Susan Henderson: Hate Is Not A Community Value!

Susan Henderson: Hate Is Not A Community Value! (March 27, 2010): When people who have been raised with a sense of community move to a new place, they soon seek out ways in which to be productive and help that community grow. I contribute by publishing a community newspaper, one that provides news and information for the entire community. Of course Opinions are included, but the primary purpose is the dissemination of information useful to the residents. Activism is not a part of this paper's primary mission, reporting the news and sharing information is.

One of the challenges of such lofty goals as being unbiased, objective and balanced, comes around every election cycle. Readers expect to hear the paper's position on the candidates over and above the opinions of the columnists. Honestly, I could have a much easier time of things if I just went on vacation while the campaigning and electioneering is going on. Then I wouldn't upset anyone. However, that would be an abdication of my commitment to keep the public informed. 

This is the third city council race in which I have participated since living and writing in this town. However, this campaign has turned out to be the most mean-spirited, deceitful one I have ever seen. (FYI, that's saying a lot, considering I used to earn my living leading a large political organization - link.)

Never in my life have I ever seen such political manipulation, such vitriol, and the wholesale spreading of lies and innuendoes just for the sake of winning. Yes, during Measure V and other campaigns we had a lot of contentious political activity, but this time around it is beyond the petty name calling of the past. This time we have a candidate (John Crawford), led by an elected official (MacGillivray) and followed by, in my opinion, two good people (Watts and Alcorn), who have been hoodwinked and embarked in a year long effort to destroy the credibility of those who disagree with them.

They all are campaigning with a bundled pack of scare tactics, lies and hate, and such behavior is of no value to Sierra Madre. Right now the behavior of our Mayor and John "Sir Eric the Blogger," Crawford have become a real embarrassment to our town. And Mary Ann wants us to vote on three candidates so she will have "control?"

Unfortunately, two good, not perfect, but two good people, Don Watts and Pat Alcorn, have become so inextricably tied to the hate monger and the liar that it is impossible to extract them. I cannot in good conscious say that either will serve the best interests of Sierra Madre when they choose to follow the lead of the morally bankrupt. And, although in a recent forum Mrs. Alcorn indicated that she is not a part of the slate, that, in her own words sometime after the forum, is simply not the case. And we cannot forget how Watts "flipped a nickel" to decide who should sit as mayor, an action that empowered Mary Ann to begin her reign of terror.

We need to stop the madness and select candidates anxious to work together to take care of "the people's business." Sitting on the Sierra Madre City Council is not a joke, it's not a game. It's serious business and only those committed to serving and respecting the ENTIRE community deserve to sit there. Joe Mosca, Nancy Walsh and Josh Moran have demonstrated through years of community involvement that they have what it takes; the commitment, drive and respect for others, than can turn this city around.

1. All three candidates have a deep rooted, serious commitment to Sierra Madre. Moran was raised here; Walsh has been an active member of this community for decades and Mosca, who has lived in this town longer than both Crawford and Zimmerman, is a dedicated and responsible public servant.

2. Moran, Walsh and Mosca are not prone to lying. They have not engaged in character assassination, hate mongering and bigotry. The allegations of Mosca's "broken campaign promises" are a bunch of hysterical lies that have been brewing for years because of, let's face it, homophobia and bigotry. And I should know.

3. Moran, Walsh and Mosca are all intelligent, respectful people with well balanced lives and who want to serve the entire community, not just their supporters, for the right reasons! They each collectively bring skills and experience to the council that is (sic) sorely needed.

4. Moran, Walsh and Mosca want to be part of a council that works together to come up with solutions that will help maintain the character and integrity of this city.

With new leadership on the council we will be able to get back on track. Don't be deceived by the campaign rhetoric of the Mayor, who for instance takes credit for the audits when they were near completion when she was sworn in. And for God's sake, don't be reeled in by this character masquerading as a responsible citizen, John Crawford. If you didn't know him before don't judge him by what you have seen lately. I've known him for 3 years at least and this person, campaigning under the mask of civility, is not the real John Crawford. This will probably be the only time you will ever see the following statement in this paper. If you want to know who John Crawford really is, go to www.sierramadretattler.blogspot.com and skip the last month of articles - he was campaigning then. Look further back and read the pages of hysteria, half truths, fabrications, outright lies and unsubstantiated summations made by him. Look at the cesspool of hate that he has created while hiding his identity and take a good look at his leadership abilities. Read it, then mark your mail-in ballots or run to the polls on April 13th and vote for Walsh, Mosca and Moran!

P.S. - While I have been that subject of Crawford's hateful rhetoric for years, that is not the basis for my concerns. Ask yourself, what will this town be like if the following kind of person would become mayor, who even now has been reported to the Police for being caught twice rummaging through other Sierra Madre residents' trash.

(Mod: After the election I consulted briefly with an Attorney. Not so much concerning this column, but about the charge that I had been reported to the Police for "twice rummaging through other Sierra Madre residents' trash." That seemed to me to be a little much. You will be relieved to know that my Attorney discussed this with the SMPD and no such reports to the Police ever existed. It was just something a momentarily unhinged Susan Henderson had made up. And as far as Joe Mosca's "commitment to the community," has anybody seen him around here lately? Maybe he just wanted to clear out of town before the consequences of his City Council service got as bad as they are today.)

http://sierramadretattler.blogspot.com