Dear Editor,
I am sure your readers have all heard the term, “don’t poke the bear.” Well, I didn’t heed that advice and I poked the “bear,” the “EPWSA bear” that is.
By poking, I merely asked in a somewhat rhetorical way, why their rate increase was coincidently the same as the 2022 inflation rate of 8.7% (The Eatonton Messenger, March 2). Their response was masterfully written, I will give them that ( The Eatonton Messenger, March 9). It basically followed a very tried-and-true response technique when dealing with clients/customers one wishes would go away and not ask questions or express opinions. It is sometimes referred to as the defense/offense approach.
First the “defensive” part. This is where they try to discredit the individual, namely me, by suggesting I am incapable of distinguishing between hearsay and the facts, and because I haven’t been “involved.” By discrediting me in this fashion, they also hoped, by inference, it would serve to discredit my questions and opinions so as not to be taken seriously by the readers.
Next, they quickly pivot to the “offense” portion, in what I call the Muhammad Ali approach, in that they proclaim, “We are the greatest.” Or said another way, just take our word for things as no one can do it better. This is meant to instill a sense of “don’t bother to ask questions,” we are above reproach.
I think if you re-read their March 9 letter, you will see they did a pretty good job on both the “defense and offense” parts. Plus, they threw in a history lesson on the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 by comparing that acquisition of 828,000 square miles of territory to my opinion on the plight of 2,500 water users residing out in the county. While an interesting comparison, it did seem a “little” over the top to the point that was trying to be made.
Extreme exaggerations sometimes work, I suppose.
However, I did learn one interesting thing from the EPWSA letter and that is, and I quote, “We no longer distinguish between ‘city’ and ‘county’ customers because they are all equal stakeholders.” This is kind of funny because just a few short months ago, EPWSA, in a grant application to the state, specified the county’s match portion would be $600,000 and the city’s would be $400,000. If this is being equal, I shudder at what unequal would look like.
Assuming this letter gets published, my one big fear now is the FBI will raid my residence and confiscate all my non-EPWSA bottled water. However, that’s the chance you take when you “poke the bear.”
Billy Webster, Putnam County