The following was posted on http://www.rp1000.blogspot.com/, Bill Morton's blog, on Memorial Day evening. My comments are in colored italics:
Monday, May 31, 2010
Memorial Day
I spent much of Memorial Day weekend away from Rogers Park to attend celebrations.
Memorial Day was not intended to be a 'celebration'. It is a Day of Remembrance.
I experienced BBQ, bonfires, a nature retreat, and time with my family. What is really on my mind though is, where I travelled to, over 100 miles away, I experienced a Memorial to the Veterans and those who did not make it back from wartime alive.
Bill, himself, is a veteran--of the mail clerk's office in the US Navy. Though his discharge was honorable, there were questionable circumstances leading up to it.
There were veterans in uniforms, a 21 gun salute and Taps. Rogers Park did not have any memorial services, to my knowledge... and nothing as moving as what I experienced.
The more I travel away from Rogers Park and return, the more aware I become of how static and bland our neighborhood often is. Where are the street parades on Independence Day? Where are our live performances in the park of major recording artists and new touring acts? I haven't seen a 5k benefit run along the Lake for anything in Rogers Park. No large tree for the Holidays. No Day of the Dead Celebration.
This is where I take exception with Bill Morton's whine. He is president of Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce, which I financed as a viable chamber. Now he finds Rogers Park to be "static and bland"--a self-description, perhaps?
He goes on to whine about how Rogers Park has no Independence Day parade. Well, Bill, wouldn't it be nice if you got up off your dead butt and had Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce sponsor a parade? Is there no creative thinking on your part or the part of your Board of Directors since I resigned as Secretary/Treasurer almost seven months ago?
Could the chamber not sponsor a 5K run? Or a 'large tree for the Holidays'?
He continues: Forget calling a street, " the Heart of Rogers Park", where is Rogers Park's Heart?
I have no idea which 'street' he whines about. Let's, for the sake of brevity in argument, call it either Morse Avenue, where the former DevCorpNorth resides, or Greenview and Jarvis Avenues, where Ald. Joe Moore (D-Regressives) resides.
Bill Morton wanted to establish Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce in order to retaliate against both the above-mentioned. Now he whines that Rogers Park is not doing anything to distinguish itself.
Had I remained with the chamber, events like these would have come to fruition. Due to Bill Morton's own negligence and disregard for ethics,, that will never occur.
I have heard from a mutual acquaintance that he is no longer speaking to me.
Another mutual acquaintance knows of my personal loan to Bill Morton of $1,425 last year and has advised him to repay me. Bill Morton has not contacted me since Christmas Eve, 2009, when he attempted to get me to accept what I can only assume was a 'personal' check for partial repayment. I requested a Cashier's Check, or in the least a Money Order, and I have not heard a word from him since.
It is now past 18 months since I first lent him $700 to save him from eviction at 1205 W. Sherwin Avenue here in Rogers Park.
And, coming up, it will be a year since I lent him another $725 to avoid eviction.
I think it's time to take him to court, don't you?
