March 24,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, At a recent council meeting pets of Mayor Aronsohn used foul language, laughter, and un-Civility. Mayor Aronsohn the so called champion of civility showed his true colors proving once again the whole ‘civility ” issues was nothing more than an attempt to silence dissent. Why it feels like Jersey City already in the new Ridgewood .
I am interested to know why you neither stopped nor even reprimanded a speaker at the March 23 Village Council meeting who referred to some members of the public as “fornicators.” The use of this pejorative certainly would not fit in with anyone’s definition of “civility in public discourse,” and as the self-proclaimed champion of such civility it is shocking that you allowed this speaker to continue. This is particularly surprising since you reprimanded me a couple of weeks ago for laughing, yes laughing, during a meeting. I look forward to hearing your explanation as to why foul language is acceptable and laughter is reprimand-worthy in a meeting of which you are the chair.
Anne LaGrange Loving
Mr. Aronsohn, when the first speaker at last night’s long council meeting, recent and questionable recipient of a good citizen award, began to pontificate about people he disagreed with, his voice growing louder, and going so far as to call those who had distributed a flier about the garage some time ago “fornicators”–to audible gasps from the crowd–why didn’t you stop him?
Is cursing at one’s fellow residents not uncivil? Did this not begin the proceedings on a very low note? Is it not your responsibility to keep council meetings cordial?
You have not hesitated to chastise other residents for doing far less. Had someone on “the other side” said anything remotely like this, that person would surely have been reprimanded and possibly ejected from the room–appropriately.
Sincerely,
Marcia Ringel
Im shocked just shocked that our Mayor did not stop Jim Griffith.
Ahronson and his assistants are determined to push through an era of development that will change this town forever. They are lame ducks and are focused on “achieving” something, leaving their stamp on the town long after their one term.
Ahronson and Puccherili may move on and possibly move away.
Hauck will continue to live in Ridgewood undoing any positive legacy associated with her family name. She pushed for Valley expansion and overdevelopment. She will be hoping to have her name on a plaque or a wing. Trying to compete with dad.
She may very well wake up one day and realize that she was a tool, but then again looking at her history, probably not.
There is the possibility that he does not know what the word means. He is dim
JIm Griffith is a senile pot bellied old man who cannot control his mouth and I suspect he wears a diaper.
When the three Amigos leave they will have their tails between their legs. Good riddance.
He should never have called them fornicators as those days are long gone. Witches and dried up old hags would have been more appropriate.
While Jim’s comment was off base let’s all take a deep breath and give him a pass due to age. He is basically a good guy who does not seek to hurt or insult people but sometimes words come out of his mouth before his brain can process the content. My hunch is all of us have older parents or relatives who sometimes say dumb things they do not means It happens with age.
9.30. Difference is the ridgewood 3 use him as a shield to any real focussed factual debate.Free country so we take the good with the bad…glad to see the bad hitting the road..there will be plenty of work ahead to repair the damages they caused.Some likely close to unrepairableincluding that oversized Garage will start the avalanche of alleged pro business sympathy until the
Bell Shall chime and the piper gets his due.Money.,a lot of these damages will be very costly to the taxpayers and those choosing to stay who will have to try to correct such mismanagement.prediction :BERGEN COUNTY/NJT WILL RUN THAT slum garage within 7 years due to loss making.I hope I’m long gone by then..Also.school costs will bankrupt this town..someone with an Un-sellable house will be left holding the bag. In 20124 taxes will reach.20,000 dlrs property/school tax on a 1600 Sqft one family house.no takers for that math…all for what the 3 amigo agenda….what a wasted 5 years they have wrought
No, not unless you are mean at heart and senile.
Why in the fuck should I give him a pass. Like Loving said she was reprimanded for laughing.
I am old too. fuck a duck.
It is insulting to older residents to imply that they lose control of their thought process.
Griffith spoke what he thinks is the truth. What is the name of his business?
Someone should suggest an ordinance be passed that if someone at the mic uses foul language or are otherwise insulting they should be escorted out of the room at once.
That sort of speech has no place at a public meeting. Imagine children listening. Like high school kids who are interested in govt.
When or why does a word such as fornicator become obscene? People take a little break and move on, your children and a fair amount of parents say much worse at sporting events in the village.
11:37, excellent point. I agree. Imagine Keith Killion letting such a person continue to speak.
“My hunch is all of us have older parents or relatives who sometimes say dumb things they do not means It happens with age.” That is true 9:30 But when he get up in a public meeting and says this there is no free pass. If he got up and said he was going to cause harm to you would you still give him a free pass because of his age. On another point. You could try to explain his actions but then why didn’t the Mayor stop him. Could it be that be that the Mayor agrees with what Jim was saying. Our Mayor is quick reprimand people who disagree with his visions. 11:30 is right the 3 Amigos us him as one of their ENFORCERS. No free passes. Well lets see if Jim G. gets up at the next public meet and say ” I misspoke and apologize” How many times have you heard that after the damage has already been done.
Our Mayor is an embarrassment. He let this man go one without saying anything.
REMEMBER THIS. Well Rev. Jan Phillips what do you think about last nights meeting ?
Village of Ridgewood Public Meetings Civility Roundtable, Winter Workshops at SHARE , Meet the Manager
DSCF3180-300×225
file photo Boyd Loving
Village of Ridgewood Public Meetings Civility Roundtable, Winter Workshops at SHARE , Meet the Manager
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.
Well Rev. Jan Phillips what do you think about last nights meeting ? Did Jim Griffith DRILL DOWN on the subject of the garage
You missed Paul Vagianos of Its “Greek to Me ” and Pesident of the Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director
Joan Groome hugging and smiling after the vote for the garage was taken.
11:37am – it should be attached to Albert’s video recording ordinance.
Wasn’t this guy Mrs. Hauck’s campaign manager?
11:25 well said.
Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone. Also, I take a profanity uttered by a sincere person over all the hypocrisy of the miscreant vocalantis.
Point is, Aronsohn lets his sympathizers say whatever the hell they want. But if someone who does not talk the Aronsohn talk so much as laughs, they are reprimanded for being uncivil.. And oh yes, does anyone know why Anne Loving laughed? Because Councilwoman Hauck said Dana Glazer reminded her of a terrorist. That comment was so bad, so outrageous, that the entire audience cracked up. civility NOT
Rurik Halaby I see that you paid for RIDGEWOOD VOTER flier that just came in the mail. You are right, if more voters came out in previous election maybe we would not be in the predicament that we are in now with the 3 Amigos.
Really, people. Can’t you find anything more important to get your shorts in a wad over than an obvious, silly malapropism? You know what a malapropism is, right? It’s the unintentional and often humorous misuse of a word, like when someone says “circumnavigate” instead of “circumvent,” or “fornicator” instead of “fabricator.”
Really, people. Can’t you find something more important to get your shorts in a wad over than an obvious, silly malapropism? You know what a malapropism is, right? It’s an unintentional and often humorous misuse of s word, like when someone uses “circumnavigate” instead of “circumvent,” or “fornicator” instead of “fabricator.”
HEY the word on the street is the ridgewood water has big staffing problems on glen av.
Rurik, the point is that the Mayor as chairman should have asked Jim to refrain from such language . Roberts Rules of Order addresses that very situation. Also, when you and others speak so poorly of your fellow residents who have a different point of few it is very un democratic and off putting. I know you feel it has been done to you but two wrongs do not make a right. I for one believe our current council majority has fostered the Iack of civility at the council meetings and yet they hold forums about this very subject.
Please Mr. Carroll. You and Roberta should just have another glass of wine instead posting on this blog.
There won’t be anymore incivility. The big issues are over. The town will be a city, and that’s that. Town meetings will go back to only a few residents attending.
Robert Carroll.. you may displease the amen corner because you’re absolutely right… he is exhibit A for tongue tied 101… of course he wasn’t painting opponents as the biblical “F” word….it could have been worse, he may have mis-spoken “thespian”…. but 1125’s posting is appropriate I guess as he did the shorthand for fornicate….
Linda at 9pm-
Hear hear on two wrongs not making a right! Good advice for all sides.
The phrase “you’re either with us, or against us” (or “Whoever is not with us is against us”) are used to depict situations as being polarized and to force witnesses, bystanders, or others unaligned with some form of pre-existing conflict to either become allies of the speaking party or lose favor. The implied consequence of not joining the team effort is to be deemed an enemy.
Two wrongs don’t make a right, but they make a good excuse.
Interesting comment, “Anonymous 9:46.” So you’re suggesting that only people whose comments you agree with should post on the blog?
Robert Carroll, you have your Ridgewood News and Ridgewood Mom’s group, who are willing to post your one sided stories. May be you should stick to those two sources to spread the rumors and leave ridgewood blog alone to publish the honest news?
Very objective 922…I’m sure there are at least 3-4 people that agree with you…Unfortunately the blog host actually posts opinions that differ from the amen corner…
Paul Smith – he allows you to post comments.
Exactly…thanks for proving my point
So, 9:22, exactly what one-sided stories and rumors am I spreading?