Civility in Public Discourse – Tuesday, February 24th at 7:30PM
The Village of Ridgewood will host a panel discussion on “Civility in Public Discourse” on Tuesday, February 24 at 7:30pm at the Ridgewood Public Library.
Panelists will include Lynne Algrant, Councilwoman, Englewood; Stephen Borg, Publisher / President, North Jersey Media Group; Jacqueline Luthcke, Captain, Ridgewood Police Department; Robert Sommer, Public Affairs Executive / Jersey City Official; James Tedesco, Bergen County Executive.
The facilitator for the discussion will be David Fine, Rabbi, Temple Israel. “This panel discussion will provide a good opportunity to take our conversation about civility to the next level,” explained Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn. “These community leaders each offer an important perspective, and we are fortunate to have this chance to engage them in such a meaningful way.” The event will be open to the public. WHAT: Panel Discussion on Civility in Public Discourse WHEN: Tuesday, February 24 7:30p to 9:00p WHERE: Ridgewood Public Library 125 North Maple Avenue, WHO: Panelists Lynne Algrant, Councilwoman, Englewood Stephen Borg, Publisher / President, North Jersey Media Group Jacqueline Luthcke, Captain, Ridgewood Police Department Robert Sommer, Public Affairs Executive / Jersey City Official James Tedesco, Bergen County Executive Facilitator David Fine, Rabbi, Temple Israel HOW: Remarks by panelists, followed by questions / answers.
At some point these quasi-public meetings move from discussing procedure (i.e., the process by which unreconcilable dissenters are isolated, frozen, and embarrassed, preferably one at a time), to discussing substance (once the meetings have been purged of non-likeminded people, the real agenda can be discussed and moved forward), all without the need to publish an agenda before the meeting or the minutes afterward, UNLESS…both M’s Knudsen and Sedon would do us all the favor of breaking up the party by attending all of these meetings in their official capacities, thereby triggering the Sunshine Law…?
Ridgewood residents who value our non-partisan form of government should take a dim view of the “Civility Roundtable” series of quasi-public meetings, at which the innocuous good of ‘getting along’ is the stated goal (i.e., for ‘public consumption’), bu the true goal is for the three Amigos, and particularly our illustrious Mayor, to politicize everything they can get their hands on. As this is clearly contrary to the Faulkner Act, Ridgewood residents should resist these developments on principle, vigorously and without heed to the baldfaced denials and public obloqy that will inevitably be thrown their way.
Enjoy your free speech rights while they last, people. The Obama/Reid/Pelosi/Ayers/Clinton/Cloward/Piven/Alinsky/Aronsohn bell tolls for thee!