Don,
Don't excuse Prateek for his flier by saying he's a 22 year old college student.
He's a big boy. He can speak for himself. He was old enough to write that flier. I say he's old enough to apologize for it.
Don, the flier was an attempt to defame three taxi drivers (Melissa, Kasp and me) who were trying to help other drivers. The flier was vicious and filled with lies. You think it should be excused because of Prateek's youth? I don't.
Wasn't Prateek hired to help us to do exactly what we did? Instead he cut us down and testified against us at the fare increase hearing.
If Prateek wants to be forgiven, he first needs to apologize. I make mistakes and ask for forgiveness when I do. I wouldn't call that flier a mistake - it was premeditated. But that doesn't mean he still can't be forgiven. As long as he doesn't apologize and maintains his prejudicial views of people, he won't be forgiven, at least not by me.
Hopefully Prateek is more of a man than you. You wouldn't apologize when you knew you were wrong because you thought you wouldn't be forgiven. But Don, you don't apologize on the condition of the outcome; you apologize for doing something wrong.
Hopefully Prateek is maturing enough that he may realize this and will offer an apology because it's the right thing to do. Then maybe we can move forward.
George Lutfallah
Chicago Dispatcher
George:
Who are you to "try" anyone? And if Prateek Sampat chooses not to prostrate himself before you or atone for what may well have been in your eyes a mortal sin, who are you to pass judgment? Who is anyone to do so? What gives you the moral authority to cast the first stone?
It's not much different from Senator McCarthy branding someone a "Commie". That's the basis of the criticism I offered previously. Faced with that, a smart young man - and Sampat is no fool - would never respond to anything you publish on YOUR turf using your bat, your ball and your rules.
It's not my place or intention to "excuse" Sampat for anything he did or didn't do. I couldn't care less about such tripe. To me, the issues of employer-independent contractor and whether cabdrivers should have decent benefits and a meter raise are focal. I couldn't give less of a diddly-doo about some flier that affects nobody except perhaps you who still are incensed about it and harbor a grudge.
For that matter, nobody else except you and Mike Foulks has expressed the slightest concern about Sampat's flier in weeks on your "Forum". At this point, I even doubt Melissa Callahan or Kasp care about it. There are much more important issues: the proposed new rules and regulations come to mind as foremost to anyone driving a taxi in Chicago these days.
Reading back through the questions you and Mike Foulks pose of me in the light of your challenge to Sampat, I see them as "mis-leading". They are like asking a guy: "How often do you beat your wife?" The question presumes the person being interrogated beats his wife.
Objection sustained.
Next question - if you have any that are not loaded.
But then why answer any questions? What advantage does it bring?
Mr. Nathan,
Raja Khan, the 'C' or 'P' of CPTDA (I'm not sure), re-raised the issues about the flyer. That generated the 'weeks' of response. Raja Khan never posted counter-responses. He didn't get away with his subtle 're-telling' of the 'truth'.
You are in the position of speculating about Melissa Callahan's and George Kasp's opinions about issues. I don't need to speculate. I have good dialogue with both cabdrivers.
We don't need Legal 101 here, Mr. Nathan. We 'mope/lunatic' cabdrivers are a little smarter than you give us credit for.
How often DO you beat your wife, Mr. Nathan? Or your daughters?
The simple, honest answer is for you to say 'Never!', assuming that it is a true statement.
The problem is that there's nothing simple or honest about your presence here.
Why answer questions? What a schmuck. You answer questions to promote understanding. Answering questions can reveal you to be a truth-teller or a mother-******* liar.
Which are you, Mr. Nathan, usually?
-Mike Foulks
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Replying to:
George:
Who are you to "try" anyone? And if Prateek Sampat chooses not to prostrate himself before you or atone for what may well have been in your eyes a mortal sin, who are you to pass judgment? Who is anyone to do so? What gives you the moral authority to cast the first stone?
It's not much different from Senator McCarthy branding someone a "Commie". That's the basis of the criticism I offered previously. Faced with that, a smart young man - and Sampat is no fool - would never respond to anything you publish on YOUR turf using your bat, your ball and your rules.
It's not my place or intention to "excuse" Sampat for anything he did or didn't do. I couldn't care less about such tripe. To me, the issues of employer-independent contractor and whether cabdrivers should have decent benefits and a meter raise are focal. I couldn't give less of a diddly-doo about some flier that affects nobody except perhaps you who still are incensed about it and harbor a grudge.
For that matter, nobody else except you and Mike Foulks has expressed the slightest concern about Sampat's flier in weeks on your "Forum". At this point, I even doubt Melissa Callahan or Kasp care about it. There are much more important issues: the proposed new rules and regulations come to mind as foremost to anyone driving a taxi in Chicago these days.
Reading back through the questions you and Mike Foulks pose of me in the light of your challenge to Sampat, I see them as "mis-leading". They are like asking a guy: "How often do you beat your wife?" The question presumes the person being interrogated beats his wife.
Objection sustained.
Next question - if you have any that are not loaded.
But then why answer any questions? What advantage does it bring?
Mr. Nathan,
Perhaps you expect all cabdrivers to be agreeable 'mopes' and you have trouble with those who won't embrace you without question...'lunatics' like me, I guess.
I don't have to be 'old enough' to have the cultural reference of 'McCarthy', or to be aware of the significance of 'Have you no decency, sir?'.
I am thirty-six (36) years old. I am a decent man. I am an honest, hard-working cabdriver.
When Prateek Sampat isn't acting as a self-interested defamer, he makes outrageous claims to get cabdrivers' attention, but then fails to support his claims, with documentation or otherwise.
The TWO Project, like the CPTDA, has more letters in its name than actual cabdrivers who have bona-fide leadership power or 'control'.
Prateek Sampat wants cabdrivers to be sheep. He's not even smart enough to be a wolf. He's a really bad shepherd. Like the one in the tale who always cries 'wolf, wolf, wolf!'.
The media will eventually stop running to this 'alarm'. Who is our best defender right now? (As long as we adhere to the truth...)
The media. Which of the media is most interested in reporting the truth about cabdrivers' stories?
The Chicago Dispatcher. What part of former full-time and erstwhile cabdriver Mr. George Lutfallah's 'media empire' has been most productive and tolerant of contentious discussion?
You're looking at it. Cabmarket.com.
Is this the same George Lutfallah that Prateek Sampat tried to 'warn' cabdrivers about at a 'meeting' at the UNITE-HERE building last year?
It is McCarthy-like for you, Mr. Nathan, to disparage me because I don't hold the 'conveniently-false' opinion that George Lutfallah should be regarded negatively because he partially finances his newspaper with advertisements from 'fleets' or allows Commissioner Reyes to contribute a column. Like McCarthy, you and others have felt the need to get attention for yourselves by using fear-mongering and name-calling to convince others (yourselves, too) that George Lutfallah and I are part of some conspiracy or 'secret plan'.
Have YOU no decency, sir?
What is so blessed important about Prateek Sampat in particular, or the American Friends Service Committe in general that a non-cabdriver like you wants us cabdrivers to overlook his serious, unapologetic trangressions and 'play nice' with him?
I know what's in it for him. Continued employment, at least. Is that enough of a 'profit-motive'?
What's in it for us cabdrivers? Continued headaches and distractions?
What's in it for you? A blossoming relationship with a network like the Quaker Church? Don't make us guess and then tell us we're stupid. We're not stupid...
Why does Don Nathan want cabdriver activists to include a known liar like Prateek Sampat?
Well, Mr. Nathan?
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Replying to:
Mr. Foulks:
You want to use an Internet blog "Discussion Forum" to air opinions laced with hate. Anyone reading your last posting old enough to remember watching the Army-McCarthy hearings on black-and-white T.V. would have an instant flash of the question being asked of Joe McCarthy: "Have you no decency, sir?"
Would that I could find a way to ask you a question like that.
What do you care so blessed much about some infamous flyer that you have to berate a 22 year old college student? You seem hell bent on hanging him out to dry just like Joe McCarthy tried to crucify that young lawyer in 1953 for who the devil knows what.
What is so blessed important about it?
Have you no decency, sir?
Please excuse me, I forgot to sign my name to the last post.
At least I have always had the 'courage' to sign my name and not use pseudonyms here on Cabmarket.com, unlike some 'cowards'.
-Mike Foulks, President, Chicago Cabdriver Organization (CCO)
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Replying to:
Mr. Nathan,
Perhaps you expect all cabdrivers to be agreeable 'mopes' and you have trouble with those who won't embrace you without question...'lunatics' like me, I guess.
I don't have to be 'old enough' to have the cultural reference of 'McCarthy', or to be aware of the significance of 'Have you no decency, sir?'.
I am thirty-six (36) years old. I am a decent man. I am an honest, hard-working cabdriver.
When Prateek Sampat isn't acting as a self-interested defamer, he makes outrageous claims to get cabdrivers' attention, but then fails to support his claims, with documentation or otherwise.
The TWO Project, like the CPTDA, has more letters in its name than actual cabdrivers who have bona-fide leadership power or 'control'.
Prateek Sampat wants cabdrivers to be sheep. He's not even smart enough to be a wolf. He's a really bad shepherd. Like the one in the tale who always cries 'wolf, wolf, wolf!'.
The media will eventually stop running to this 'alarm'. Who is our best defender right now? (As long as we adhere to the truth...)
The media. Which of the media is most interested in reporting the truth about cabdrivers' stories?
The Chicago Dispatcher. What part of former full-time and erstwhile cabdriver Mr. George Lutfallah's 'media empire' has been most productive and tolerant of contentious discussion?
You're looking at it. Cabmarket.com.
Is this the same George Lutfallah that Prateek Sampat tried to 'warn' cabdrivers about at a 'meeting' at the UNITE-HERE building last year?
It is McCarthy-like for you, Mr. Nathan, to disparage me because I don't hold the 'conveniently-false' opinion that George Lutfallah should be regarded negatively because he partially finances his newspaper with advertisements from 'fleets' or allows Commissioner Reyes to contribute a column. Like McCarthy, you and others have felt the need to get attention for yourselves by using fear-mongering and name-calling to convince others (yourselves, too) that George Lutfallah and I are part of some conspiracy or 'secret plan'.
Have YOU no decency, sir?
What is so blessed important about Prateek Sampat in particular, or the American Friends Service Committe in general that a non-cabdriver like you wants us cabdrivers to overlook his serious, unapologetic trangressions and 'play nice' with him?
I know what's in it for him. Continued employment, at least. Is that enough of a 'profit-motive'?
What's in it for us cabdrivers? Continued headaches and distractions?
What's in it for you? A blossoming relationship with a network like the Quaker Church? Don't make us guess and then tell us we're stupid. We're not stupid...
Why does Don Nathan want cabdriver activists to include a known liar like Prateek Sampat?
Well, Mr. Nathan?
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Replying to:
Mr. Foulks:
You want to use an Internet blog "Discussion Forum" to air opinions laced with hate. Anyone reading your last posting old enough to remember watching the Army-McCarthy hearings on black-and-white T.V. would have an instant flash of the question being asked of Joe McCarthy: "Have you no decency, sir?"
Would that I could find a way to ask you a question like that.
What do you care so blessed much about some infamous flyer that you have to berate a 22 year old college student? You seem hell bent on hanging him out to dry just like Joe McCarthy tried to crucify that young lawyer in 1953 for who the devil knows what.
What is so blessed important about it?
Have you no decency, sir?
