You have to laugh... or you'd cry! - Page 2

dillon · 25-07-2005, 05:48

I don't think it's very appropriate for somebody employed by Mid Penine Arts to promote the panopticon project to be criticising a council leader on a public forum like this.
Hyndburn, I believe, are the one council really making it difficult for MPA to complete their panopticon project, and to be so critical of the Hyndburn Council leader really is skating on thin ice. Do your bosses know you are on here Miss Knight?
Are you commenting with their permission, or as a member of the public? It might be a good idea to seperate the two a little more.

Acrylic-bob · 25-07-2005, 07:19

Errm, I fully realise that Gayle is more than capable of speaking for herself on this issue, but nevertheless, as a resident of the borough I would have thought that she had as much right as anyone else to speak her mind, either on this forum or indeed anywhere else. The comment by Dillon appears to me to be a bald attempt at censorship by intimidation.

The membership of this forum take freedom of speech issues very seriously and do not take kindly to attempts at interference with such freedoms.

WillowTheWhisp · 25-07-2005, 07:45

Dillon, if Peter Britcliffe wanted to come on here and put forward his point of view he would be quite welcome to do so. We have had at least one councillor as a member and would welcome others whatever their opinions were.

I don't think Gayle has ever spoken in behalf of anyone but herself when she has voiced a personal opinion. When she has been asked to put forward the MPA viewpoint she has done so - who better to do it? Most of us are more than capable of understanding that.

I'm not quite sure what you are getting at or what you are implying by asking if her bosses know she is a member here.

fireman · 25-07-2005, 07:56

Quite corect AB I consider Gayle to be a very good ambassador bothe for MPA and HBC. She has spoken for and against both, but in a manner which I considered fair. She is entitled to her own opinion as is everyone else in this world. Dillon I am sure you have not gone through your working life agreeing totally with everything your bosses have told you, or the tasks they ask you to fulfill. If we did not have open minded people in a position such as "Miss Knight" then how would we as members of the public get to know all the ins and outs of these types of projects. We are fully kept informed of the ups and the downs of this project, and I can assure you their is no subterfuge involved. Now you have expressed your opinion please allow Gayle the same privilege. Thankyou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

park381 · 25-07-2005, 08:28

Well said a-b,wtw, & fireman, whilst I don't always agree with gayles comments, she is as all of us are, entitled to express our own opinions on this forum.

entwisi · 25-07-2005, 08:33

Depending on her contract she may be well advised to put a disclaimer at the bottom of any posts that could be misconstrued. At work we have discussion forums and one condition of posting is thet we include a standard disclaimer on all posts just in case so that it covers our employers. I don't think it needs to be on all her posts, just those where she is maybe going against what her company would want her to be saying

cashman · 25-07-2005, 11:36

i agree and disagree with the views of gayle,and the councillor,as well as other members,they in turn do likewise with my opinions,i think everyone is entitled to a POINT OF VIEW dillon.

garinda · 25-07-2005, 12:19

Agree with other previous posters since Dillons comments.

Gayle Knight, in my opinion, is as entitled to her opinion as anyone else. She as a public figure as had the bottle to post under her own name. She could have chosen to hide behind a nom de plume and we'd have been non the wiser.

There are lost of things posted on here that l disagree with, and l'm sure there are things l write which people disagree with, but it is our right to do so, just as it is Gayle's.

You Dillon, have the advantage over Gayle because you know her from part of her work. The only thing we know about you Dillon is that you were born on April Fool's Day and are twenty five, and you have the same name as the rabbit from the Magic Roundabout, which makes you to young to be Cllr. Britcliffe.

cashman · 25-07-2005, 14:37

dillon have you stopped to think? some folk could well construe your comment as an attempt at intimidation, i think if they did you yourself may be skating on thin ice.(just an observation)

Gayle · 25-07-2005, 15:06

Wow - who would have known I could cause such a fuss! Thank you everyone for defending my right to free speech.

I came on this forum originally with one intent - to win people over to the Panopticon project and if not to win them over then to at least get the truth out there so that people could make a more informed decision. Whether that has happened or not, I perhaps can't comment but I do know that I am always honest in my posts and try to inform people rather than make comment when it comes to issues that might be considered a conflict of interest.

Yes, I work for MPA (amongst other companies as I am partly freelance as well), I do NOT work for the council. although I do know a number of people who work for the council so sometimes get inside information. Yes, HBC are proving to be a difficult council to deal with in regards to the Panopticon project but that has no bearing on my views on other issues relating to the council. I have, as has been pointed out, defended them when I think information has been misconstrued and criticised when I feel that things have gone awry.

I am first and foremost a resident of Hyndburn and so entirely at liberty to discuss anything that will affect me and I will continue to do so. I am also a resident of St Andrew's Ward for which Cllr Britcliffe is Councillor so I have every right to comment on his management of that ward and of the area in general.

Since becoming a member with the one intention, I have been far more active than I ever intended. I have made friends, had some interesting debates and I hope become a useful member of this group. I have done this under my own name, as I see no reason to hide my views from anyone - other people including you Dillon, are not so open.

I am very aware of issues that could cause a conflict of interest and there have been times when I have bit my tongue and not replied to posts. However, in this instance I feel I have as much right as everybody else to comment. As for whether my boss at MPA is aware I post on here, it is none of your business. I am as honest and true in my dealings with my boss as I try to be with everyone else. He knows I have outside interests and he knows I have a certain public persona within Hyndburn. He knew this before he employed me and he knows now. He also knows that I am not afraid to voice my opinions when something matters to me.

If it makes everyone feel more comfortable then I will put a disclaimer on my posts but I will NOT stop posting.

Tealeaf · 25-07-2005, 15:15

You tell 'em, Gayle.

Acrylic-bob · 25-07-2005, 15:41

Hurrah! Well said Gayle. Don't you dare stop posting!

On the principle that we would all claim to be Spartacus, I propose that we should all put disclaimers into our signatures.

cashman · 25-07-2005, 16:09

brill nice one gayle.

Gayle · 25-07-2005, 16:41

Oh, and one final thing - it is MRS Knight. I am very proud to be married to my husband!

WillowTheWhisp · 25-07-2005, 16:42

Good for you Gayle. You tell 'em.