Thursday, May 9, 2013

That We May Know the Truth...

My goal in running this blog is, first and foremost, to facilitate the transfer to true knowledge.

I often tack a tagline to the bottom of my blog posts that reflects my desire to communicate information that will help people understand both sides of the issue. Up until now, I have been enjoying getting to know the bloggers and tweeters who are fighting for the issues that they feel TriMet is failing to consider. It has truly helped me be constructively critical and understand the issues that people (including myself) feel are crucial to making TriMet the best it can be.

However, recall that I have made it clear that my position is one of moderation and not one of taking sides. While I have my own opinions, some of which I have no problem venting on Twitter, I try to keep my position effectively neutral, because I feel that taking this position is the best way to be able to bridge the gap between one side and the other.

So, Tuesday, I had the opportunity to sit down with TriMet's Public Relations Officer, Diane Goodwin, and discuss what issues the fighters are concerned about, namely, the issue of the public's waning trust in the agency. Diane was incredibly sympathetic, even being willing to share with me things about what the agency does that makes her frustrated. This meeting opens a dialogue allowing future opportunities to communicate to the agency what needs to be communicated. It also serves the original purpose of this blog, which is to communicate information from TriMet that it has incessantly failed to put out. Much of this information can dispel controversy and close the door for pointless speculation.

Now, I know that some of you (bloggers in particular) are going to shun me getting information from the agency and posting it here. That's because you no longer trust anything the agency says. I understand this, and people in the agency understand this, too. This is what I hope to remedy, helping facilitate the transfer of useful knowledge that will make things finally make sense.

However, as I am a moderator, as well as a blogger with opinions of my own, it doesn't mean that I will not continue to be critical of what the agency says or does. Just because the reasons for doing something are factual, it doesn't make them right. But you'd be surprised about how much information TriMet gave me to explain their actions actually makes sense. The reason for the distrust is twofold: (1) the information is not being spoken loud and clear, and (2) their ways of implementing some decision have been faulty or untrustworthy.

But that was then and this is now. I will try to help clear up the confusion so we can see why things are the way they are, but I will also continue to give advice, both here and in person, to those who are responsible for TriMet so that people can regain their trust in them.

So stick with me on this blog and don't turn it off because you think I'm spreading lies. I say this to both sides.

(I will have more information that Diane gave me coming soon here.)

That you may know the truth, and where it's lacking, that together we find the truth.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Please keep it clean! Thank you.