PERHAPS THERE IS HOPE

    This part of the post is from Bob's Blog and it states much of what I have been saying. The only question is - does Bob realize the truth behind these statements and that one side is not innocent in this mess?
"In a conversation with someone that happens to be a fairly new renter, he made some observations that really puts Century Village in a bad light. He stated that he moved in not realizing how political our village has become. The hostilities between the two sides has made it clear that he will move once his lease is up and would NEVER consider buying here.
That is the consequence of the childish stupidity of these constant battles. The constant knives thrown at it other. Rodney King was made a punchline on the late night talk show circuit after his "Why can't we all just get along?" comment. Punchline or not, the words ring true. Why CAN'T we all just get along?
All this hostility just because one personality doesn't like another.
Get a grip. try to put the personalities aside and do something that the village needs. Work together.
Stop the frivolous lawsuits, stop the childish rhetoric, extend an olive branch instead of a knife.
If you can't, then maybe you should consider finding an alternative living situation, because it won't get better until you do. "


   Bob, kudos to you for saying these things and I hope you are not drummed out of your corps, or perhaps I do, so that you would finally see the truth. I have been begging for reconciliation and civilized behavior for literally months and all you have to do is go back and check my postings  and you will see those words there. However, my words generally fell on deaf ears, even hostile ones.
  
    When one side of an issue thinks that disagreement with that issue is tantamount to treason, there is very little leeway for rational reconciliation. Unfortunately, David Israel, who brags about his NSA years, seems to have absorbed the governmental philosophy of stomp on your foes and that is where he is so wrong and so bad for the Village. He wants to be president? Fine. I have no problem with that IF he understands that there is and always must be an opposition, not in everything, but some things, as to disagree is a human trait and a civil right. But when any slight disagreement is shot at with an ICBM missile, then imagine - no, see- what he and his cronies attack with at a larger and more serious disagreement of policy.

     How is one to work with that? Why can he not see reason? Why can he not approach his political opponents, those of differing viewpoints and say let us work together for the sake of the Village. Let us work in transparency. Please feel free to voice your opinion without fear of slander and nasty names being rained down upon you. Welcome to committees.

     BUT, instead of that, those with different points of view are maligned and booed at every moment. Point of truth, when Olga got up to make a point, she was immediately greeted with a round of groans and boos. This is mature behavior? NO!!!! But this is what is encouraged and tolerated. A gavel should have banged at that point and out of order should have been said, but no, it wasn't. EVERYONE has the right to speak and be greeted with civility, without being told to shut up, as Lenore Velcroff told Olga. Granted, Olga responded with a four letter word, but what else is her alternative? How much disrespect is one to absorb? When one lives in the Village one has the right to speak without harassment and disrespect.

     So, Bob, you tell me. Where do we go from here. David Israel is willfully deaf and recalcitrant. His followers, those people who always need a strong man, be he tin pot dictator or larger version, continue to be nasty in their postings, raining down insults on people whether they said something or not. Why all the bombastic shouting and stalling when asked for information? Why the tolerance of foul language towards dissenting statements at committees? Why must there be a unilateral administration here in the Village and not a democratic one. Where discussion is encouraged, there is a place of progress.

     Will people leave? Assuredly so, but not only for one reason. When they see another faction uniting behind another, and these factions themselves have differing viewpoints, yet see the importance of variety in opinions; when they see that a renter has her sticky fingers deep in people's private information as she works on newspaper, channel 63, AMR, Food stamps, IT, etc, etc; when the newspaper is totally controlled by the administration and refuses to allow dissenting voices despite what they say in their statements in the paper; when all this is happening, yes people will leave, people will not come and David Israel will end up presiding over his little coterie of nasty spouting people and when they all die in an empty echoing Village, hopefully, they will remember to shut off the lights before they take their last breath and hopefully they will remember that once, there was a place known as Camelot - and they killed it off.

     I am ready to work with anyone for the sake of the Village. Are you and yours?