No, we're not talking about hotdogs, just about being one.Everyone has a private life and a public life. When do personal actions in one's private life cross the line? At what point can we the public expect certain moral and ethical standards from those in elected office or in positions of power? Anthony Weiner and his sexcapade of late is all over the news. Lisa Maxwell believes that what people do in their private life has no relevance to their public or professional life, at least that's what she said in 2009. The Bill and Monica episode was probably okay too. John Edwards and Rielle Hunter? Sure, why not. Anything is ok if you do it in private, some believe.
Back in early 2009, Mark Kaplan who was then principal of the Falcon Cove Middle School in Fort Lauderdale was charged with a felony count of battery. You see, he attacked is wife, Alyson, and the cowardly batterer tried to strangle her while she was peacefully sleeping. Tried to kill her...murder her. He used the "sleep walking" defense. "I didn't really mean it, I was sleep walking, Judge." Of course, prior to that murder attempt, there were other battery charges filed against him...this was not new to Kaplan.
The School Board took no action against Kaplan and considered the charge irrelevant to his ability to conduct his duties in a professional manner. After all, this was a personal thing. It had nothing to do with his working around little children and his ability to perform. It's that "performing" that gets us worried. And Lisa Maxwell agreed with the Board.
Lisa was the executive director of the Broward Principals and Assistants Association and defended the School Board's stance on Kaplan. She said, "Kaplan's arrest is a private matter that does not warrant his removal from the school."
What would be relevant? If he actually had killed his wife? What if Kaplan had been running for office or was an elected official and something like this occurred? What if he had fallen asleep on the job and then "sleep walked" and killed a kid? What about perverts and porn? Any relevance then? What about any domestic assault, murderous or not? When does the public have the right to demand standards and reject these people...fire their butts and/or kick them to the curb?
Allen West recently said, "Don't you want someone representing you who's sort of a reflection of yourself?" Anthony Weiner's wiener needs to be put to bed as well as anyone who would agree with him that what he did or what the Mark Kaplan's of the world have done were just "private matters" or irrelevant. Everything is relevant when you are in a position of affecting people's lives. It comes down to character.
8 comments:
Wow Lynn when you don't like someone you will throw whatever you can at the wall hoping something sticks. Going after Lisa's character like this is wrong and it's one of the reasons why we don't get good people to run for office in this city. I have not seen one post from you that has anything positive to say about Lisa's ideas for this city. In the same vane you totally leave Cara's friend Waterman out of your blog as if she is beyond reproach. It's your opinion but this is not what I have come to expect from you.
I have a problem with someone coming across as an "idea" person who has no ideas that are totally correct. What I said about her is not wrong. If someone says something so outrageous, I will expose that. This is a public figure running for office and therefore it is not an attack but rather exposing the truth. Public figures are accountable for their thoughts, their actions and their deeds. Much of what Lisa says just doesn't happen to be correct.
Therefore, Waterman as a candidate "is a public figure running for office ... Public figures are accountable for their thoughts, their actions and their deeds."
Thus, would sharing the link below with others outlining the truth about Rachel Waterman be acceptable and proper?
http://www.scribd.com/LWCitizen/documents?page=1
Realizing that a one word answer is not sufficient, I want to say this. During the Allen West campaign, the Dems came out really hard against him, coming up with all sorts of stuff. One was his credit. He gave a plausible explanation that was believed by the voters and they elected him into office. Since that time while serving our country, he has turned around his credit history and liens have been satisfied. We might hear something about this at tonight's forum as I am sure that her opponents will sneak it in if not directly asked.
I believe it's more about exposing someone who is not qualified to run, not attacking Lisa. Just because someone sounds like she knows what she's talking about, is not the case with Maxwell.
"Public figures are accountable for their thoughts."
WOW! Really? Kind of terrifying. The thought police have finally arrived!
Additionally, I LOVE, absolutely LOVE the whole "Cara's friend" label given by anonymous people to one of the candidates. Such a typical Lake Worth thing to do. Pick on who they are friends with. I remember facing those idiotic attempts to draw lines and connect nonexistant dots when I ran, despite being totally issue-dependant, and having differing positions on some issues with EVERYONE I considered a "friend." Geez, I don't even agree with my wife on many things! What does that say? Frankly, I think it is HEALTHY to be friends with LOTS of different people with different ideas. Keeps you from being a sheep, member of a hive, etc.
It is also nice to be absent for all the pathetic nitpicking, desperation, anger, outrage, posturing, mislabeling, accusations, stupidity and ignorance that is LW politics.
ALL of you really DID need me as mayor. Sucks (for you, not me) that you didn't take me up on the offer when you had the chance. I had no desire for higher offices, nor did I intend to quit part way through. But really, don't kick yourselves too hard.
Sending my love and best wishes to everyone!
;-)
~AP
When I use the word "thought" Andrew, I mean it in the text of someone saying, "I think such and such."
Will miss your cartwheels down Lake Avenue.
Our city is in financial crisis and we have someone running for mayor, namely Rachel Waterman, who is also in a financial crisis with her home in foreclosure and her inability to pay het water bill with liens up the wazzoo. Why would this not be an important issue to comment about in your blog? No reason, we need smart folks like Rachel making the big financial decisions for us dumb asses. Only in Lake Worth.
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