WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE CALM DOWN??

Would everyone please calm down???

Wow, I’ve had an interesting morning wading through blog posts and E-mails about the upcoming local election. People are really fired up, and I can certainly understand both sides of the issue.

On the one hand, I agree that the Croissant Park Blog, whether or not owned by the Association (which it is not) is not the appropriate forum to endorse a particular candidate or belief, even if it is made clear by the poster that it is his personal opinion. Because it is the blog referenced in our newsletter, whether it is technically the property of the CPCA or not – it does appear that it is and appearances are important. I don’t think that any of the Board members should be publicly endorsing a candidate for office on a blog that is supposed to discuss issues of interest to the community as a whole. One only needs to go through the neighborhood and look at the lawn signs for both Commission District 4 candidates to realize that there are differing opinions, and as a blog that supposedly represents all of the citizens of Croissant Park – we should make every effort to stay neutral so as not to offend any of our members. But I also think everyone may be overreacting a little.

I too got the E-mail from Cal Deal that John found so offensive. I had a different reaction – it was a political cartoon and, like many such cartoons was probably funny to those who do not have strong feelings about either candidates- or who do not support the candidate depicted. If you are interested in checking it out and deciding for yourselves, the link is http://www.fortlauderdaleobserver.com . I also got the “prayer circle” E-mail – which you can check out at Tim@Timsmith.com if you want to read it in its entirety.

I think Romney Rogers had the correct response to the political cartoon
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2009/02/is-god-taking-sides-in-a-fort-lauderdale-race.html saying that he wished his body looked as good as Deal depicted it. That should really have ended the matter. If people want to pray for a candidate- that is certainly their right, and their business. They also have the right to poke fun at a candidate if they wish. I think John’s response was a bit of an overreaction to an E-mail that you sort of have to be a political junkie to have received in the first place, and which was laughed off by the subject himself. I suppose there are people out there who didn’t find Tina Fey’s “I can see Alaska from my house” parody funny either-but again – that is what makes this country great. We can all believe what we want, and express those opinions without fear of retaliation.

But everyone needs to lighten up a little bit. I don’t think that the Croissant Park Blog should be used to endorse a candidate or religious or social belief or agenda. Having said that- neither do I think that we need draw and quarter John, or publicly strip him of his Croissant Park buttons and break his sword or whatever one does to disgrace an officer (my experience in these matters runs to watching re-runs of F-Troop) for expressing his personal religious and political views despite the questionable choice of forum. Next time John, please use one of the political blogs and let’s keep Croissant Park a neutral corner. Both candidates seem more than capable of holding their own in the ring. Lets just calm down – sit back, have an adult beverage (or not) and root for the candidate we support, and see who is standing when the bell rings.

Pat Rathburn