Published: June 28, 2009 01:17 am      

LETTERS: June 28, 2009

Sleeping with the devil ... in a trash can



It is truly fascinating to watch the “Great Garbage Can Caper” bring out all of the political alliances and animosities throughout Jeffersonville and Clark County. Anywhere you go, someone is talking about what happened, what should have happened and what happens next.

Mr. Wilder has taken a bold step in resigning his positions with the Jeff City Council and the Greater Clark School Board and appears to realize the folly of his actions. Many others are still trying to blame the police officers for Mr. Wilder’s unfortunate incident. This will only prolong the embarrassment for Mr. Wilder and possibly prevent him from putting the issue behind him for some time.Over the years, mostly during my tenure on the Utica Town Council, Mr. Wilder and I found ourselves on opposing sides of issues. His personality and spirited pursuit of his or his client’s point of view can be quite polarizing, like many successful people. There are undoubtedly a number of people taking pleasure in his embarrassment. Schadenfreude is very much alive and well in Clark County.

From what I understand, Mr. Wilder has had a difficult time recently in his personal life. Making the right decisions in our life is hard enough without the trauma of family issues and whether this was an isolated incident or a red flag indicating more serious issues is a question for Mr. Wilder and his family to answer. I sincerely hope that whatever the reason for his actions, it gets resolved and he is able to put it behind him and continue his life peacefully. He does not need continued public criticism or scrutiny but rather good wishes and prayers.

Most of us make stupid mistakes in our lives. I have certainly made much more than my share. There is only one thing you can count on when you mess up: Someone will be there to see it and relate it to everyone you know and even more that you don’t know. You may not even know it at the time but it will come out. No one is more aware of this than police officers.

During my 22 years in law enforcement, I watched the influx of the video camera into daily patrol duties, not only in the police cars but in the hands of citizens watching your every move. As a public servant, police are clearly subject to this scrutiny, both on and off duty and rightfully so. As an attorney and especially City Council attorney, Mr. Wilder is and was also a public servant, a part of the justice system and subject to that same scrutiny. He has no more expectation of privacy than any other public official. It is of no significance who leaked the photos and serves no useful purpose pursuing a witch hunt to punish someone that has done nothing wrong.

Many would have considered it political favoritism and a cover-up if the photos had been squelched. That would be more worthy of an investigation but that did not happen. The officer did not embarrass Mr. Wilder, he embarrassed himself, just as all of us imperfect humans do from time to time. He seems to realize this and it is time for everyone else to realize it as well. The matter should be dropped immediately by the police department and the city administration. It is time to move on!

— Rick “Richard” Reynolds, Borden



Reader ponders taking, use of picture



Oh my — the power of a Polaroid. Far be it from me to judge another human being, the person who took this picture — or the person in the picture.

Although, I feel a strong tugging at my soul to express my sadness in the fact that someone would be so determined to expose a man at what seems to me to be a very dark hour in his life. Maybe he’s a real blankety-blank — maybe he’s not. Maybe the person who took the picture is a real good Samaritan — maybe they’re not.

I know one thing for sure: There’s not a human being on earth who is without fault. My concern is for the collective conscience of our community, our hometown, our world. Why on earth would we want to do something so utterly harmful to another human being?

I don’t know why whoever snapped the shot did so. That person made a personal choice. I do know the newspaper had a choice to make also. I can’t understand this people — seriously.

As a wise soul once said: “When you see yourself in others, whom then shall you harm?”

— Kim Poore, Jeffersonville