, it's dialogue time!!! Isn't that what you made this blog for???? Or is Gone Mild just for you to stroke your ego and create an alternate world for you to hide out in and escape to?
Yael is one of the most horrid writers I have ever read. In fact, his ranting led me to cancel my subscription to the KC Star - and I told the Star that was the reason for my cancellation. To "Inafunkaboutthefunk": go away. No one is interested in that drivel anymore - and very few ever were interested - only about 10,000 citizens that signed for Funk's recall. The rest of us could care less - we have lives. It's the City Council and the City Manager that desperately need to go. They are all a disaster.
to Anon 945PM... LMBS. We do agree about Yael. I agree that Cauthen should have been expunged; you have your boy Funk to thank for this! Instead of telling the truth and being upfront, he treated Cauthen badly (less than would treat a dog) and energized the Council to vote against his own wishes and worse, extend the putrid Cauthen's contract. This is an indisputable statement of fact. As to the comment about only 10,000 people interested enough to sign the recall petition, the fact is that there were more than 13,000 certified signatures and in the General Election for Mayor there were about 82,000 total votes. So it seems that the vulgar divisive despicable racially insensitive pathetic delusional and otherwise embarrassing and vile behavior of the Gruesome Twosome was enough to get almost 15% of the people who voted to be mad enough to want to see the Funk flushed two years early. And it seems that a number equal to 30% of the votes he got to be elected where the number of people who came out to get him "unelected." As to going away... I am not going anywhere until this loser is gone from the Office Of Mayor. Having him as Mayor has embarrassed us all (except for you, Jorge Balackwell, Schmendrick Blackwell, Dan and Bill I am No One's Friend From The Crossroads Drummond) and accelerated the bad times that the City has dropped into... and with him, there is no way things will get better. He is JUST PLAIN STUPID and when he is finally gone, we will all be the better for it.
Long Live the Orange Revolution, the Orange Revolution is dead!!!!!
Dan, you remain silent. Cat got your tongue or is it that you don't want to go toe to toe on ALL THINGS FUNKHOUSER??? No sweat, most of us know you and know the thruth about the Gruesome Twosome. I was just offering you a chance to get with it once and for all.
Ina - I've whipped you in this discussion before, and you have become tedious. I get it - you don't like Funkhouser, and never will. It's boring.
It's also off-topic.
Dan Dan Dan... you have deleted my comments in the past because you couldn't stand to be called out and your own comments proven delusion or JUST PLAIN UNTRUE. But you have never whipped me other than in your own mind :) And on rare occasions, even you yourself have admitted what I have flagellated your for... that your pro funk bias is evident and that in all things Funk you wear a chip on your shoulder and are hateful of any comments about him that you don't either like or agree with.
That being said... whip away Danny :)
P.S. Dan, you have always stated that one of your main reasons for deleting comments is that they are VULGAR. WOuld you have deleted the infamous Gloria Squitiro Christmas Card because it was VULGAR??? Or, the card coming from the Gruesome Twosome (Funk was quoted as saying that he read the card before it went out, approved it going out and that it was fine by him) would you have let it stay on your blog???? This seems like a no-brainer to me Dan. Are you man enough to deal with the question??? Or is it whipping and deleting time again???
P.S. I wonder what Tony Botello would have to say about this?????? You know him, don't you?
I think that Tony Botello should take over the Gone Mild blog from Dan. It would become more relevant and interesting to read. And Dan could still get the street credit.
Amen brother... or Tony can replace or ghost write for Dan on all things Funkhouser :)
Must only have one voice regarding Funk. Dan disagrees with the mob, so he must be wrong, and must be silenced. Shame on him for disagreeing with such intellectuals as "anonymous" and "Inafunkaboutthefunk".
Luckily he has you on his side :) Ha ha ha! What a putz!
Post a Comment
<< Home