Hi neighbors, Yesterday, we had list exchanges about the right of civic association leaders to declare who will represent other groups and associations within our diverse community. The internal operations of these civic associations work like clubs, and at the worst times like gangs. But what are these associations to the community as a whole?
Part of the reason to lie about diverse representation (even when the planning group at FOCP is widely known to be a closed exclusive invitation only group) is to continue the attempt to make the special interest group appear to be an acceptable replacement for government and appropriate processes. FOCP and SHCA are special interest lobbyist groups. I personally know that the leaders of the Boards of these groups do not represent their members and often don't respect their views. But most importantly those leaders don't represent the community. Clark Park is a public park. Because FOCP leaders declare that they will rule the park and deserve the right to keep others out of the decision-making processes, it should not make it acceptable to the rest of us. FOCP wants to make changes in the park. It is not the people of the community who must be required to monitor FOCP, in fear, then mobilize to fight against them. It is FOCP's duty to put out appropriate information and timely notices to the whole community when they aim to change a public park. If they are too busy and too hard working to do this, they are too busy to lead a change in the park. There are obvious groupings of regular stakeholders in the public park who must be invited into the planning and discussions in order for the FOCP plan and organization to be respected. These groups are us, and each has grassroots networks which keep communities strong and functioning. They bring essential information and ideas into the planning so that a good plan will eventually come before the community. By having a fair and inclusive process, the plan can be accepted by those who may not like all parts of the plan. Fairness, transparency, and inclusiveness allows this to happen. Even honest mistakes which end up harming stakeholders are avoided or accomadations are built in to a plan because the voices of those stakeholders participate. (For example, basketball players would get honest information now, which they could trust, about the delay in finishing their court.) If we allow foreign policy to be decided by the lobbyists from the military industrial complex what would happen? It is inappropriate for our community to allow any special interest entity to abandon appropriate process which effectively takes away our rights and morale as citizens and community members. I believe it is extremely important to recognize and act against local confiscation of our rights just as we need to stand consistently against similar processes nationally and globally. We won't be able to stand against the big forces unless lots of little communities like ours take back our rights, citizenship, and community. Just wanted to clarify some of the issues overshadowed amidst the hubris, ad hominem, and spin in yesterday's exchanges. Glenn
