Autopsy of Naperville councilman’s communication

When it comes to our children, most parents try to instill right from wrong, good from bad, along with an awareness of what integrity and character mean. It helps define whether a person shows class, or is just another stale cheerio in a bowl of cheerios.

There are good role models, and there are many not-so-good role models, and a person can learn from each type. From some you can learn what to do, and from others you can learn what not to do; sort of like ‘gallant and goofus’. Gallant does it right, while Goofus manages to goof things up.

Take for example, Naperville councilman Bob Fieseler. In a communication to city council candidate Ms. Jo Malik, councilman Fieseler had another chance to be ‘Gallant’, but as is usually the case, ‘Goofus’ prevailed when he wrote,

“ Better get used to it, Candidate Jo. You’re in the arena now, so put on your big girl pants and stop your whining. Ah but relief will be yours on April 10 when you’ll be returning to the 3-Minutes-Of-Fame Chorus, and you’ll be able to deliver entertaining remarks to those of us on the dais. And oh, I just heard your campaign song and it’s perfect: :Toxic by Brittany Spears from her In The Zone album. Have a listen, maybe you’ll decide to crawl out of the OCD rabbit hole and into The Zone of Reason and Sanity.”

That communication comes from an elected Naperville official (city councilman Bob Fieseler) to a resident of the city he claims to represent. Unfortunately for other members of the Naperville city council, his disrespectful behavior towards a resident casts a shadow over them. And it doesn’t speak well of Naperville either because he was elected to office. Whether or not he would communicate like this to a male gender, one can only guess, since Jo is female. How ironic that Bob Fieseler is ‘forced’ to sit next to the only female council person at the dais (Judy Brodhead).

Lets dissect Fieseler’s communication.

“Better get used to it, Candidate Jo. You’re in the arena now”

Does Fieseler see representing residents as warfare; us, the council against ‘them’, the residents.

“so put on your big girl pants”

Sounds a bit ‘sexist’ doesn’t it.

“and stop your whining”

A classic condescending remark.

“Ah but relief will be yours on April 10,”

The day after the municipal election

“when you’ll be returning to the 3-Minutes-Of-Fame Chorus”

So that’s how Fieseler looks at a resident’s right to speak during the ‘Public Forum’.

“and you’ll still be able to deliver entertaining remarks”

Looks like Fieseler would rather be entertained, than to listen and maybe learn from the residents.

“to those of us on the dais”

Wow, if that doesn’t sound like King George speaking down to the peasants.

“And, oh, I just heard your campaign song and it’s perfect”

Sounds a bit childish, doesn’t it.

“Toxic by Brittany Spears from her In The Zone album”

Councilman Bob Fieseler can only wish that he was the male passenger on that flight.

“Have a listen, maybe you’ll crawl out of the OCD rabbit hole”

I didn’t know Fieseler was a psychiatrist and a veterinarian at the same time.

“And into The Zone of Reason and Sanity.”

Isn’t that what Hitler said, but then again it’s possible that Fieseler thinks that Hitler was “just mis-understood.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if Ms. Jo Malik was elected to the Naperville city council and councilman Fieseler was forced to sit between Jo Malik and Judy Brodhead.