A decade ago, I was a member of the board of directors of the Lake Stevens Chamber of Commerce. One of my duties was to find interesting speakers on a rotating basis along with the other directors. The speakers came from different places – some came from government (state and federal representatives, regulatory agencies), some from political organizations advocating positions and ideas, even some from entertainment. One month, I found a gentleman named Terry Corbell, who did business tips on the radio, and thought he would be a good fit. He agreed, came and spoke, figuring it would be a good plug for his book and business coaching business. Pleasant enough fellow, we maintained peripheral contact through Facebook through the years.
Fast forward a decade. Corbell, a Trumpian conservative, splashes my newsfeed in recent times with posts. Outrageous reposts of alt-right stuff. Mostly, I ignore it. But occasionally, I respond, trying to point out moments where someone who has been professional shows, shall we say, less than professional attitudes or blatant hypocrisy.
His latest round was the kerfluffle regarding Senator Warren of Massachusettes. He believes that her misrepresentation of her ethnic heritage is more egregious than any insulting thing the President may have done. My point was holding a ceremony for Navajos under the portrait of Andrew Jackson was tone deaf, and making a statement about Warren during the ceremony was as well. Corbell’s failure to acknowledge either of those shows a selective grading – thus, playing an ethnic heritage card that is not applied evenly or fairly. Hypocrisy is an ugly thing.
That’s when I received a very, very surprising response.
“Sadly, I’ve learned Don is now a detractor — for whom I once drove 50+ miles thru Seattle’s traffic to give a free seminar worth $5,000 as a favor to him, his business organization and a media company that published my business-coaching tips.”
I read it. I blinked. I reread it. A seminar?
It was a Chamber of Commerce lunch. He wrote it off as an advertising expense. He deducted the mileage. He was fishing, hoping someone in the crowd would be recruited to listen to him and perhaps become a client. And he even got a free lunch from Lucas di Napoli.
The people we brought in to speak at the chamber luncheons were for the education of our members, not as personal favors for the board. Sure I may have been appreciative, but you see, that’s called common courtesy. You know, like not taking a political potshot at an opponent during a ceremony for World War II code talkers.
This so reminds me of the adage attributed to George Bernard Shaw:
“I long ago learned never to wrestle with a pig.
You get dirty and besides the pig likes it.”
You get dirty and besides the pig likes it.”
There is a definite whiff of bacon about Mr. Corbell.
D. G. Speirs - Storyteller and Dreamer 