It's already getting ugly

All across the cities, the levy referendums abound. From Anoka down to the Savage Lands, schools are asking for more money from the ever burdened taxpayers. However, things are already starting to get ugly in Stillwater.

An already contentious school levy debate took an ugly turn late last week
when several people involved with two popular anti-levy Web sites learned that
information about them and their families had been anonymously posted on another
site by someone calling themselves "Stillwater Infidel."The information -
including home addresses, tax statements, license plate numbers, and the
identities of children and other family members - was published between July 18
and Sept. 8 on HeavyLevy834.blogspot.com, a Web log that takes its name from the
citizens group that actively opposed last fall's failed District 834 levy
referenda.

The discovery of the blog prompted a flurry of e-mails, phone calls and
blog posts that started Friday and continued through the weekend between people
on both sides of the levy debate and school officials.

By Friday night, some posts had been changed to remove children's names. By
late Saturday, the offending posts had been removed from the site completely and
replaced with a new post titled "Point made."

Now I remember back (in late 2005/early 2006) when Michael Brodkorb was being harassed and sued by Democrats who were intent on "exposing" the Exposer. Many comments were left by anonymous commenters (don't you just love that irony?) with pictures of Michael's house, the address, phone numbers....the whole nine yards. A lot of honest folks from both parties were equally indignant at the treatment some anonymous punk was posting. I had long discussions with the Logical Husband over how I should handle a similar situation should the time arise. Thankfully I never had to worry about that. However, I know how worried and upset I would have been if it were my family that was being treated in such a manner which is why the actions of "stillwater infidel" are so repugnant.

Jason Lewis is it a quest to reveal the identity of "stillwater infidel". Given what he/she did to people behind the "Citizens for Responsible Spending" (the people behind the heavylevy834 blog it certainly would be a karmic payback. However, I again go back to what Michael and the Lovely Mrs. MDE went through 2 years ago and I cringe.These levies are already loaded with heated rhetoric. The Anoka Hennepin School district (the largest in the state) has been accused by parents of engaging in emotional blackmail by talking about the schools that will be closed and the programs that will be cut should their levy not be passed. While things have not gotten that heated yet here in the Savage Lands, I know that it is coming...I have talked to proponents on both sides and the emotions are running that high.

Rather than dealing with emotions why don't we try to deal with fact. No one will deny that educating the children is a very important thing. However, personal responsibility is a lesson well taught. We do not teach that lesson when we chose to act in an irresponsible manner and I do not think that anyone would deny the actions of "stillwater infidel" are anything but irresponsible.