by Travis Mateer
I saw the spike in views before I saw the email threat from “Fareed Ayaz” in my inbox. Why am I being threatened with a DDOS attack on my blog and the removal of my Twitter account? Supposedly, according to the email, it was my post on bridges in Missoula that triggered this threat. WTF?
Let me see, who else has issued threats to my online content? I know one particular person, but since she made good on her threat to entangle me in a legal hell that is ongoing, I’ll try to refrain from further speculation.
A recent criminal case got my attention, and that’s the case of the former Grizzly basketball player who recently got herself arrested after stabbing her husband with a butter knife.
From the link (emphasis mine):
The man said he was able to get the knife away from Schlimgen, and reportedly held her in a bear-hug to keep her from attacking him again. She later left the room and the man turned the lights off, locked the door and went to bed.
A video of the altercation was obtained by law enforcement. Schlimgen can reportedly be heard in the video telling the man multiple times that she would call 911, and alleged that he was abusing her. Blood from the man’s wound can also be seen on the bedsheets at one point in the video.
Is Kristy Schlimgen in jail for attempted homicide? No, she was released on her own recognizance.
Justice of the Peace Jennifer Ray declined to set bond and Schlimgen was released on her own recognizance.
Schlimgen, a former Lady Griz standout, was MVP of the Big Sky Conference tournament in 1995. She has coached girls volleyball in Stevensville, basketball in Florence and golf in Corvallis. She has also served as a referee for the Montana High School Association as well as the Big Sky Conference.
If a MAN who worked with kids stabbed his wife, would he be released back to the community this quickly? I doubt it.
Earlier this week I made public comment at the Committee of the Whole, and part of that was me commending Heidi West for taking THIS stance on JEDI bullshit, also known as DEI standards. From the link (emphasis mine):
But as rosy a picture as Buchholz paints, not everyone is on board with JEDI work. Longtime City Councilor Heidi West from Ward 1 declined to seek reelection this year, in part because of her struggles with the JEDI push.
“I just was so disappointed,” said West, referring to a report the city conducted to learn about disparities. “I just was devastated. I bawled my eyes out. What are we doing?”
West, who identifies as a “Big L and little l liberal,” doesn’t deny there are inherent inequities in Missoula. In fact, she spearheaded an effort to redirect JEDI funding toward Lowell School’s after-school program. The innovative program serves a population with a generally lower socioeconomic status than much of Missoula, and West thought adding support for that service would directly address the issues at the heart of JEDI.
But she takes serious issue with JEDI work as it’s been laid out at the city and county. For one thing, West explained, she feels the new JEDI board transcends the traditional checks and balances that make government accountable and effective.
“It’s gameable,” West said. “If it’s a system that’s being kept in place by a couple people with good intentions, it’s not good enough.”
For West, the imperfect progress discussed by some of her peers also isn’t good enough. West wants measurable outcomes and standards to be put in place to determine whether JEDI is having its intended effect. She’s worried JEDI could exacerbate the gulf between people and foster animosity.
“Past discrimination can’t be solved with current discrimination,” said West. “It’s gaslighting. It’s almost like an abusive relationship.”
Yes, credit where credit is due, so thank you, Heidi, for dropping a nice little tidbit of reality on your way out the door, it’s appreciated.
To those who have let me know my work is appreciated recently, I give a hearty THANK YOU for the support. I now embark on another leg of a strange journey I have faith will yield, at some point, some interesting results.
If you would like to help me as I travel, Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF) is still accepting donations, and every little bit helps.
Thanks for reading! And don’t forget to check out the new blog space of updates.