Reader Comment – Misguided Information

An anonymous reader posed a comment to my earlier blog about the ISCD reorganization. On a positive note Anonymous pointed out my misspelling of Rick Driggers’ name; my apologies to Mr. Driggers. Anonymous also pointed out that I got Sue Armstrong’s title incorrect, she is currently Deputy Assistant Secretary not the Assistant Secretary; again my apologies though I doubt Ms. Armstrong took offense at my inadvertent promotion.

The remainder of the comment is critical of the post; Anonymous wrote:

“I don't know who your inside source is but boy have the given you some misguided information. Its obvious that you have no idea what is really going on. … It is obvious to me and all that reads this that you got your information from someone who doesn't want to see changes that are actually good. If you really knew what was going on here you would know that 80 percent of the staff were untrustful of previous senior leadership that was in place. My suggestion to you is to please do more research and not go by what is said by your ‘inside source’! ”

I wish that Anonymous had provided more information about exactly what part of the information presented in the blog was misguided. The only part of the blog that came from multiple ‘insider’ sources was the description of the changes that were made at ISCD. I did not mention what those sources thought of the changes because they were not willing (for obvious reasons) to have their identity disclosed in the blog and I don’t like quoting ‘anonymous’ sources.

Of course, most people do realize that ‘insider sources’ are seldom complimentary in their evaluation of the information that they provide to bloggers or the press. People making positive comments about their organization are normally willing to be quoted. I certainly realize this and filter the information accordingly.

In any case, I would be interested in knowing what parts of the reorganization that I got wrong. I would certainly be interested in posting any information provided by Mr. Driggers or his press representative about that reorganization. It would seem to me that a press release about the reorganization of such an important part (to the regulated chemical security community) of DHS would certainly be in order.

I do find it interesting that Anonymous claims that 80% of the staff mistrusted the previous leadership. I’m wondering if that ‘mistrusted’ leadership was the previous ‘acting director’, Dennis Deziel, or the Director, Sue Armstrong.