In an email Tuesday to dozens of Louisville Metro Council and City employees, Stephen (Republican Metro Councilcritter Hal Heiner’s assistant) and Becky Ott advertised what can only be considered direct proselytization.
From: Ott, Stephen
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 9:08 PM
To: Everyone under the sun
Subject: Easter Experience DVD and LunchMetro Council Members, L.A.’s and Staff,
My wife, Becky, and I want to invite you to a weekly “Easter Experience” luncheon and discussion group. Beginning on Wednesday, March 4th at noon, we will be gathering each Wednesday for the six weeks leading up to Easter, in the 3rd floor conference room to view a DVD series called the “Easter Experience”. Each episode is about 20 minutes long and lunch will be provided.
We’d like to know if you are coming by this Friday so that we can make sure we prepare enough food.
Still not sure, check out the trailer at: http://easterexperience.com/ or give me a call if you have any questions.
Stephen and Becky Ott
Now, there’s nothing wrong with quietly organizing to practice your religion while at work or whatever (or in schools) if you feel so inclined. But. There’s no reason you should be using taxpayer-funded email systems, equipment or services to do so. Not only is it borderline, but it’s leading most people to believe this is a test by Republicans to see if Democrats (or anyone) would challenge Christianity in some form or fashion.
The Easter Experience is actually a pretty cool series if you’re religious. But it’s a tool for directly proselytizing and recruiting. That’s fine and dandy. But this should never happen on the government dime for any reason.
Ott needs to reimburse the City of Louisville for the cost (however minimal) incurred for this email blast and any time (five minutes, ten, whatever) wasted during the work day to consider these events that are apparently taking place in City Hall.
15 responses so far ↓
1 AB // Feb 26, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Should not have been done, but as for reibursement then everybody who has ever sent a joke, rehashed “Heroes” or looked at this blog on a work computer needs to pony-up also.
2 jake // Feb 26, 2009 at 5:11 pm
AB: I agree.
3 Arnold // Feb 26, 2009 at 8:24 pm
“Not only is it borderline, but it’s leading most people to believe this is a test by Republicans to see if Democrats (or anyone) would challenge Christianity in some form or fashion”
What a crock of &^%$, anyone who knows Stephen Ott knows this isn’t the case. Of course it’s much easier to blog about people you’ve never met and make baseless generalizations.
4 jake // Feb 27, 2009 at 7:05 am
Uh, yeah, I have met him. On a number of occasions.
I’ve also met Hal Heiner and others on Metro Council hundreds of times and I wouldn’t put anything past any of them– even the Democrats.
5 Dave // Feb 27, 2009 at 5:08 pm
The mayor and his democrats give Cordish 25 MILLION dollars to company that cant pay rent and we are worried about a luncheon. Ask how many e-mails has Jerry sent or Jim King for personal Gain
6 jake // Feb 27, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Haven’t you heard me screaming at the rooftops about what a waste of everything Jerry Abramson is for the past two years???
7 Joseph // Feb 27, 2009 at 11:41 pm
First of all I’m tired of the constant whining that occurs anytime a Christian has the “audacity” to live out their faith. Until someone is threatened or given an ultimatum to attend a religious study then quit complaining. Grow up, be an adult and just learn to politely say ‘no’. Secondly, as far as time and money wasted and the need for reimbursement; are you kidding me?! What about the person who sent this email to your website and every other single person that checks up on their facebook account, a show missed or any other misuse of time and money that occurs in every government office. Give me a break!! This is simply a case of one man and his wife offering a kind gesture to their co-workers and someone making it a ‘political matter’. Pathetic!
8 jake // Feb 27, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Uh, he’s a political employee. It’s a political matter.
Don’t like it? Don’t read it. It’s really simple.
I’m tired of people who get bent out of shape when I complain on my own personal website that people push their religious horse shit using taxpayer dollars.
9 Paula // Feb 28, 2009 at 8:43 am
Okay so you didn’t like inter-office invitations to a luncheon. What if the luncheon had included video of superbowl highlights or a private viewing of the movie “Milk”. Me thinks the whole
“taxpayers money” woud just not be an issue. That’s why it’s called an invitation. You choose to go or not go. What a whiner!!
10 Craig // Feb 28, 2009 at 9:30 am
Just thought I would mention that I spoke with Mr Ott yesterday, and he has never met Jake, not once. So, before you shoot your mouth off about someone that you have NEVER met, try to have your lie straight.
Also, jake you may want to go online and watch the minority afffairs committe of the metro council where they just had a black history program (which was televised at taxpayer expense) that included gospel music and several prayers. Mr Ott’s little lunch will cost taxpayers absolutely nothing, that event however was quite costly to the city.
Finally, after reading your little blog I think you may want to attend the luncheon. It may do you some good. God Bless.
11 jake // Feb 28, 2009 at 10:46 am
Paula – Anything that’s not work-specific is a waste of taxpayer dollars. I have a two-year history of saying such on this website.
Craig – That’s not true. I’ve met him on a number of occasions at Metro Council. A couple times with Stephen George, Rick Redding, Trey Pollard was there once and once with one of my interns, Zach.
If the Black History shindig was full of Jesus this and Jesus that, then yes, somebody should be reimbursing.
His luncheon has already cost taxpayers money– he used a public computer and email system to publicize it. Could also be argued that the facility he’s holding his Easter gatherings in is costing the taxpayer money… for the facility itself, electricity and anything else used.
And give me a break before suggesting I do something that’s non-Jewish.
12 Craig // Feb 28, 2009 at 12:18 pm
I must keep reminding myself how inconsequential your little blog is anyway. Im not too concerned with the couple hundred people that read your garbage.
13 jake // Feb 28, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Or the few million per month…. or the 68,000 as of 7pm yesterday who read the Bunning piece.
But keep commenting and driving up my pageviews. Makes me cash.
14 Craig // Feb 28, 2009 at 4:05 pm
I still really think you should check out that luncheon, because its pretty apparent based on your comments that you lead a fairly shallow life. Some religious “horse shit” as you called it would do you good. I will pray for you.
15 jake // Mar 1, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Aww, you continue to read and comment, despite my irrelevance. How sweet.
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