The Observation Deck

I proposed the debates on channel 74 back during the winter and everyone laughed at the idea.

goes to show what I know

I salute Councilman Fitzgerald for stepping into the LO Deck.

I’ll even take up his point and modify my request for the White Paper: “First, position papers are fine, but like the platforms that political parties put out every four years, they are rarely studied except by political junkies, and offer no opportunity for the public or other candidates to press for answers.â€Â

Gary Rice wrote:We've got about half a dozen people on this 'Deck who seem to love to jump on anyone with whom they disagree; particularly concerning this mayors' race.

That's part of the problem and why I think a much more public race is necessary from the candidates. The deck, as Jim points out, is widely read and visited. The candidates should not allow the negativity that sometimes surround mayoral discussions to represent what they are about. They need to take the spotlight. They need to be out in front.

Come election time, the same small percentage of voters will probably vote.

If that is the case again, it's only because people aren't excited. People only vote when there's something that enthralls them or they feel passionate about.

IMHO, shame on all the candidates if they can't get a decent turnout...it just will prove that none of them has a vision that seems to capture the hearts of Lakewoodites...or at the very least are horrible at getting it across. Hopefully that won't be the case this year.

Let their supporters here openly identify themselves as such.

I'll publicly declare that at this point I'm not supporting anyone, I'm wide open for the taking by the first candidate that grabs my attention. I'm not necessarily a fan of MTG simply because I think he's not done an adequate job of connecting with the majority of the citizens. He might be available to talk to in person, but I shouldn't have to seek him out to know his vision, as a leader, he should seek me out. I've said this publicly before on the Deck. I'd love to see him more involved here.

But with that said, he could still win my vote. I need to be inspired. If he can do that, I'll vote for him.

Also in the interest of full disclosure let me say that I have known and been friends with Ryan Demro since middle school at Harding. However, let me say that I'm not working for his campaign nor have I decided to vote for him.

I am truly an independent at this point in the race.

'Course this is all only my opinion, and I may be wrong...

No, I think you speak alot of truth this time

EDIT: Not sure where Gary's post went that I replied to...but hopefully no one is too confused.

Thanks Bryan,

I made my post, then pulled it back because I'm getting a little tired of getting jumped on for an opinion.

I wish everyone was as civil with their discourse as you are.

Still, here's my post:

THE PEANUT GALLERY????????

Now Ken,

All that follows is only my opinion, but....

You're a great guy and all; perhaps THE erudite enabling expressionist of Lakewood academic prose.

But,

When my "peanut gallery" sings, I'm of the opinion that they represent a significant cross-strata of Lakewoodites rich, poor, and anywhere in-between, who feel that Jimmy's little ant farm sometimes gets a little out of hand.

After all, what are these words, but little cyber-dots, seemingly analogous to little ants meandering through an ant farm?

Filled with purpose, naturally, but going nowhere; except to the edges of this little rectangle sitting in front of you.

We've got about half a dozen people on this 'Deck who seem to love to jump on anyone with whom they disagree; particularly concerning this mayors' race.

Are they trying to raise cain or something? I don't presume to know.

I like Tom, and I've said so, but I don't want to be thought of as being some secret shrill for him.

In the ideal world, I suppose the three mayoral candidates would have a big debate. Or two, or three, or four. You'd have point and counterpoint for all of the thirty people in the room who'd come to listen. The papers would dutifully print the highlights, and a few folks might actually read them, before they send the paper to the recycle box.

Come election time, the same small percentage of voters will probably vote.

The same way they would have anyway.

Someone will win. Probably Tom. Incumbents usually seem to win, unless they do something REALLY stupid.

These "position papers" and campaign speeches that people are talking about are usually only so much hot air. Whomever gets in must deal with Council and the Courts and the unions and the other cities.....and on and on. No one formulates policy on their own.

To me, I'm thinkin' that these three gentlemen need to fight their own battles between themselves, and let the chips fall where they may.

Let their supporters here openly identify themselves as such.

Let the debate be candid, honest, and open with our citizenry of Lakewood.

Otherwise, we might as well start the first verse of "Eve of Destruction".

'Course this is all only my opinion, and I may be wrong...

For the record, I was a volunteer with the Ted Strickland Campaign. I feel that I got to know Ted pretty well, having written a banjo tune for the Campaign, and having marched with him in the middle of a rainstorm!

One thing that I was so impressed with at that time, was Ted's total reluctance to go negative. Some supporters no doubt felt that he should do so, but that would have been so out of character for him.

Still, he was elected without having to be someone he was not.

That was an amazing lesson to me.

You can be a good guy, and still win in America.

I love this country!

Yeah Ken, Kumbayah!

Gary:

Please understand that my reference to you in the context of “the peanut galleryâ€Â

Communicative action thus allows "the actors seek to reach an understanding"...

I see the LO Deck offering candidates a dynamic interface with members of the community, who can measure claims, seek evidence, accepting or contesting matters through reasoned dialogue.

At its best, the Deck could help build understanding. But the Deck is only at its best if we're at our best. A discussion conducted in a neighborly and respectful way can do this.

But if we are jumping on each other's case, scoring points tit-for-tat, there isn't much listening going on, nor much understanding being reached. That's not a discussion, that's a game of "gotcha."

For me, and I suspect for many people, quarrels are a turn-off. If we want more "members of the community" to participate in "reasoned dialogue", I'd invite us to foster a less competitive, more welcoming tone.

dl, as Deck moderator, can you tell us if there are "good neighbor guidelines" we might use on the Deck? During floor debate in the House and Senate, etiquette is enforced through parliamentary rules. At one level, this is ridiculous, since nobody can force anybody to respect anyone, but such rules do serve a purpose. "The Honorable Gentleman/Gentlewoman from Ohio" is the term of address, rather than "Dennis" or "Stephanie" because using someone's name can be like pointing a finger in certain contexts. It helps to keep discussion within certain bounds of civility when things get heated (and they do).

I'm not suggesting we adopt literal discussion rules, but I do invite us to consider: are we achieving a tone on the Deck right now that brings out our best, and its fullest, potential?

Tom wrote:

"At its best, the Deck could help build understanding. But the Deck is only at its best if we're at our best. A discussion conducted in a neighborly and respectful way can do this."

Amen.

You're one of our best, Tom Bullock. At least, that's my opinion. You're running for office, and you haven't felt the need to slam anyone. At least as far as I can recall.

Ken,

I knew your post regarding me was jocular.

You're one of the best to me too.

I believe you wrote:

"Perhaps your sense of the cyber-ant-farm analogy and my use of the term peanut gallery reflect a shared sense of the diminished impact of what gets said here."

Yup, good point. Amen to that one too.

The only thing about this whole collegiate "communicative action" thing that you are hoping for is predicated on keeping all those foxes in this little ol' henhouse, while expecting them to behave contrary to their nature.

(OK, that's mixing the metaphors a bit, but you'd have a pretty hard time squeezing an anteater into an ant farm :-)

May as well expect the lion to lie down with the lamb.

While that Great Old Book tells us to expect that to happen one day, the fact is, it happens all the time. The only trouble is, as a pastor once told me, only one of them gets up afterwards!

Whether this little experiment in "communicative action" succeeds or not is still an open question.

Down through history though, and even going back to that Great Old Book, it always seems that when we mere mortals just about get some unity going, (as in building the Tower of Babel) it all falls apart.....

still we try....Kumbayah, my ants, kumbayah.....

Tom:

I understand your point about tone and moderation: “At its best, the Deck could help build understanding. But the Deck is only at its best if we're at our best. A discussion conducted in a neighborly and respectful way can do this.â€Â

Tom

While I understand completely what you are saying, and agree. It should be pointed out that this is the most civil discussion in town consisting of ten or more people.

Go back over the thousands of messages, and topics, pro-life, the war, schools, taxes, drunks, development, 47, flowers, politics, religion. It is amazing at the civil level we are able to maintain.

People should always post what they feel and believe

In the end, we are framed by our words and actions.

I have been watching the phenomenon for many years. Passions build, blow off steam, retreat and come back. When a voice disappears another appears. Even once in a while some jump in that are new. I have this theory, they people lurk as long as they find someone sharing their ideas and values. When they are no longer represented by a surrogate they jump in.

A virtual game of double dutch word jazz.

Let's remember, there are high stakes here.


FWIW

Ken,

Thanks for your wisdom, kindness, and understanding too.

Wow! Walter Ong...great reference.

That inspires me. Having just given some recommended readings to a student, I think I'll post a few here m'self that I think might be helpful to anyone who might delve into some summer reading for inspiration, regarding human interaction:


Perhaps St.Augustine's "De civitate Dei"?

Or St. Ignatius' "Spiritual Exercises"...

Or St. Thomas Acquinas' Summa Theologica...

Or Tolstoy's "The Kingdom of God is Within You"...

Or George Fox's "Some Principles of the Quakers"...

Or St. Francis' "Canticum Fratris Solis"...

Or John Wesley's "Notes on the New Testament"...

Or Ghandi's "My Experiments With Truth"...

Or Martin King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail"...

Or Pope John XXIII's "Journey of a Soul"...

Or JFK's first inaugural address....

Or anything by Elie Wiesel...

Or Kahlil Gibran's writing regarding reason and passion...

Or the story of the Ghost Dance...as told by Robbie Robertson.

Jim,

I don't know how you have the patience to keep this all together, m'man.

Well, gotta go. I'm better at the ol' banjo than reading that stuff, particularly when the weather's nice out there.

I guess it all kinda goes together though......

Kumbayah, my Tower of Babel, Kumbayah...

Gary Rice wrote:Jim,

I don't know how you have the patience to keep this all together, m'man.

.

Gary

It is my pleasure and the pleasure of everyone connected with this I hope.

It is everything I had hoped when we started and more.

If we can build the discussion table we can achieve great things.

Real names, no censorship, as much respect for the poster as we can muster and lets together vet ideas, thoughts, plans, history and life.

This is some real beautiful word jazz.


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