The Observation Deck

Well said with respect. Call a spade a spade.

Nice Halloween photo.

I remember those times.

Quite a response to my concerns Jim.

FYI: Peter Seeger addressed problems. To my knowledge, he did NOT however, go after people, nor shall I here.

Gary the knight? The armor's a bit rusty, I suppose.. Still, if you support your cause in a positive way, and if it's right and just, I'll likely polish my armor up and mount my trusty steed, and ride with you.

Done it before, I can do it again. Many battles, many causes...

BUT...

If people choose to flame, name, or blame however, I'll have none of it. Problems are not solved by more problems.

By the way, I NEVER said that the Clinic was to blame for the hospital closing. I'm just not sure who is...this whole thing goes back too far. Too many people were cooking in the kitchen, I do believe.

...and that, good friends in Lakewoodland, is my problem in a nutshell.

Conspiracy theorists would have a field day with all this.

Back to the banjo, or the barricades, or whatever is handy...

Gary Rice wrote: If people choose to flame, name, or blame however, I'll have none of it. Problems are not solved by more problems.

By the way, I NEVER said that the Clinic was to blame for the hospital closing. I'm just not sure who is...this whole thing goes back too far. Too many people were cooking in the kitchen, I do believe.

...and that, good friends in Lakewoodland, is my problem in a nutshell.

Conspiracy theorists would have a field day with all this.

Back to the banjo, or the barricades, or whatever is handy...

Gary, Pete wasn't big on excuses, and often placed blame, especially during the war on the poor, on Asia, and on his favorite river.

Excuses are just another way to avoid the most important thing in the room.

We do not need theorists, we have facts, we have actions, just take the time and read them.

Some of the smartest most diligent people I have ever met, were all doubters of what I knew. I allowed each one to take their time, look at the meetings, the players, the documents and the actions, all have come up with the same answer I had back in 2014.

Simply put FitzGerald/Summers asked the Clinic to leave for various favors for themselves and friends. It is not amazing, it is the same old story again and again and again and again.

To ignore the facts, or even worse give cover to the evil doers is nothing less than being complicit in the deeds.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that." Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." Martin Luther King, Jr.

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." Martin Luther King, Jr.

"If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything." Malcom X

.

Gary,
I really hesitate to pile on because I don't have the long, long relationship that Jim has had with you and your dad. I'm not sure that we've ever met in a meaningful way. And I appreciate, and praise, your peaceable attitude.

But, and you may know what's coming...

You've been reading the Deck for a long time, so I know you've seen at least a fraction of what Brian, Jim and Mark have written about the current administration. So it baffles me how anyone knowing that can remain in any way neutral. If that translates to, or influences someone else in, a vote against those who oppose them, or even a choice not to vote, then it really is an "if you're not with us, you're against us" situation.

Never ever said I was neutral.

Thing is, T'ain't always WHAT we do, it's HOW we do it.

When I mount my trusty steed, windmills watch out!

Back to the....whatever.

I gotta spare banjo (trombone, actually) in the basement. I'm gonna take it out and caution you guys.

Gary Rice wrote:
Thing is, T'ain't always WHAT we do, it's HOW we do it.

Mr. Rice has nailed my argument in a nutshell.

Governments make bad decisions every day. My critique of the city administrations is less about what was done, but HOW it was done.

Conforming to processes that are ethical and legal (and competent) count just as much as the outcome.

Shall we applaud the loss of invaluable civic infrastructure that served our community for more than 100 years?

Shall we applaud those civic leaders who both led and served as cheerleaders for this loss?

I think not.

We have crossed over a major tipping-point. We also have to recognize that Lakewood voters vindicated the decisions of their elected representatives.

In our civic community there needs to be a continuing and lively discussion of the recent past and coming future.

We can also take a moment to thank Mr. O'Bryan and The Lakewood Observer for providing an independent platform for such discussion.