Seriously? TWO HOURS???
Professor Lisa Disch, the woman who organized the Emergency Manager forum in Ann Arbor on February 6, 2012 left me a very kind comment on the cross-posting of my report over at Blogging for Michigan.
In her comment, Professor Disch informs us that Representative Mark Ouimet cancelled his appearance only two hours before the event was scheduled to begin. Two hours. So that he could attend “a school board meeting”.
You can’t tell me it wasn’t intentional that he skipped out that late so that it would be impossible to find another Republican to replace him. I don’t believe it. He couldn’t even be arsed to send a statement, much less are replacement.
It’s unbelievably disrespectful to what Professor Disch and her students put together. Mark Ouimet owes them, and his constituents, a very public apology.
Here is Professor Disch’s comment and my response.
Dear Chris,Thank you for this excellent coverage of Monday’s event. This write-up captures all of what I thought were the highlights. And thank you for giving a shout-out to our students. I thought they were superb too.
Your question was great (i.e. why were there no Republican legislators to face the music). Unfortunately, Ouimet cancelled at 4p.m. It was simply impossible for me to find a replacement at such a late date.
I’ll follow your blog.
Lisa Disch
Professor, UM Dept of Political Science
My response:
Professor Disch,
I truly hope you didn’t take anything I said as any sort of dig at or criticism of you. Nothing could be further from the truth and, in retrospect, I should have had something to say about your having put together such a terrific and necessary event.My complaint was aimed squarely at Mark Ouimet and his GOP colleagues. The fact that he cancelled on you two hours before the event can be seen as nothing more than an insult to what you were trying to accomplish. Kudos for you for your efforts and shame on them for their casual affront. It’s highly telling.
And, yes, you should be VERY proud of your students. They represented your program with intelligent dignity.
Warmest regards,
Chris
