By Dale Bass - Kamloops This Week - July 04, 2008
Calling him a hypocrite, Coun. John O’Fee denied being the anonymous source of negative comments on Coun. Arjun Singh’s blog, www.yourkamloops.com. The issue arose after Singh wrote on this blog this week that he had tracked the Internet protocol address of comments made by a poster named “Jake” to O’Fee’s law firm, Morelli Cherkow. The same person, using the e-mail address getridofbetty@hotmail.com, has posted on www.electionprediction.org, on the Kamloops Thompson-Cariboo link, with comments critical of MP Betty Hinton and the Conservative government. Singh told KTW he does not know who at the law firm might be writing the critical comments. “If I connect the dots, I get sued,” he said. “I just want those comments to stop. I could have called John and asked him to stop.” O’Fee said he has an idea who in the 30-employee office might be behind the comments, but isn’t about to discuss it publicly.
However, he criticized Singh, noting the rookie councillor has “vociferously” defended the validity of anonymous comments on his blog. “But it seems it’s only OK to be anonymous if it’s not critical . . . I mean, come on, Arjun. You seem to be obsessed with tracking down your critic.” Among comments that upset Singh were: “If ‘grandstanding” is defined as using one’s position to pontificate about matters over which one has no control, then that would appear to be all you ever do.” Singh said the software behind his blog allows him to check IP addresses, which are unique to each computer. It was this tool that identified the law firm as the source. He said he was upset someone in a law firm, using the firm’s equipment, was taking work time to post onto his blog. O’Fee said he’s never been afraid to criticize Singh — or even Hinton and her government — publicly. He said he’s not a frequent reader of the blog, looking at it occasionally. He said he expects his employer will likely speak to him about the issue “once it hits the newspapers,” and an e-mail will likely be distributed telling staff to not post on blogs.
Mayor Terry Lake said he doesn’t plan to talk to his two councillors about the issue. “This is between them. It has nothing to do with council.” However, Lake questioned the validity of a blog that “outs” critical posters. “I don’t know much about the rules of blogging, but I always thought they were to encourage discussion and sharing opinions and it’s strange now. “Will people want to contribute and not feel like they’re being investigated?” Lake asked. “Does that mean you aren’t being sincere asking for comments?”
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Don Quixote Note: All comments on this blog are screened for their content before being published. I would say about 2 of every 3 comments are acceptable as being in the realm of fair public comment. I have neither the desire or the capability of finding out the IP address of people who make anonymous comments.
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