Change.No, Pat Williams

February 25, 2013 in Montana

by lizard

There is a bit of MT Democrat wagon-circling going on right now that initially had me puzzled. Why was there suddenly a change.org petition popping up on my twitter feed to confirm Pat Williams as a Regent?

To understand, you have to know what the streets are saying (MT_Cowgirl*link no longer works, see my comment below):

Word on the street is that legislators who would rather sweep the Missoula rape scandal under the rug are working behind the scenes in the Montana Legislature to block the confirmation of a member of the Board of Regents who has been outspoken about the need for change.

Former Democratic Congressman Pat Williams, a long-time champion of women’s rights in Montana, has been an outspoken advocate for addressing the way women are treated.

That apparently upsets the good o’ boys network.

Hmmm, it wasn’t that long ago I recall reading, in the New York Times, about the concern Pat Williams had with how the football team was being negatively impacted by the behavior of “knuckleheads”, a term former 4&20 contributor Pat Duganz tore apart in this post.

Here is the offending quote:

“I’m very sorrowful one of the premier universities in the Rockies has been scandalized by a few knuckleheaded students,” said Pat Williams, a former United States congressman and a member of Montana’s Board of Regents. “The football team has been terribly hurt by this.”

For those who would like to forgive this quote as a media misstep, I’d suggest also considering the outburst “This thuggery has got to stop”!!!.

As I was re-reading Duganz’s post, this comment from Virgil Kane caught my eye:

The Board of Regents, who are making up cute names for two year schools, the equivalent of classifying belly bottom lint, have assigned another clubhouse member, Missoula Good Ole Boy And Regent/Commissioner Clayton Christian to “get more involved”. He has been involved, right up to his eyeballs, for years with Foley, and Dennison, and Engstrom. And that sweet deal where he moved from unpaid Regent to highly paid Commissioner, without a search, that should give all a warm feeling of confidence about his ethical compass. Any FOIA request should include the new, well-compensated Commissioner in their search. An independent Commissioner without conflicts would have been all over this months ago.

It’s a real feather in the cap of 4&20, and a sign of their independence, that they’re commenting about this at all. This scandal reaches into the inner circle of the old line Democrats’ clubhouse. We on the outside can only wonder how many it encompasses.

There’s also this anonymous comment:

The idea promoted here, that Pat Williams doesn’t understand the seriousness of rape, is absurd. This post is exactly the type of thing which, by association, discredits all progressives. Duganz, why don’t you find something else to focus on? There happen to be very real issues that should arouse anger and action among reasonable folk. For example, conservative are actively, and quite literally, taking steps to nullify existing rights for women. Let’s address those real issues; not this imagined nonsense. This post is a disgrace and a hindrance to all progressive blogs.

My personal opinion is old people in good positions to retire comfortably, should. Make room for other talented people. Which brings up the question, are there other talented people?