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Ridgewood’s civility issues should be resolved where they occur

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AaronBurr2

Ridgewood’s civility issues should be resolved where they occur
January 30, 2015    Last updated: Friday, January 30, 2015, 9:39 AM
The Ridgewood News

Resolve civility issues where they occur

Linda McNamara
Ridgewood

To the Editor:

After reading the article on civility (“Panelists seeking to define civility,” Jan. 23, page A1), I had a very uncivil reaction. I wanted to rant and rave!

There are dozens of definitions for the word civility: 1) formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech. 2) polite remarks used in formal conversation to name just two. What has happened in Ridgewood that requires several meetings to discuss this and to what end? I rarely see poor behavior although it does occur. It might be more important to discuss what provokes poor behavior?

I have asked several people what would cause you to express yourself in a way that might be perceived as inappropriate? Some responses included not being listened to, treated in a dismissive manner, anything relating to improper treatment of their children and unresolved issues relating to service at any level.

The only thing we as individuals can do is monitor our own personal behavior. Elected officials, village employees, committee heads and coaches need to use patience when dealing with the public and follow meeting guidelines erring on the side of more openness and transparency than less.

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-to-the-editor-ridgewood-s-civility-issues-should-be-resolved-where-they-occur-1.1261792

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Reader says with civility meetings our Mayor is looking to manipulate opinions and achieve predetermined outcomes

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Reader says with civility meetings our Mayor is looking to manipulate opinions and achieve predetermined outcomes 

PJ:

I think we are “drilling down” on why our mayor and our most senior Board of Education Trustee are arranging and attending these very strange quasi-public meetings and how they are used to manipulate opinions and achieve predetermined outcomes.

The following is from an early critique of the tactics of the Obama administration and seems eerily similar to what is happening in Ridgewood today:

https://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message740164/pg1

03/02/2009 07:23 PM
WHAT ARE “THE DELPHI AND ALINSKY TECHNIQUES” ???

By Jack Ward

I was very curious when President Obama held a ‘Fiscal Responsibility Summit’ less than a week after signing a budget busting Stimulus Bill. Obama asked summit participants to break up into groups and to report back in a few hours with recommendations. The groups submitted their inputs but the results of the recommendations would come a few days later. Expecting serious responses within this short time period made the process suspicious.

The very next day the House of Representatives passed a $410 billion pork laden spending bill that contained 8878 ‘earmarks’. Either Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi didn’t get the word about ‘fiscal responsibility’ or Obama was speaking with forked tongue. After reviewing the inputs from the previously mentioned ‘Fiscal Responsibility Summit’, Obama submitted his $3.55 trillion budget for fiscal year 2010. This was done under the guise of ‘A New Era of Fiscal Responsibility’. Obama had promised to reduce the deficit and eliminate ‘earmarks’. But neither of those things happened. Saying one thing and doing another is common with politicians but this is so blatant I wonder how long it will fool the people. Manipulating small groups of people has been common place, but now we are seeing manipulation on a nationwide scale. Where would someone learn the techniques for such mass manipulation?

Knowing that Obama had spend considerable time as a ‘community organizer’ in the home town of Saul Alinsky , I was suspicious that the Delphi / Alinsky techniques to manipulate groups of people were being used. I am aware of these techniques because I have used these techniques and have been in groups where they were used.

The RAND Corporation developed the Delphi Technique for the U.S. Department of Defense as a psychological warfare weapon in the 50s and 60s. Saul Alinsky, noted Leftist and spiritual mentor of the youthful Barack Obama, noted the advantages of controlling the masses and adapted special techniques for teachers – it was called the ‘Alinsky Method’. Alinsky promoted his methods in his 1971 book called ‘Rules for Radicals’. ‘Rules’ has become the handbook for community organizers, change agents, and fellow travelers.

Bev Eakman wrote in ‘In Educating for the New World Order’ that the advantage of the Delphi / Alinsky techniques was to preserve the illusion that there is community participation and agreement in the decision making process. Eakman pointed out that these techniques are used to manipulate groups of people to agree to something they oppose. This slight of hand technique is used by many government agencies to defuse opposition. As a result, the Delphi or Alinsky techniques have become common when group ‘consensus’ is desired.

Richard Poe wrote that the youthful Obama was “trained by Alinsky’s Industrial Areas Foundation,” and that “Obama spent years teaching workshops on the Alinsky method.” “In 1985 (Obama) began a four-year stint as a community organizer in Chicago, working for an Alinskyite group called the Developing Communities Project.” “Later, Obama worked with ACORN and its offshoot Project Vote, both creations of the Alinsky network.”

So it is apparent that Obama had more experience as a community organizer and the Alinsky techniques of manipulating the masses than he does as a politician. It is only natural for Obama to fall back on what he knows and is comfortable with when faced with monumental challenges. So it not unexpected that Obama would revert to using his community organizing skills when addressing national problems.

Obama has mastered “the Delphi and Alinsky techniques” and it is apparent to me that these techniques will guide him throughout his presidency. Therefore, to understand President Obama and what guides him, I suggest that you read the works of Saul Alinsky.

1. Using the Delphi Technique to Achieve Consensus 02/10/10
2. The Delphi Technique 05/08/14
3. Is OBAMA employing the “DELPHI” Technique against America?11/14/12
4. Exposing the DELPHI TECHNIQUE in Public Meetings 03/28/12
5. Topics Discussed: “The Delphi Technique”, Clinton’s connections with the and the Bush’s,IQ play between Bush Jr. and Hillary 01/10/08

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Ridgewood panelists seek to define civility

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Ridgewood panelists seek to define civility

JANUARY 22, 2015    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015, 2:40 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

In drafting a working definition for the term “civility,” participants of Tuesday’s Civility Roundtable discussion harkened back to the sermon of this week’s Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration.

“It’s OK to be angry, but do not sin,” said the Rev. Thomas Johnson, pastor at Mt. Bethel Baptist Church, repeating the biblical verse quoted by the Rev. James Forbes Jr. on Monday.

“To sin,” added Robin Ritter, program coordinator at the Ridgewood Library, “that’s the disrespectful behavior. If we look at it that way, what’s the appropriate response? I’m angry, we’re talking about it, how do we have that dialogue?”

Finding the answer to Ritter’s question is the roundtable’s overriding goal, to create more civil behavior in Ridgewood’s public discourse. During their conversation this week, the panel members took the next step in promoting civility by recognizing what goes into civil discourse.

“Civility is not only the right thing to do and the decent thing, it’s the smart thing to do,” said Mayor Paul Aronsohn. “[By being more civil] this enriches the conversation and probably helps us to get to where we need to be.”

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/ridgewood-panelists-seek-to-define-civility-1.1233772

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Reader says the Council Only Loves Free Speech when you agree with them

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file photo Boyd Loving

Reader says the Council Only Loves Free Speech when you agree with them

 

Oh, this is hilarious. Je suis Paulie, Je suis Pooch, Je suis the Hawk. Yeah, they all advocate free speech unless the person at the microphone is saying something they do not want to hear. Then that person is interrupted or yelled at or given the brush off. Remember the woman who was so determined about Graydon and they started screaming at her? Remember when the hotheaded DM went nuts on Ellie Gruber? You are not allowed to ask any direct questions of any member of the council, yep this is free speech.

Je suis Paulie. Whoever coined that deserves and award.<br
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Reader says Ridgewood’s Mayor should go on record voicing his support for Charlie Hebdo and the Ridgewood blog in support of Free Speech !

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Reader says Ridgewood’s Mayor should go on record voicing his support for Charlie Hebdo and the Ridgewood blog in support of Free Speech !

By any chance, is Ridgewood’s Mayor on record voicing his support for Charlie Hebdo in the wake of the brutal attack on free speech in France? Or is White Horse Strategies only interested in representing clients who benefit when people are afraid to freely speak their minds?

Events of this nature, if they are to be held at all, should be privately organized. For elected representatives to be the planners, hosts and organizers seems like a tactic employed by the National socialist party. Does anyone know their Great Depression and WWII-era history? Even Roosevelt sought to corrupt and coopt public discourse by secretly training thousands of so-called “four minute men” and quietly dispersing them around the country to attend local public meetings where they would take full advantage of open microphone time to proselytize regarding issues near and dear to the collectivist heart of the executive branch. Are we seeing a return to this tactic, 70 years hence?

If the puerile, atheist, nihilist rag Charlie Hebdo and it’s anemic typical print circulation of 60,000 is to be defended arm-in-arm by 40 world leaders marching in solidarity against attack by Islamist barbarians, certainly free-market, free-speech and We-the-People-oriented theridgewoodblog.net with its 90,000 unique electronic visitors per month can expect to be effectively defended against gratuitous depredation by two and 499/1000ths amigos bent on incessantly holding non-public public meetings calling for “civility in public discourse” until we collectively cry “Uncle” for fear of being bored to death. Hey PJ, by any chance, do you have a cartoonist on staff capable of amateurishly lampooning the prophet Aronsohn in honor of tonight’s gala free-speech-chilling civilapalooza?

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Village of Ridgewood Civility Roundtable – January 20th – All are Welcome!

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Village of Ridgewood Civility Roundtable – January 20th – All are Welcome!

Mayor Paul Aronsohn will be holding a Roundtable meeting to discuss related to more civility in our public discourse. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 20th at 7:30pm in the Senior Lounge at Village Hall.

Rev. Jan Phillips will lead the discussion. We will drill down on ways to take the civility conversation forward.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

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How to think as a civil society

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How to think as a civil society

JANUARY 2, 2015

To the Editor:

According to the dictionary, “civility” means being polite and courteous.

So, really, most everything we know about acting polite and courteous we learned in kindergarten, so to speak, as kids learning how to get along in school and entering the adult world.

In England in the House of Commons, known for its loud unrestrained behavior, recommendations to enforce civility were defeated last year and in years past.

Why? Members of the House believe that uninhibited speech helps to ensure the continuation of a flourishing democracy because it encourages the free expression of ideas.

Yet their society has a much lower incidence of violent crime.

Are we to expand the definition of civility to include illegal acts, or are we going to limit civility to mean acting polite and courteous?

And how about our town meetings? How restrained do we want members of the public to be in their speech?

What is the relationship between civility and a civilized society?

These are questions we have to ask ourselves as we think about civility.

Diane Palacios

Ridgewood

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-to-the-editor-how-to-think-as-a-civil-society-1.1184808

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Reader says the mayor is desperate to smoke a few detractors for purposes of uncivil public vilification

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Reader says the mayor is desperate to smoke a few detractors for purposes of uncivil public vilification

Is the Mayor inviting a public protest? They must be sorely tired of taking on anonymous blog commenters and are now desperate to smoke a few of their detractors out of their caves for purposes of uncivil public vilification. OTOH, to allow the Mayor to even think he is defining the terms of this debate by conducting multiple successive non-public public cumbaya meetings without friction or any sign of philosophical opposition to his agenda seems risky too. Persistent and pesky is this Aronsohn. But ultimately, I think the Force is not strong with this one.

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Reader says Please post on the blog blaming anyone who has displeasured me

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file photo by Boyd Loving , the Tenhove technique

Reader says Please post on the blog blaming anyone who has displeasured me

Alert Alert Alert. This is a message from you leader to all my apologist and reelect committee members.

It seems that some poster on The Ridgewood Bog are not as stupid as we had anticipated and are starting to catch on to what I and my colleagues are doing. Therefor I am asking you to use a tried and true method to distract them . This method has be used by our President many times with success. Please post on the blog blaming anyone who has displeasured me . You know who they are. If you are not sure just review the Council tapes. If all else fail I will contact THE END. I will follow this up with a robo call . You should alway use the term “Moving Forward” unless you want to go back and blame someone .

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Civility Roundtable – January 20th

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Civility Roundtable – January 20th – All are Welcome!

Mayor Paul Aronsohn will be holding a Roundtable meeting to discuss related to more civility in our public discourse. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 20th at 7:30pm in the Senior Lounge at Village Hall.

Rev. Jan Phillips will lead the discussion. We will drill down on ways to take the civility conversation forward.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

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Reader says Mayor’s letter to the Editor is complete and total bull

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file photo by Boyd Loving

Reader says Mayor’s letter to the Editor is complete and total bull

This editorial is so well written that you could almost believe it……except that those of us who know him and his sneaky techniques are well aware that it is complete and total bullshit.

He and his two buddies have been nasty, then contrite, then well-behaved, then nasty again, then contrite again….it is just a ridiculous cycle. If there had been one incident of incivility from Aronsohn and Pucciarelli and Hauck, then maybe this stupid editorial would be believable. But this has been a repetitive cycle that never ends, just that right now the mayor is in the contrite phase. The pendulum will swing again, just wait.

This can be compared to spousal abuse in some ways, where the violent person is so very sorry and swears never to do it again…..until the next time. Their repeated behavior from the dais has brought the outspoken outrage of many, many citizens, not just the few hard-core residents who regularly go to the meetings. There have been long lines of people at some Village Council meetings, waiting to go to the microphone and express their disgust with the INCIVILITY of these three elected officials. And, we have also seen and heard such nasty language off the record from them, in the hallways, after the videocameras go off, even during encounters outside of Village Hall. We know you three read the blog incessantly, and you know what incidents of verbal violence you have been involved in. And, in one instance that I know off, a bystander videotaped a certain someone screaming at a village resident.

And regarding the crime (in my opinion it was a crime) against Mike Sedon, the three of them NEVER, not once EVER showed any outrage about that. It was horrifying how they just ignored it. If a couple of citizens had not pushed for an investigation, it never would have gotten underway. Mayor Aronsohn should have used his connections to push push PUSH for answers as to who sent that despicable email to Mike’s employer. He should have left no stone unturned until answers were clearly revealed. This makes it seem pretty obvious that the stones could not be turned, because lurking under one of them is the guilty party. And all indications are that it is someone who had a vested interest in keeping Mr Sedon off the ballot (and he and Ms. Knudsen won by a LANDSLIDE while a certain elected official fumed in the hallway, making a cell call during which outrage over Albano’s loss was clearly and loudly stated).

So, sorry Mayor Paul, your editorial might make you feel all pumped up and proud, but we see it for what it is, empty words from a nasty man.

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