Saturday, February 24, 2007

Police arrest Cappleman campaigner for violating order of protection in front of Helen Shiller Offices

If my dear readers recall, I did say the Cappleman forces at times behave like stalkers. Well, apparently in one case this seems to have led to an arrest.

Here's the skinny as I received it (and I am quoting):
"This year’s aldermanic campaign continues to take nasty turns. On the evening of Tuesday, February 20th, one of the opposition’s campaign workers was arrested for violating an order of protection while campaigning on behalf of Cappleman. The worker had harassed an aldermanic staff member for the last two months resulting in an order of protection. On Tuesday afternoon, that worker violated the order of protection, threatening the staff member at the Alderman’s Ward Service Office. He was carrying Cappleman literature at the time."
This same fellah (the one arrested) made a comment on another Cappleman site, buenaparkneighbors.org, about "Denise." Denise is a good friend of my wife and I, and another employee at Helen's office. She was also the person who forced this guy away from the other worker and Helen's offices (pretty darn brave of her) and who called the police. He wrote of Denise: "Not only does she look like like a Drag-Queen, but she is a crazy Draq-Queen!"

This reminded me. Those were the same words contained in another post on the exact same board years ago, when another reactionary candidate was running against Helen. It said the same thing about the same Denise but went on about it at length and had (to me and Denise when I asked her) racial overtones. In one of the very few posts I ever attempted on that board, I wrote a lengthy response to the poster (and a few others who initially applauded his crass dehumanizing of another). As Denise is black, the whole tone of their responses left me (and her, when I later asked her about it) feeling defiled racially and as a woman. Like I needed to tell y'all that. After I vented my spleen, the post was removed. (Very faint applause.) That was years ago, which might tell the discerning soul a thing or two.

Funny thing about this is... Denise has been featured on the front cover of publications (and I don't doubt elsewhere) due to her striking, attractive features and colorful Africanesque style of clothing. My wife covets Denise's wardrobe... but that's off-topic here. We'll leave poor Denise alone now.

As long as we're talking stalking, I think ol' Irish Pirate is a bit creepy / stalkerish, too. If he's interested in "freedom of the press" (as he claims) maybe someone can tell him where the real story is. Like, turning the camera on himself and trying to define what "news story" means.

Campaign stalking. A whole new category of political action...

Maybe local politics is what makes my commentary on other stuff a little spicier than it should be. I gotta vent somewhere!!

3 comments:

Jon Trott said...

Today, one of the folks who works at our Cornerstone Community Outreach Shelter for homeless women and kids was confronted and photographed by a creepy anonymous cameraman.

Uh... more stalking? Can anyone say "really really creepy?"

Anonymous said...

i say it's an opportunity to photograph Irish Pirate!

That's one of his greatest fears -- for someone to see him as a human individual!

i say have people ared & ready with digital cameras / camera cell phones/ whatever. Maybe someone can distract him while another approaches from behind , with camera ready.

Don't hurt him in any way, but surprise him enough to have his face shown.

What time has he been out there?

Jon Trott said...

This was as the individual was walking home from the CCO Shelter. I don't know an exact time. It did upset him very much to find someone he didn't even know snapping pictures of him. You are right, though... maybe we should all start a counter-camera insurgency -- snapping pictures of picture-takers and posting them on our sites.

Whadda world. Yes, and if anyone does join our little conspiracy, please do *not* confront the individuals physically or via screaming. Just get the picture, or if videoing, ask them direct, calm questions as you film.

And JP, you are as sick as I am. We've only got 45 minutes before its time to go to church!