WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. June 9, 2005: A reader responds on the Stukes Stiffing:
I have to admit, I was also tempted to write in after I read that last sentence on the WP Cable article. But now since you've clarified your remarks:
What the "Stukes Stiffing" and "The Playing of Ron Jackson" this week shows that if you are an African-American, an Hispanic, a Muslim, a Jamaican, even a well-meaning White, you have to endure the fact that loyalty and performance count for nothing if City Hall or the Powers that control your destiny have something else in mind.
How did you determine the reason that the "Powers that be" denied Mr. Stukes the job?
You seem eager to imply it was racism in the original article. Could you ask Mr. Stukes to comment further here?
Sincerely,
WP citizen
The CitizeNetReporter Replies: Mr. Stukes is free to comment if he wishes, and has indicated he does not wish to do so. But, you must realize he is in an awkward position.
No statement to the effect, saying, "Mr. Kenny is a great person who has increased Rye City TV participation, generated XX number of original programs in his 20 years at Rye City Television, and ability to reach out to our community, etc., etc.," has been issued by the Cable Television Commission, not even the no-brainer statement such as "He is a person whom we think can grow White Plains Public Access television," was issued or said Monday evening when Mr. Kenny was announced.
What impressed them? That is the question.
When Dr. Frank Straub was chosen over Dan Hickey for Commissioner of Public Safety, Straub's credentials were well chronicled by City Hall and thanks to that "educational process" made Dr. Straub's transition to a new Public Safety Commander from outside of White Plains acceptable to the community and the police and fire personnel.
The new Executive Director of Cable Public Access in White Plains deserves no less a sendoff.
The failure to do so by the Cable Television Commission leads me to the conclusion that the position is a sensitive one that City Hall would like to control and change policies on, just as they are changing policies for the worse on the city skating rink, for example, charging instructors heavy frqnchise fees before they can teach lessons there.
Not that I have any indication the city is going to do that with Public Access, but it is the pattern that is happening with various city functions: parking, the skating rink, and reported fees for Building Department documents being just two examples.
But, then I'm just a suspicious guy.
John Bailey, Executive Editor, White Plains CitizeNetReporter
