the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, this issue has come up often over the years on the Ridgewood blog ,many people prefer to post anonymously and with good reason. Originally the Ridgewood blog adopted a policy of allowing anonymous posts to protect dissident parents for the School Board and Administrators . The policy became proven when Mayor Paul Aronsohn used the phone “civility” to curtail dissent and even enlisted the help of the old Bergen Record owners to go after Ridgewood dissenters and “gadflies”.
Expressing a dissenting opinion in public forums can sometimes lead to backlash, especially when it comes to hot-button topics like local sports or community projects. A recent example from Ridgewood demonstrates exactly why anonymity is often necessary for some individuals to feel safe sharing their views.
During a heated Joint Ridgewood Board of Education & Village of Ridgewood Fields Committee meeting on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, a veiled threat was made in response to disagreements over repurposing or reconfiguring outdoor athletic facilities at Benjamin Franklin Middle School. A director of the Ridgewood Lacrosse Association publicly stated, “I’m going to make sure that my 20 years of connections in this town know who the obstructionists to progress are.” The meeting was broadcast live via Zoom and recorded on YouTube, leaving no room for interpretation.
When comments like these surface, it’s easy to understand why people opt for anonymous participation in local discussions. Disagreeing with powerful voices, particularly in areas like youth sports, where strong community ties exist, can bring personal attacks or threats of reputational damage.
The right to free speech is essential, but so is the right to feel safe when sharing your thoughts. For many, staying anonymous is the only way to ensure that their opinions can be heard without fear of retribution or backlash.
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Yeah, the threat meter was pegging out, very high with that kind of language. Definitely trying to intimidate a person, cause them to fear local reputational destruction.
Anonymity blunts the potential force of such threats and should always remain a available to local residents, thanks PJ.
If you think that’s a threat … well, let me go warm up your bottle first.
The bigger threat is the double-speak, cowardice and insincerity of manipulative little backstabbers.
That quote is an honest admission of how things are done and there’s nothing wrong with that. He’s literally saying he’s been in this town for twenty years, has made lots of connections whom he can rely upon, and he’s going to use his social capital to do what he thinks is right. You’d do exactly the same. Exactly.
Oh, no? That’s not how you would have done it? You would have said, “And I don’t care how many tea parties I have to host or how many handies I have to give under the table so that we can all see eye-to-eye on this issue and everyone can walk away a winner.” F off.
What a reply …is this Don D..?
The one who literally wrote the book!
You are way off base and condoning an immature little tantrum conducted by a grown adult who coaches Ridgewood kids is patthettic. Bullying another person, let alone a woman, isn’t allowable or acceptable. Every rational person understands that they guy was frustrated, but obviously his pathway to progress has been stalled and maybe it is a result of the fact that he is trying to strong arm people with his mental prowess. But it isn’t working, now is it? It is pretty obvious thta he doesn’t know how to properly channel his emotions and blew his stack. I think anyone who heard his little diatribe gets it, except for you.
Wait, we can’t bully women? What kind of atavistic, patriarchal, misogynistic bull-hockey is that? This 2024. Equal rights, equal lefts.
Just telling it like it is isn’t bullying. I bet you wet yourself every time a “strong woman” raises her voice at you.
“manipulative little backstabbers”
Paulie isn’t going to like you calling him that.
PauLIE
Kaz-Shark
Swino
All stayed silent when their sports pals are shouting at people or slapping neighbors. I look forward to celebrating anti-bullying month.
Paulie stabs you in the front and cries out in pain.
PFAS PauLIE ain’t gonna say nuttin to nobody because his re-election campaign is in full swing. He is greasing up those palms as we speak, for wining, dining and pocket lying.
Obviously you didn’t listen carefully enough to the youtube meeting replay because you are so busy heating up baby bottles. He was not saying he has been in this town for 20 years and made connections whom he can rely upon. He is threatening her by stating that he will make sure everyone in his 20 years of connections knows who is obstructing progress.
I would rather be a baby than be a bully!
So you’d rather be a helpless, ignorant thing that craps all over itself and is entirely dependent on something that can end its existence at will? The average American voter right here.
No need. Sounds like you’ve got that covered.
I’m going to use my 63 years of experience to understand when a guy is being a douchebag.
The problem is that anonymity also makes too many people feel empowered to cross the line on their own, both with threats and personal attacks as well as conversation that would be completely inappropriate in direct conversation.
Just a preview of how Ms Kwak will stand up to the knuckleheads on the council..
I hope so I was threatened by past council members still associated with current council members and by the town engineer. It’s all over and needs to be stopped
super aggressive approach and tone by the boys lax director….maybe he should read the code of conduct on his website
With these blowhards, it is do as I say, not as I do. The rules clearly do not apply. He needs anger management training.
What’s his name…?
I love this
Those of us from Old Tappan knew Bob Sr to be a genuinely nice guy.
Not sure why Junior turned out to be such a peckerhead.
Lacrosse players – too slow for the hurdles and unable to hit curveballs.
“Obstructionists to progress” = “Those who dare to ask questions about my pet project”
Did you ever notice when there is major contention in this village there is a common denominator and it is someone involved in sports. What a hot head this dud was. So inappropriate. This guy is coaching kids. Scary.
Watched the village council meeting on youtube last night and of course Siobahn Winograd takes the side of the bully. The woman who never shuts up had nothing to say at the fields commission meeting apparently. Winograd is such a poor role model and her behavior with the sports crowd just smacks an enormous amount of desperation to be popular at all costs even when good judgement over how to behave should prevail.
She’s just an embarrassment to the town and her self. She is a bully too. Takes one to know one
Winograd should immediately be asked to step down due to her unprofessionalism both at the fields meeting and the council meeting. With all of the sports bullying that has taken place, you’d think she would have opened her mouth because the woman never shuts up but on the sports call she’s mum? Shame on Kazmark too, another wanna be poser just like Siobahn.
SWino said nothing and defended her position to remain silent. She did take the time to throw Dr. Schwartz out there to swing in the wind and statued that he said nothing and that he “is the one who runs the district-wide bullying campaign and yet said nothing to stop the bullying”.
Just wait til Kwak sits next to her on the council. The comp there will be fun to watch
Wow, glad I don’t have to deal with these hot heads!
I guess it’s true what they say about the sports dads in town.
Tough guy getting aggressive with a future council member. Not too bright
Scott Muller front and center….his kids are out of college now. Why is he still the RBSA Commish ?
Allstate
Give em hell Lynch! That was far from a threat and the fact that the woman took it as such is what is wrong with everyone these days. Soft.
He wanted to get everything out for public review – as it should be.
Std power driven head coach
Say it to a dad
Is that a threat?
Yeah, right? “Say it to a dad!” If dad can pull his fat ass off the couch long enough.
I am pretty sure almost everyone who watched the video on youtube,took it as such. Anyone with a sense of respect and consideration for others who were watching the video. People who understand the importance of how to conduct yourself professionally in a public setting, also as a representative of an organnization that provides paid sports programs to coach our precious children. Need more?
The hothead sports guy who threw his little tantrum over not getting what he wanted had to behave like a true bully at a public meeting where representatives from the Village council, Village manager, Superintendent of schools and meeting organizer, the athletic director of sports in Ridgewood, did nothing. It was an extreme example of passive agressive that quickly turns into aggressive all because someone cannot control their emotional response when they want sometthing. To make matters worse, Winograd took it upon herself to try to fool the public by a strategically leaving out the details of what happened and if you actually watch the youtube and listen to what is being said, you will get the real picture of what was said by everyone on the call. She cannot be trusted to be hones and Ridgewood residents deserve better than this level of conduct which is very unbecomming of elected officials in Ms. Winograd’s case and of a civil servant in the case of Mr. Kazmark.
What was pork chop boy muller trying to say. He was going to throw someone under the bus when the woolly bully Lacrosse guy interupted him.
Don’t be fooled. Kwak is the true bully here. Hypocrites trying to rewrite history. Remember when she made the news bullying??
All I saw was someone who was calm and reserved. A professional who was trying her best to de-escalate a situation with a guy who was getting more and more irrate and accusatory, which is in no way productive. He threw his hissy fit and then started threatening her. He admitted to being in an aggravated state. Perhaps he and all of the other sports bullies can get a group discount on anger management therapy. Seems like it is warranted.
No, I dont remember her ever bullying anyone. Can you refresh my memory?
They cannot because it isn’t true. Probably the same group of trolls who are only pro sports and no pro Ridgewood anything else, now pouncing with ridiculous accusations just like their pal Lynch. Sore loser who will throw a tantrum and yell and scream if he doesn’t get what he wants.
How come the link for the meeting is still hidden?? Last year they kept asking for it at BOE meetings and Kwak wouldn’t post it. How come only some select people know the link???? This is suspicious!
Board members do not run the Fields Committee meetings. The meeting is chaired Keith Cook, who is the athletic director responsile for ensuring that the agenda and meeting details, including the zoom link are clearly visible and posted on the Ridgewood Board of Education website. Nice try though, you should get an “A” for effort even though it was devisive and entirely untrue.
Kwak has nothing to do with the logistics of the meeting, setting it up, setting the agenda, minutes or posting the link, that is all AD Keith Cook.
Just watched the video. She was dismissive and rude to a member of the public. We have seen time and time again the leaks from Kwak to this blog and elsewhere. He’s right. What is she hiding!?
Are you kidding? Did you actually watch and listen to the accusations that Bob L made about her and to her. If it were me, this asswipe would have received a talking to the likes he has never seen before. These guys think they are above it all and walk on water just because they coach sports. Here is a newsflash, no one cares and they are not any more special than anyone else in this village. He might be frustrated bt that could be for many other reasons, but he chose to scape goat someone and through around accusations. This doesn’t allow you to speak to a BOE member and carry one like a juvenile. If anything he was wrong and should be following his own club’s code of ethical behavior. For some reason these big swinging d*cks follow their own set of rules that only apply to them.
Oh there’s definitely some Dragon Lady in her…but if she keeps Peewee honest then I say we turn her loose.
He is a representative of an organization not just a member of the public and if you don’t think that he was rude, dismissive, accusatory of her, and targeted her, then you missed a lot. He called her an obstrontionist.
If anyone is obstructing the truth, it is SWhinograd. What a bunch of BS web spinning.
In fairness, she isn’t too swift. If you watch the youtube video she also didn’t understand the role of superintended of schools and Dr. Schwartz had to cllarify for her. So she is either really dumb or crazy like a fox, you decide.
Yes Whino is definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed. But dumb and mean and devicive is a bad combo. She has the trifecta.
Are her turtle signs still on Hillcrest? Do we have a full report if they helped the turtles? She loves the turtles but hates the squirrels 🐿️. Hmmmm who knows what is going on between those 2 ears of hers? We definitely need this kind of stupid on the council right? We don’t want the smart people. Do we??? Let’s vote in the morons like the past blonidie who had an affair with the mayor. Another genius 😂. Why does this town vote in the dummies? Think smart Ridgewood. It may help us all.
So whistle blower boy stayed silent and said nothing? He must have lost his whistle or has it tucked away for a later date. Plus he probably doesn’t want to be unpopular or have to give back the Ridgewood sports shirts he wears.
Keith Kazmark was just a guest, plus he only calls balls and strikes.
Don’t forget that Keith is the REAL Village Manager and has the water bottle to prove it.
Bob Lynch Jr..?
Bob Lynch Sr was a HS basketball assignor and high up in the football hierarchy.
His protege from Waldwick is not a good guy.
just google RW Lacrosse, that’s him.
I have never met Bob Lunch but aside from clearly leveraging is unique influencing skills and starring as Ridgewood’s #1 bully, his performance was quite stellar. I am quite sure the track people will be happy that he has deemed them a whole lot less important than the sports stars we are creating with his fine leadership abilities.
winy grad has big problems with dark skinned people , especially if they don’t do what they are told
Swino is not only a lying sack but decared that after being “tipped off” to the BF development proposal discussed at the sub committee meetings, that she ran right over to check it out. Were there any efforts to include the BOE considering it is their property? Was her pal Micale in attendance? Perhaps her little party of 1 was only designed for her to win the hearts and minds of sports coaches everywhere and be Ridgewood’s head cheer gal. Is that what she hoped for? Makes a person look petty, competitive and nto inclusive, something she speaks about often.
The rabid sports people should be driven out of town. They ruin everything, or try. The entitlement is appalling.
If this had happened to Winograd, she would have cried, called the police, filed restraining order and then sue for emotional distress and harassment. But according to Winograd at council on 9/11, that angry lunatic was just expressing “real” feelings to Kwak so that’s ok