Ducking Like A Duck

To the Editor:

This letter is in response to the March 9 For The Record article and the March 16 Letter to the Editor submitted in response by Local 375's Second Vice President, Michelle Keller.

The March 9 For the Record item claims that I was among those who countered that Mitch Feder was just using a figure of speech. I called up Mitch Feder the day after to complain to him that the Lillian Roberts "on her knees" comment was far, far from the best choice of words, that it could be (and was) taken in a wrong way. It behooves people who want to become president of a union to carefully weigh, ponder and measure their words.

The problem I had with the resolution is that it claimed Mitch Feder made two wrong statements when at worst he made one. I was sitting next to Mitch Feder that night and can categorically state that Mitch Feder did not say that Lillian Roberts was in bed with the Mayor.

My attempt to table the motion to censure and condemn Mitch Feder until the delegates could hear the taped transcripts of the meetings in question was fiercely resisted. Shouldn't every attempt be utilized to secure data and evidence pertaining to what happened and who did or did not say what, before a motion to censure and/or condemn?

This resolution was more important to Local 375's top leadership at the June 2006 Delegate Meeting than discussing and dealing with the contract that was to be settled a month later.

Regarding Michelle Keller's March 16 letter in The Chief, the way it was written it looks like President Fort took responsibility for the Henry Ford quotation, and not Michelle Keller. At least another chair who made some bigoted, vile, homophobic comments at a recent meeting apologized himself and did not resort to or rely on someone else to apologize for their mistake.

Did it ever occur to Michelle Keller that there might be a reason why the 1998 Chapter 38 (HPD) nominations on a Jewish holiday were an issue when she ran for re-election as 2nd Vice President in 2006 but not when she ran for 2nd Vice President in 2003? Maybe Michelle Keller is not an anti-Semite, but if something quacks like a duck, can one assume it might be a duck?

FRED NEWTON