February 3, 2011
Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say: A Lesson in Clear Communication
By Olympia Duhart
In my legal research and writing class, I spend a great deal of time trying to teach my 1Ls to steer clear of ambiguity in their communication. At the core, I offer them simple and familiar advice: Say what you mean, and mean what you say.
Seems like a lesson Ohio Gov. John Kasich needs to learn. Last week, Ohio State Sen. Nina Turner said the Republican governor made an ambiguous – potentially explosive – comment to her when she offered to help assemble a racially diverse cabinet.
The governor’s response to her offer: “I don’t need your people.”
For Turner, it was unclear whether Kasich’s comments were dismissive of her constituents (she is a Democrat) or her ethnic group (she is black). Turner said she was “kind of perplexed” by the governor’s comments.
She’s not the only one. The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus has criticized Republicans in the Kasich administration and the Ohio legislature for failing to place people of color in key positions.
According to POLITICO, Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols confirmed that the governor did tell Turner he didn’t need her “people.” However, the spokesman said Kasich’s comments were intended to be a rejection of partisan Democrat support. “What he meant was, ‘Your people are Democrats, we don’t need them on our cabinet,’” Nichols insisted. “He said it referring to partisan Democrats who don’t agree with reducing taxes and reducing spending.”
Even if Kasich intended to reject Democratic involvement, such isolationism is disheartening from a governor who represents both Republican and Democrat constituents. With the push to relax the ranting as of late and a call from both sides to build consensus, one would hope a state leader would not be so firmly committed to excluding different views and voices.
Then there is that other reading of Kasich’s ambiguous comments.
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