It was one hell of a show last night at the Carlsbad City Council meeting. The proposal for Carlsbad to foot the bill for the Clean energy Cori Choice Energy, by guaranteeing a loan for an entity without a credit rating, lost on a 2-2 vote. Cori was called out by Anthony Bona in public comments for her advocacy of an IBEW local union, who donated a gazillion dollars to her dark campaign last March, in writing the "Clean Energy Alliances" Labor policies in their meeting on July 23rd.
Nothing said by Mr. Bona was discourteous, much less "Unkind, Unnecessary, and Untrue" last evening. Though we appreciate the Councilwoman's long belated admission that her supporters might bear a little bit of responsibility for the divisions she refers to in her closing comments, it sounds akin to the Minneapolis Police saying Officer Derek Chauvin might have been a little rough on the people he brutalized.
Not a single person in Carlsbad who has paid attention over the years is unaware of who has been the aggressor in the toxicity she decries. As the Councilwoman spoke about "Olive Branches", I could only recall the many instances potential peacemakers had their efforts denigrated by those administering the Councilwoman's multiplicity of Facebook pages, groups, and the Nextdoor platform they have converted into a hate factory.
As a human being, it has been horrible to be the butt of many things Councilwoman Schumacher and her friends have posted about myself, my wife, and my friends. I have been brought to my knees in despair and been frightened to even go to the store. The response to my comments tonight will most probably be greeted by the usual threats, insults, and doxxing that is the daily diet on the Schumacher inspired social media universe.
Perhaps retribution will come again in the dark of night, and I'll awake to a physical token that says "I know where you live." Perhaps another attempt will be made to abuse the process, in order to shut me up, or perhaps an attempt will be made to threaten me through my wife.
Recently we got this lovely communication through my wife's long-dormant campaign page, apparently authored anonymously by a semi-literate who runs a Cori-centric page purporting to be meant for "Carlsbad Locals." In her attempt to put my marriage asunder, we are marginally grateful that I was not accused of auditioning for the reality show, "Cheaters"
Perhaps retribution will come again in the dark of night, and I'll awake to a physical token that says "I know where you live." Perhaps another attempt will be made to abuse the process, in order to shut me up, or perhaps an attempt will be made to threaten me through my wife.
Recently we got this lovely communication through my wife's long-dormant campaign page, apparently authored anonymously by a semi-literate who runs a Cori-centric page purporting to be meant for "Carlsbad Locals." In her attempt to put my marriage asunder, we are marginally grateful that I was not accused of auditioning for the reality show, "Cheaters"
I worry about all the other people I know, and those I have never met, who are afraid to speak their piece and have their voices amplified in the normal channels of civic communication. Unlike the Councilwoman, I am not reckless enough to pin the blame for all of this upon her shoulders. That would be unfair. What is fair is to say that Councilwoman Schumacher has benefitted politically from tactics that have created a toxic political culture.
Both Cori and her sidekick Priya Bhat-Patel have done NOTHING to stop their supporters from driving the divisions they pontificate about and cynically decry. If we were looking at this car wreck as an insurance adjuster assesses an accident claim, it's far from a 50/50 division of blame. Try a 90/10 distribution.
To those who are reading this in an atmosphere of honesty and intellectual rigor, you are possibly part of the 10% I noted above. By being cowed into silence, you created a vacuum these people eagerly filled. By being bullied into silence on the issues facing a wonderful community, you are allowing a handful of trolls to steal your voice and take power. One blessing of being beaten up so often and so long online by the same people is the realization that it's only a handful of people getting away with this. If all those who were sane would rise up once and for all and demand decency, those who are "Seldom Wright" would fold up their tents in a fortnight.
The surest way to restore a civil public discourse is for all of those who have been bullied, canceled, and picked upon since Measure A days, to seize back their right to comment upon public affairs. We have seen for years how feigned anger, real hostility, and the madness of an online mob of 20-30 trolls can hijack one of the best places in this country. It's long past time for each of you to take it back from the abyss of madness.
MANY BLESSINGS- NOEL
PS- In the shameless self-promotion department, here is a link to the Facebook Live I did last night on the Council meeting and Cori's "Olive Branches.
PS- In the shameless self-promotion department, here is a link to the Facebook Live I did last night on the Council meeting and Cori's "Olive Branches.
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