Anson Burlingame and the men who make him swoon

For a long time, I have wondered what it is about blogger and frequent Joplin Globe guest columnist Anson Burlingame that makes people in powerful positions call on him and seek his guidance.

Obviously, it is the fact that he has does have access to the Globe's editorial page and though the Globe's readership is not anywhere near what it used to be, it still reaches many people who take an interest in issues and vote.

So the leaders listen to Burlingame, nod their heads politely, and nod their heads politely again and yet again, because Anson does like to share his opinions.

Then they tell him what his opinion should be and many times it is parroted back to us as if Anson were sharing the Sermon on the Mount.

That is why Anson can take the Loraine Report, the Turner Report, all kinds of courts records and other documents and brush them all aside.

After all, Anson Burlingame has looked into the eyes of David Wallace, into the mind of Mark Rohr, the heart of Mike Woolston and the tear-stained soul of C. J. Huff.

And to him, all of them, even the disgraced Wallace, are good men, men whose noble deeds for the city of Joplin and the Joplin R-8 School District, have been thwarted by evildoers like the person who is writing this post.

Not to say I blame him. It was probably my fault. About a year ago, I ran into Anson at the courts building in Joplin while he was cheering on the Joplin Globe's quest to have all of the Loraine Report made public.

Anson looked me in the eyes.

And I'm sorry, but I had to look the other way. David Wallace, C, J. Huff and the rest of them must be made of sterner stuff.

Earlier this week, in a response to a comment on his blog, Burlingame revealed that his affection for David Wallace and the rest has not changed one iota.

What you and “yours” (including Turner for sure) have long said, Rohr, Huff, Wallace, Woolston, etc. are NOT “honorable men”. They have been accused, unjustifiably in my view, for all sorts of nefarious acts, motivated by their own quest for power, status, etc.

I know each of those men, have met with them on numerous occassions, subjected them to hard questions, etc. In matters related to their own motivations to take the actions they have taken I got to know them pretty well and support most of such actions as well meaning and in the best interests of my home town now. They and others you sling stuff at are all four “good men” in my view.

And the Joplin Globe keeps presenting Anson Burlingame to the public, while depriving its readers of voices of reason who actually base their opinions on judgment and facts and not on glimpses into the window of the soul.