Words escape me--A lawyer that other lawyers would hate
Friday, October 16, 2009
Like many communities across the US, the city of Oak Brook, Illinois is struggling with library funding issues. One of the key loudmouths in that debate has been Constantine "Connie" Xinos. Before I discuss his behavior, I would like to point out that I am very biased on the issue of public libraries. They are a great public service and I will consistently vote to keep them well funded. Part of that is based on the fact that I use the library a great deal. I read a lot and probably go through 75-100 books in a year. My wife is even worse and can easily double that output. Our daughter also likes to read a fair amount. If we had to buy every book we read, I doubt we could afford it. I usually just buy books I can't get at the library or the ones from authors I really like and want to support.
"Connie," like other people in his community, was concerned about the amount be spent on the library. Unlike a normal person, he was an absolute prick about making his point.
"I don't care that you guys miss the librarian, and she was nice, and she helped you find books," Xinos told them.
Nice. And this gem directed at a kid that was upset:
"I wanted that kid to lose sleep that night," a grinning Xinos says Wednesday, as he invites me for a nearly two-hour interview in his Mercedes-Benz in the gated Oak Brook community where he lives. "This is the real world and the lesson, you folks who brought your kids here, is if you want something, pay for it."
Oh, and he doesn't just hate the library. This comment in regards to a proposed housing complex for Seniors:
"I don't want to live next to poor people. I don't want poor people in my town."
At least he never had any kids:
Xinos, who says he never had children in part because he wasn't sure he'd be able to support them, sprinkles the F-word throughout his conversations. He dismisses a recent library event involving dogs with a blunt three-word rant in which he bookends swear words around the word "that."
13 comments:
Libraries are important for liberty and democracy. It is open and public access to information. The democratization of knowledge. I actually strongly believe that is *is* the duty of government to fund libraries for that very reason.
And then there are ass-hats like this guy, with a chip on their shoulder and a sense of entitlement. I for one am thrilled that he doesn't have kids because I can't imagine how he'd treat them or how they'd turn out.
Really, this is just a guy saying shitty stuff to get attention. Daddy must not have played catch with him enough.
Classic conservatism wanted an educated populace, to democratize knowledge as Smitty says.
It seems today's conservatism is poisned with a "I got mine, forget you" attitude that is both foreign to traditional conservatism as it is to the Faith that I serve.
These guys just enable a powerful elite that could control society... perhaps Fox News should check it out..
"I got mine, forget you"
I hear you, Monk. And I will add that even labor unions, beloved bastion of democratic might, has slipped into the trap. In my line of work I have found them opposing legislation that helps people, but because it would force them to do likewise (or do something they already do), they won't. I got mine.
To be fair Smitty, Unions try and do what is best for their members. That may go against what is best for everyone or even some of the members. They are far from perfect, but I think that overall they are beneficial.
"Libraries are important for liberty and democracy."
I was about to make the same points, and will add.
Libraries and public schools are important for liberty and democracy.
Fortunately Carnegie, another rich dude, didn’t feel the same as this jerk.
(I am using more appropriate language for our new visitor, Monk.)
Fortunately Carnegie, another rich dude, didn’t feel the same as this jerk.
The library in my home town was a Carnegie Library, so I am thankful too, despite the fact that Carnegie was motivated primarily to do this so he could avoid the huge estate taxes that were in effect at that time.
A good library system is one of the glaring differences between life in Ann Arbor and life in Asheville.
You guys can guess which city had the good system...
HINT: People in the South are less intelligent and more conservative*
*Pure opinion and limited observation.
Bob,
Please don't limit your expressiveness because of me!
If I am interested in hanging out with you guys, I am the interloper, not wanting to cause any restrictions in personal behavior. I was just a little amazed at first, but believe me, I don't want to cause any slowdown in what ever way in this fascinating discussion.
ps, an interesting question, my company might transfer me to Milwaukee, do you guys hang out in real life?
Mr. Furious.
Your observation, as a proud Southerner, is most likely correct. However in defense of my flawed region of origin, let me mention something.
And this is one reason why I see both libraries AND public schools so important. After the War of Northern Invasion (hehe) there was a period of Reconstruction. The Northern people who ran that discovered that most Southern States had virtually no education system for the public. They created one via their control of the legislatures of the time. They also provided them with books. Books printed in the North.
So, the South resented it, and the books were viewed as subversive Yankee propaganda.
To this day a deep distrust of education in general and 'government' schools in specific remains. An extremely sad situation,and one that feeds on itself.
ps, an interesting question, my company might transfer me to Milwaukee, do you guys hang out in real life?
Some of us do, though never as a whole group. We have talked about a get together from time to time, but haven't been able to.
BTW, Ingham County has a fantastic library system.
Sounds like this guy became a lawyer because he's addicted to adversarial social encounters, and the practice of law lets him get high for a living. It's a shame there's no good way to phrase "Don't be a giant jackass" in a state bar's ethical guidelines.
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