I found out that an anonymous person who generates “Medablog” has been contacting followers of this site on Twitter and informing them that this author is a Very Bad Person, because of how an incident during my campaign for City Council this past summer was reported, this site and my opinions are unfit for consumption. Ironically, one of the people notified in this latest attempt at censorship was incoming Vice-Mayor Rob Bonta, who is familiar with me, my opinions and the overblown situation behind the story being used to portray me as a serial-senior-citizen-seizing-psychopath.
The tenor of politics in Alameda have taken a turn for the negative ever since campaigning for Measure B and then Measure E took over the neighborhoods. No longer is there room for people to discuss their individual opinions and have the space to hold differing views. Much of the worst of what we read in history books, we’re seeing generated again with propaganda put forth by faceless machines, whether it be at Blogging Bayport, In Alameda, or this new anonymous thought policeman at Medablog.
As I found when I questioned the status quo in my political campaign, I am now finding when I question the need for a parcel tax to fund the AUSD: people who think they have all the answers don’t like questions. Any sort of challenge to their party line, and you get back the same dogma repeated over and over; I’ve seen it from the likes of Politbloggers Susan Davis, and Lauren Do, Charles Luison’s response editorial to mine at The Island, attendant Do-bots Spangler, Medablog, Hot R, and a rotating cast of made up characters.
These people exhibit a curious involuntary behavior, like moths to a light bulb- they circle it; it’s always the focus of their attention, yet they won’t dare get near it. They want to deny that it exists… even, say, censor it? Yet, the hotter the light bulb gets, the more they can’t stay away from it. There is no discussion of the issues, no attempts to look at new solutions; instead it’s just personal attacks and deflections.
As a community leader, I am happy to give a name and a face to my opinions, since so many people who opine around Alameda’s blogs lack one or the other. People have a right to an opinion and the right to defend it and share it as they choose. What people don’t have is the right to force an opinion on anyone else. Sharing opinions is a way to learn and generate discussion. Forcing opinions is the way to cause strife and community division.
If someone wants not to participate in this site, that’s their prerogative, but you only have one mind to make up, and that’s your own.
Recent posts from the same author:- SURPRISE - Russo Finally Hired - April 28th, 2011
- Regarding Alameda's Union Leaders - April 11th, 2011
- And the Winner Is… - March 29th, 2011
- To the Editor - February 1st, 2011
- The City of Alameda Has ESP - January 19th, 2011
