The more I became involved in the Neighborhood Council, the
more I was horrified by how far astray it was from what I believe to be the
proper scope and function of government.
At one point, I was so appalled that I decided I couldn’t go
forward. It was not the right thing for
me to do or be involved in. I sent the
following letter to the leader of our little coalition.
Dear ____________,
I had an interesting realization
today. The process began when I received a Facebook notification that the
agenda for a special meeting of the Governing Board of the Silver Lake
Neighborhood Council had been posted to the SLNC website. Interesting, I
thought, the last I checked the next meeting was in April. I opened up
the SLNC page and navigated over to the special meeting agenda. After
reading it through, I realized that there were almost no items there that I
agreed with or would support. In fact, there are several items that I
oppose, other items that are empty gestures and none that I could
support. I thought back to the first SLNC meeting which I attended, the
March Governing Board meeting, and realized that this is what the SLNC
does. These are the issues in which its members and the community are
interested.
At our candidate meeting the
other night, when I said I believe that I was the most conservative member of
the group, I believe I understated my position. I realize now that I was
the only conservative member of the group that evening. In fact, one of
the few ideas I have in common with the group is the concept of civil
debate. That may well be the only thing we have in common
politically. The SLNC is nothing if it is not a political
organization. It is by design a tool of the City of Los Angeles to engage
citizen support and input into local government. Like most, if not all,
government bodies in this city the SLNC operates on the left of the political
spectrum; that much is obvious just from reading the latest Governing Board
Agenda. As I tried to say in that first meeting, I am on the right side
of the political spectrum.
The SLNC reflects the political
views and philosophy of the community. I am at odds with those views and
that philosophy. There is no point in my spending time campaigning for
election to a government body where the majority of members will always
directly and often vehemently oppose my beliefs. I’m not interested in
being the lone dissenting voice, or the guy who opposes everything the council
proposes. That wouldn’t be fun, or useful for anyone. My time would
be better spent supporting a group that is working toward those goals and
purposes which I consider vital and important. The SLNC is not that
group.
I should have done my homework
before I ever submitted my name as a candidate. I regret not doing
that. Until this evening, I truly had no idea what I was getting myself
into. Don’t get me wrong, though, I don’t dislike anyone on the
“team.” As a matter of fact, I believe that the team is made up of good,
caring people who really do want what they think is best for the
community. We just don’t agree upon what is “best.” That doesn’t
make any of us bad people, just people who disagree.
I believe that my best course of
action at this point is to withdraw my candidacy for the SLNC. I hope
this is not a great inconvenience to the team. As I said, I should have
done more research before I sent my name in to the city clerk. I do want
to continue to work with Nadine as a volunteer on the Public Safety
Committee. I think I can do some good there. I’ll also, of course,
continue to be active in my Neighborhood Watch.
Respectfully submitted,
I immediately received a return e-mail telling me that it
would be unfair to the rest of the coalition for me to withdraw at that point
since flyers had already been printed and the website created, all of which
included my name. I saw her point and
the error of my ways. I agreed to see
the campaign through to the end. The
worst that could happen was that I might be elected, as unlikely as that
seemed. I made plans to speak at the
candidate forums.
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