I got a postcard in the US mail asking me to vote for a smiling Dr. RM for school board in my district. The extensive text offers not one reason why I should; in fact, it offers a plethora of reasons why I shouldn't, starting with such sins of writing and thinking as unsupported generalizations, disconnected/incoherent thoughts, and boring redundancies. They tell me that her mind is muddled, disorganized , and distracted, just what I don't want in an educator.
Examples: ' X SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS THE EXPERIENCE OF DR. RM.' Then she offers not a single reason, unless of course she thinks that '35 years of experience in the field of education' –'of experience' an embarrassing redundancy–somehow translates to competence and achievement. I don't. I cannot connect longevity with achievement, and, for proof, can cite any number of employees who have retired on the job, journalists who can't connect a singular noun with a singular verb, and terrible restaurants and bars that have hung on for decades by peddling greasy kid stuff to folks with a death wish.
The good doctor continues with this study of incoherence, a classic non sequitur in one awful paragraph: 'I am committed to working with the communities in District X. I will responsibly articulate the position of District X as well as the SCHOOL District.' (Why the caps?) I cannot connect the two sentences, unless she thinks that articulating the 'position'–whatever that is–is akin to 'working with'. Surely she will embrace other tasks.
Then she concludes: 'With your help Dr. RM is ready to do the work necessary to get the job done.' She never tells me what kind of help she wants from me (presumably my vote), what kind of work she will perform ( presumably sit on the board and vote), and what job needs to be done (presumably improve schools in some indefinite ways). On top of that, the sentence is punctuated wrong (missing comma) and wordy ('do the work' instead of just 'work'). Bear with me as I attempt to rewrite the same thoughts:
'With your vote, I can work to improve our schools.' Or, better: 'Only with your vote can I improve our schools. ' None of my rewrites is true; she needs more than my vote. So: 'I can improve our schools if you and others vote for me.'
I didn't and couldn't. You who know me know why.
P.S.: I wonder what university deluded itself into thinking that this person deserves a Ph.D. RM never tells, so I am expected to accept her academic credentials on faith. You who know me know …
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