By Roger Gitlin, Commissioner
Del Norte Solid Waste Management Authority, and
Supervisor District 1 –
Chair Holley:
I am disappointed in your ” rush” to agendize and address the Grand Jury Report on Solid Waste Operations in my absence at the July 21, 2015, Solid Waste Management meeting. After telling you I would be away on a short vacation, I have respectfully asked you to pull item 5.4 and 5.5 from the Solid Waste Agenda. As the Chair, you have declined my request claiming exigent Penal Code Response. I remind you the Report was released June 30 and the 90 day clock starts from that date.
To no avail! You have effectively ignored a fellow board member’s request to pull the item from the Agenda, and via Special Meeting or the August 18 meeting, reschedule said item, well before the September 30 meeting. This irresponsible, unreasonable position you have taken will be met with appropriate consequences for your action. This matter will not be ignored and I promise you have not heard the last of this. It is quite apparent by your actions you wish to take the opportunity to single a Board member out in a pejorative manner and do so in absentia.
Further, it is quite obvious your motive is purely political and serves no interest other than an opportunity to besmirch me in public while I have no opportunity to speak for myself. Your feeble invitation to have my statement read into the record shows your bereft leadership. The District Attorney has already stated there was no inappropriate contact in my communication with Judge Follett in my letter to him re: the practices of the 2014-15 Del Norte Grand Jury. Yet, for reasons that I can only assume are based on false pretenses of ” rush to judgement,” you persevere.
Upon my return, I promise Chairman Holley, Your intransigence will be dealt appropriate consequences.
How convenient A.D. and Feral can say any rant that makes them feel better when they drink the green koolaid and hide like cowards behind anonymity where they attack people who strive to protect public funds. The corrupt are enjoying the show. I’m not worried; the pendulum always swings.
Anonymous, off the mark. Please read the following:
NARCISSISM, PSYCHOPATHY, AND EVIL
DELANY DEAN, JD, PhD
NARCISSISM AND PSYCHOPATHY
Introduction: During both my professional careers (criminal law and psychology), two areas of particular interest to me have been psychopathy and narcissism. Psychopathy is generally viewed as a particularly virulent form of narcissism, in which the person is not only very much focused on herself, or himself, but also highly manipulative, sometimes sadistic, and very much into control and power. One prominent characteristic of psychopathy is the presence of what is usually called a “glib, superficial charm.” These people are usually able, at least in the short term, to win over others very easily. They would generally be described as “very attractive” people (on the surface). Sometimes a person who merits the designation “psychopath” goes into a path of criminal activity (many, but not all, serial killers are psychopaths, and criminals known as “con artists” are often psychopaths); other times, the psychopath will be engaged in a legitimate career (politics, academia, corporate leadership). The key is not the type of activity the person engages in, but the degree of control s/he exercises over others.
Underneath the superficial charm, the narcissist/psychopath always has a “me-first” mentality. If you work with such a person, you may begin to see signs that s/he thinks that everything is about her; and, crucially, it will become clear that control/power is a major part of her game plan. However, this can be well concealed beneath a veneer of friendliness and concern for others; it may not become clearly evident until s/he receives what is known as a “narcissistic injury.” A person who is truly narcissistic will respond with extreme anger if s/he receives a challenge to her ego (an ego that is both fragile, and strongly defended). This response may look like an overblown rage fit, following a minor slight; or it may take the form of a cold vindictiveness, administered by acts of retaliation. These responses can be very shocking, even frightening, to the person who unwittingly triggered or evoked the narcissistic injury (by getting in the way of the narcissist’s plans, for example, or by displaying a lack of full approval and appreciation for the narcissist’s brilliant ideas).
Dear A.D. and Feral,
First, you can not be a sociopath and a narcissist. You can not be empathetic and a sociopath. Mr Gitlin is very compassionate and is obviously (emotionally) moved when
faced with unnecessary challenges that obstruct his agenda. (That usually has to do with making the community better). He merely requested to reschedule an agenda item that this representative was personally involved. To add further insult the request, that would have no negative effects on anything, was denied by Mr Holley, without any credible reason. The frustration he experienced is well known by the public.
This dysfunctional community is burdened by the attitude that is so prevalent in the PATRIARCHAL SYSTEM, “BECAUSE I SAID SO”. The only crime Mr. Gitlin has committed is to
represent his constituents to the best of his abilities by listening and including his constituents in the solutions. Mr Gitlin’s refusal to follow orders and treat the public as children who are to “DO AS THEY ARE TOLD”, “NOT TALK BACK” and “SERVE THE LEADER”
The public experiences this over and over. I am waiting patiently to find out about the tax payers embezzled money. For Mr Holley to deny the rescheduling of the agenda item appears to be another attempt to deny the public oversight of approximately $25,000 – $30,000. I will echo Mr. Gitlin’s words “This matter will not be ignored and I promise you have not heard the last of this.”
This is not BULLYING. THIS IS BEING RESPONSIBLE BY QUESTIONING AUTHORITY, WHICH IS NOT ONLY YOUR RIGHT, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!
Since you diagnosed Mr. Gitlin to be a PSYCHOPATH and a NARCISSIST, which he is neither.
Netflix has an excellent production showing a sociopath “at work” in the political arena!. The title is House of Cards. There is an American version staring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. You will feel “right ‘DEL NORTE COUNTY’ at home”.
Mr. Gitlin, Thank you for hanging in there. I can’t think of anything worse than trying to work with the self-serving, entitled, manipulative representatives who only represent their self and each other with a common goal “to get rid of you”.
Melissa Schenker
Work/Life Consultant, Author, Contributing Writer at The Huffington Post
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Working Knowledge: How to Tell the Difference Between a Narcissist and a Sociopath
Ever wonder if you are dealing with a narcissist or sociopath at work?
When it comes to dealing with difficult personalities in the workplace, people struggle because they don’t know the difference between a narcissist and a sociopath. Both personalities show up in all sorts of workplaces, and at all levels of employment. Sociopathic personalities are not as uncommon in the work world as you might assume – functional sociopaths can manage quite well in the everyday world. Because of this, it’s very useful to know the difference between the two, so that you can use responses and strategies that work best for each specific personality problem.
Knowing some basics of how to discern the difference between the personality types is the place to start.
Keep in mind that this article is short and therefore not an exhaustive description of either personality type. If you suspect you are working with either a narcissist or sociopath, you may want to do further research in order to have a deeper grasp of the dynamics. Narcissists and sociopaths are of both genders – this article uses the convention “he/him” for ease of reading only. Just a quick note about terms: sociopath and psychopath are one and the same thing according to the psychology profession, but our culture seems to view psychopaths as criminally-oriented.
Shared Elements and Differences:
There’s good reason that narcissists and sociopaths get confused in our minds, and that is because they share some elements – sociopaths are narcissistic but narcissists are not sociopaths. Though they share some motivations and behaviors, some elements of their personalities are very, very different. Clarity about the differences is probably the most useful way for a layperson to differentiate the two types. If you are interested in more information about how the personalities are similar, see this series of blog posts that compares and contrasts narcissists, borderlines, and sociopaths.
Basic similarities of narcissists and sociopaths:
• Both have charisma or charm that they use to get people engaged.
• Both tend toward grandiosity – big ideas, big stories, big visions.
• Both take credit when things go right and point fingers when things go wrong.
• Both are self-serving.
• Both lack empathy; narcissists are unable to see things from another’s point of view and sociopaths can see how they effect others but just don’t care.
• Both exhibit a sense of entitlement.
• Both have a total lack of personal insight into their emotional selves.
• Both can skillfully re-craft the past to suit own needs.
• Both can speak of emotions, but their experiences differ from that of people with empathy.
• Neither apologize when it would be appropriate to do so, although a sociopath might offer a fake apology in order to keep things moving along.
What’s different:
A narcissist will talk about himself, a sociopath will get you to talk about you.
A narcissist will introduce topics of interest or concern to himself, a sociopath will introduce topics of interest to you.
A narcissist wants to be perceived well, a sociopath wants to be perceived in whatever way will best suit his purpose.
Both ignore social rules, but a narcissist does it out of lack of awareness, while a sociopath does it to manipulate situations for his purpose.
A narcissist is somewhat hapless and unaware of his personality predicament his behavior and his effect on others; a sociopath is likely to be aware he is different from people who experience empathy and knowingly use this difference to get his way.
A sociopath is pre-occupied with winning, while a narcissist is preoccupied with being appreciated and admired.
A sociopath is a stimulation junky seeking ways to avoid boredom, while a narcissist may or may not be oriented to high stimulus activities.
A narcissist is unaware of the aggravating effect he has on others, while a sociopath is very aware of the effect on others.
A narcissist may demean you, be a bully, or mess with your career if he perceives you as a threat, while a sociopath will knowingly try to take you down or out altogether if you get in his way. A sociopath is likely to be cunning, patient and strategic in this process. He plays a long game while a narcissist plays a shorter term game.
A narcissist doesn’t mind working hard if it leads to approval, while a sociopath manipulates to do as little work as possible for the purpose of having money without expending effort.
A narcissist will have many relationships that end badly, while a sociopath is more likely to cut and run altogether once their manipulations are revealed or thwarted.
Both are chameleon-like and adapt their stories to please their particular listeners, however a sociopath may skirt closer to the edge of believability somehow managing to get you to doubt yourself rather than the fantastic story.
A narcissist is likely to adapt better to a work situation in established organizations with clear rules and social codes while a sociopath will prefer a start up or entrepreneurial environment where the rules and social codes are not clear.
A narcissist will get frustrated that his attempts to interact with empathetic people seem to go awry; he’ll feel like a victim because his efforts don’t work. A sociopath will not feel this sort of frustration, he processes what other people would consider to have emotional import as neutral information.
Both can make poor collaborators and team members. With a narcissist it’s due to poor social/emotional skills, self-orientation, and hapless attempts to get their own needs met, while with a sociopath it’s due to manipulation to get out of work, thwart others, win out, and get what they want.
Strategies for Success:
If you discern you are working with a narcissist or sociopath, there are strategies for maintaining professionalism and taking care of yourself. If you are dealing with a narcissist, your worst problems tend to revolve around being triggered (and therefore compromising your professionalism) due to being ignored, feeling disrespected, dismissed, demeaned, or bullied. A narcissist who perceives you as a threat in some way may attempt to throw you under the bus professionally, and you may need to handle some complicated situations. You can find additional useful strategies for working with a narcissist here.
If you are dealing with a sociopath, you may find things are more complicated and threatening than if you are dealing with a narcissist. If you are in a sociopath’s sight as either a highly useful or highly problematic person then you are likely to be the target of behavior that can range from manipulative to highly destructive. You will need to take care of yourself in a well thought out strategic fashion, with an eye on self-protection (of reputation, information, finances, and physical self). Whichever personality you encounter, remember that awareness of the personality type and implementing tactful, thoughtful strategies can make your situation better.
I included an excellent summary of traits that define each of these personality disorders, by Melissa Schenker
Work/Life Consultant, Author, Contributing Writer at The Huffington Post
Working Knowledge: How to Tell the Difference Between a Narcissist and a Sociopath.
Ever wonder if you are dealing with a narcissist or sociopath at work?
When it comes to dealing with difficult personalities in the workplace, people struggle because they don’t know the difference between a narcissist and a sociopath. Both personalities show up in all sorts of workplaces, and at all levels of employment. Sociopathic personalities are not as uncommon in the work world as you might assume – functional sociopaths can manage quite well in the everyday world. Because of this, it’s very useful to know the difference between the two, so that you can use responses and strategies that work best for each specific personality problem.
Knowing some basics of how to discern the difference between the personality types is the place to start.
Keep in mind that this article is short and therefore not an exhaustive description of either personality type. If you suspect you are working with either a narcissist or sociopath, you may want to do further research in order to have a deeper grasp of the dynamics. Narcissists and sociopaths are of both genders – this article uses the convention “he/him” for ease of reading only. Just a quick note about terms: sociopath and psychopath are one and the same thing according to the psychology profession, but our culture seems to view psychopaths as criminally-oriented.
Shared Elements and Differences:
There’s good reason that narcissists and sociopaths get confused in our minds, and that is because they share some elements – sociopaths are narcissistic but narcissists are not sociopaths. Though they share some motivations and behaviors, some elements of their personalities are very, very different. Clarity about the differences is probably the most useful way for a layperson to differentiate the two types. If you are interested in more information about how the personalities are similar, see this series of blog posts that compares and contrasts narcissists, borderlines, and sociopaths.
Basic similarities of narcissists and sociopaths:
• Both have charisma or charm that they use to get people engaged.
• Both tend toward grandiosity – big ideas, big stories, big visions.
• Both take credit when things go right and point fingers when things go wrong.
• Both are self-serving.
• Both lack empathy; narcissists are unable to see things from another’s point of view and sociopaths can see how they effect others but just don’t care.
• Both exhibit a sense of entitlement.
• Both have a total lack of personal insight into their emotional selves.
• Both can skillfully re-craft the past to suit own needs.
• Both can speak of emotions, but their experiences differ from that of people with empathy.
• Neither apologize when it would be appropriate to do so, although a sociopath might offer a fake apology in order to keep things moving along.
What’s different:
A narcissist will talk about himself, a sociopath will get you to talk about you.
A narcissist will introduce topics of interest or concern to himself, a sociopath will introduce topics of interest to you.
A narcissist wants to be perceived well, a sociopath wants to be perceived in whatever way will best suit his purpose.
Both ignore social rules, but a narcissist does it out of lack of awareness, while a sociopath does it to manipulate situations for his purpose.
A narcissist is somewhat hapless and unaware of his personality predicament his behavior and his effect on others; a sociopath is likely to be aware he is different from people who experience empathy and knowingly use this difference to get his way.
A sociopath is pre-occupied with winning, while a narcissist is preoccupied with being appreciated and admired.
A sociopath is a stimulation junky seeking ways to avoid boredom, while a narcissist may or may not be oriented to high stimulus activities.
A narcissist is unaware of the aggravating effect he has on others, while a sociopath is very aware of the effect on others.
A narcissist may demean you, be a bully, or mess with your career if he perceives you as a threat, while a sociopath will knowingly try to take you down or out altogether if you get in his way. A sociopath is likely to be cunning, patient and strategic in this process. He plays a long game while a narcissist plays a shorter term game.
A narcissist doesn’t mind working hard if it leads to approval, while a sociopath manipulates to do as little work as possible for the purpose of having money without expending effort.
A narcissist will have many relationships that end badly, while a sociopath is more likely to cut and run altogether once their manipulations are revealed or thwarted.
Both are chameleon-like and adapt their stories to please their particular listeners, however a sociopath may skirt closer to the edge of believability somehow managing to get you to doubt yourself rather than the fantastic story.
A narcissist is likely to adapt better to a work situation in established organizations with clear rules and social codes while a sociopath will prefer a start up or entrepreneurial environment where the rules and social codes are not clear.
A narcissist will get frustrated that his attempts to interact with empathetic people seem to go awry; he’ll feel like a victim because his efforts don’t work. A sociopath will not feel this sort of frustration, he processes what other people would consider to have emotional import as neutral information.
Both can make poor collaborators and team members. With a narcissist it’s due to poor social/emotional skills, self-orientation, and hapless attempts to get their own needs met, while with a sociopath it’s due to manipulation to get out of work, thwart others, win out, and get what they want.
Strategies for Success:
If you discern you are working with a narcissist or sociopath, there are strategies for maintaining professionalism and taking care of yourself. If you are dealing with a narcissist, your worst problems tend to revolve around being triggered (and therefore compromising your professionalism) due to being ignored, feeling disrespected, dismissed, demeaned, or bullied. A narcissist who perceives you as a threat in some way may attempt to throw you under the bus professionally, and you may need to handle some complicated situations. You can find additional useful strategies for working with a narcissist here.
If you are dealing with a sociopath, you may find things are more complicated and threatening than if you are dealing with a narcissist. If you are in a sociopath’s sight as either a highly useful or highly problematic person then you are likely to be the target of behavior that can range from manipulative to highly destructive. You will need to take care of yourself in a well thought out strategic fashion, with an eye on self-protection (of reputation, information, finances, and physical self). Whichever personality you encounter, remember that awareness of the personality type and implementing tactful, thoughtful strategies can make your situation better.
Future posts will explore more strategies for working with these personality types.
Your comments are spot on A.D.! Teachers and people who work with youth take heed, your lesson plans on what bullying looks like are all laid out for you in this letter and at every Board of Supervisor & DNSWMA meeting along with examples of misuse of power of a public official, not playing well with others in the sandbox, and it’s time he goes. We do not need to be subjected to his perpetual rantings and his threatening attitudes. Stand up to this bully and kick him out. Perhaps the folks in Santa Clarita would welcome him back to their community.
Roger Gitlin continues to bully, threaten and retaliate against anyone who does not acquiesce to his demands. From a private citizens perspective, this is very concerning AND very threatening, especially when you consider previous statements Roger Gitlin has made against Rick Holley.
This psychopathic narcissist is a walking time bomb and his threats and intimidating tactics should not be taken lightly. They should be discussed by the Board of Supervisors and sanctions levied. Roger Gitlin is out of control and his emotional and mental stability is in serious question by most. Please pass the straight jacket, tar and feathers.