Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Explaining St. Crispain to the Program Director

I wanted to offer a tribute to those who didn't survive the newsroom battles. Rather than create a stink, I didn't dedicate it to: Tom, Leslie (I realize there were extenuating factors there, but she deserved the option of a leave of absence to attend rehab), Stuart, Jeramiah, Angela, Elaine, Beaver, Linda and anybody else I can't remember now. It was a lost cause, but not less honorable, just as Henry's cause was lost before the battle had begun. The carnage was intense; the pain very real and indelible. People still cry, when we discuss Renee's effect on us.
We who still darken the doors of KUNM bear our scars and remember the names of the fallen, even though our neighbors have forgotten.
Congratulations to management, if you've had any influence on Renee's decision to finally walk away from the destruction she singlehandedly caused to very good, hard working, decent people.
It's a shame she got sick during her probation period. Otherwise, she'd have shown her true colors soon enough to be let go, years ago.
I'm not blaming you, per se, or even Richard, for the misery that woman caused to many people. She's responsible for her own dysfunction. Unfortunately, as with so many dysfunctional people, she has left the overworked to clean up her messes.
But I can never trust a system that wouldn't or couldn't protect us from her, respect us enough to believe there was a genuine problem, and do something to heal it all.
I will never think of Renee with respect, but only with fear and grief, and neither will quite a few others, including the poor UNM maintanance guy who had to empty her trash.
I don't wish her harm. I just continue to wish her gone, as I have for 3 years now.
So, the reference to St. Crispain is an honorarium to those of us who struggled, and failed, against her totalitarianism, unpredictability and brittle ego.
I meant it to be obsure. Only those directly affected need to understand the tribute.

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