Corey thought he was only insulting Annabel, Eric, and I am sure, he was thinking of me also in his kind words (major sarcasm)when he called Coffee Party participants “fruit cakes” and “nuts”. What he did not realize was that many of the attendees were military vets. One of whom holds the rank of Colonel. Colonel Morris Davis served in the Air Force for 25 years. He resigned after being appointed Chief Prosecutor at Gitmo due to his insistence the trials be fair and spoke out strongly against torture as he felt it compromised the integrity of the prosecutors.Corey Stewart’s Nuts Are OutLast Saturday, I attended a Coffee Party Day event at the town hall in Haymarket, Virginia. The Coffee Party is a new group that encourages civil discourse on public policy issue. About 30 people attended the event and, based on a show of hands, at least a third of the attendees were military Veterans. I’d estimate the median age of those in attendance was over 50 years of age. The common theme was there are a lot of problems facing the nation and screaming at each other is not going to solve them.The Honorable Corey A. Stewart … my representative.
Corey Stewart is the Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. On the official county website, he is listed as “The Honorable Corey A. Stewart” and supposedly he represents me and all of the other citizens of the county, including those of us that met at the Haymarket town hall last Saturday. Here is what he said in an interview with a reporter from the Gainesville Times:
“The Coffee Partiers are a bunch of fruitcakes; yeah, they’re a bunch of nuts. If they’re going to be a coffee party, they’ll be a hazelnut party.” Stewart elaborated, saying the Coffee Party is “just a phase; it’ll disappear.” He derided one of the co-founders saying, “does (he) have a job?” Stewart described the Tea Partiers as patriots “concerned about the direction of the country and about the vast amount of spending that happening.” He called the Tea Party a “legitimate movement” while saying the Coffee Party is “just a load of crap.”
So, my representative, The Honorable Corey A. Stewart, considers me and the other Vets who were there on Saturday fruitcakes, nuts, and a load of crap while he believes the Tea Party group are “patriots.” It seems that a lot of people like The Honorable Corey A. Stewart, Newt Gringich, Karl Rove, Rush Limbaugh, and Glenn Beck, among others, like to use the word patriot to describe themselves and those who agree with their ideology, while none of them ever felt the urge to put on the uniform and defend the constitutional right to belittle others by calling them fruitcakes, nuts, and crap. Apparently he, like former VP Cheney, had more important things to do than serve in the military. To him and the others; you’re welcome.
UPDATE: Title changed to appear less leading.
I can’t disagree with any of that – and I think that was a good post on this subject.
True enough – I don’t argue with any of that. Although, the headline of this thread was presented as fact and not “opinion”.
But for sure – it’s good people have different opinions on things. If everyone agreed, it would be a very dull world to live in.
And that’s more than fair – about suffering the consequences for any insult given. I’ve never argued that Corey shouldn’t suffer consequences for what he said – as far as people choosing not to vote for him next time around or whatever.
@Need to Know
It would appear so… what’s that say about “great minds?”
And, as I’m a fan of logic and mathematical relationships – that’s another reason I liked that post.
G-d bless you Al, you are so very eloquent and that was EXACTLY what I have been trying to redirect this discussion towards.
I think everybody is losing sight of the forest for the trees. The issue is that yet again our esteemed chairman has shot from the lip with no regard for the consequences of his actions. It is unfortunately typical Corey. Personally, if Jenkins or Principi had made similar comments I would be rolling on the floor laughing as blood spurted from the gunshot wounds to their feet but as it was Corey, I’m simply embarrassed. In truth, the consequences are probably limited given current voter apathy but it certainly won’t serve him well in future elections be they for PWC or higher office.
The important thing to realize is that such comments are a recurring theme with the Chair and some have direct impacts on the county. Consider the following:
1. Corey repeatedly (and loudly) blasts Richmond, putting the blame for our transportation woes on the failure of VDOT and the GA to live up to their “promises”.
2. In truth, the onus should be on the BOCS who approved massive development without infrastructure in hand or construction schedules written in stone, largely so they could grab cash proffers that are out of scale with the vast majority of other jurisdiction in the state.
3. The GA reacts with legislation that hamstrings the county in its ability to collect existing and future proffers.
4. Corey screams foul and asserts that the GA doesn’t understand the harm it is doing particularly as the county is the only one building its own roads (by necessity and with your tax dollars).
The lesson grasshopper is that before ones shoots off their mouth and intentionally jabs a stick in someone’s eye (the GA) or in the case of Vets possibly unintentionally, one should consider the potential consequences and collateral damage. A concept that is unfortunately beyond Corey’s limited intellect and overinflated ego.
Again if it were Jenkins or Principi, I would be all atwitter, but because it is one of my own, I’m mortified, particularly as his comments come at a time when they deflect attention from the equally offensive/divisive/hysterical comments from the likes of Pelosi, Reid and the rest of the circular firing squad gang. Just goes to prove that stupidity is not confined to one end of the political spectrum.
GR – thanks. We have that in common.
I’m just curious – here’s a few links that I bet people will say are highly inaccurate and offensive (and I agree – they are inaccurate) that imply Obama insults veterans – when that really isn’t what he did at all – but he did a similar thing in a way to what Corey did (I did a google search of Obama Insults Veterans to turn these up – I’ve never seen any of these websites before – which seem to be sort of far out there in the political spectrum):
http://exemployee.wordpress.com/2008/07/12/barack-obama-insults-military-personnel-and-their-families/
http://www.edistojoe.com/2009/09/obama-insults-wwii-veterans.html
Mom – agree completely. The dopey comments are bad enough but my main problem is that another four years of Corey will be developers’ paradise. What they want that he hasn’t already given them is in the pipeline for 2012 if he wins again. Didn’t I see Mike Lubeley measuring windows for curtains in an office next to Corey’s in the McCoart building?
Due to trying to stay under the “3 HTML post rule that causes the auto moderation software to kick in):
http://johnsblog.jfmooreart.com/?p=8232
Now, I bet people will have a visceral reaction to those – saying they are unfair. And, it isn’t exactly what Corey did – but still, I find it a similar distortion.
Anyway, that’s the point I was trying to make. I bet people won’t like those headlines (and I don’t either actually), and say they aren’t accurate (and I agree – they aren’t).
Actually, I agree about the problem with the developers and their links to members of the BOCS. That is really bad, and kind of trumps everything else in my book.
Very good! Anytime something can be put in relationships with that – it becomes pretty hard to argue – and again, I’m a fan of logical and mathematical relationships. Glad we have that in common.
I was about to compliment Need to Know on the logic problem. Al, excellent points. Where you guys for hours while I was struggling? 🙄
@Mom
Touche
One more crazy link on the google search of Obama insults veterans – and again – I think all these links – their headlines are outrageous, completely inaccurate, and I don’t agree with them at all – but basically I have the same reaction to those as the one at the top of this thread. And finally, I know – this isn’t exactly the same thing as what Corey did – that is Obama in these links is making some policy decisions and/or maybe not meeting with veterans for some reason – but without some more digging, I’m not going to find a link with a headline about Obama Insulting Veterans that is about him talking about some group and saying negative things, that includes veterans.
Although I’ll say this – you can take any random group of a reasonable number of people, and I guarantee you it WILL include veterans. So, based on that – I can take any politician I want – and find something bad he/she said about some group of people – and make the claim that he/she KNEW there were veterans in that group – and therefore he insulted veterans!
Anyway, here’s one last crazy link where the headline says Obama Insults Veterans (but actually my google search turned up quite a few). Again, I don’t agree with any of these links, as I find that kind of distorted headline reporting something I don’t agree with:
http://johnsblog.jfmooreart.com/?p=8232
Mom, that is what some of us have been saying all morning. He shouldn’t have shot off his mouth.
Guess I beat you to it – but I know we both have a love of math and logic.
@Gainesville Resident
By the way – I wanted to make sure to say – I don’t agree with those headlines I posted, and think they are just as objectionable – and just as distorted. I did not want to create an impression that I posted those two links because I agreed with them.
Which 2 headlines? I am having enough trouble keeping up with all this as it is. Which comment por favor?
GR, then you would take interest in this,
1. Lake Manassas CEC comp plan amendment application filed 01/09
2. Several thousand dollars contributed to Wally’s campaign fund by two of the principal landowners 05/09
3. Application approved despite recomendation for denial by both staff and the PC 02/10
4. Gainesville Green (right across the street) comp plan amendment filed 01/10
5. No campaign contributions by the owners are on record.
6. Application is deferred by Wally because he wants more meat to the application.
Couple of things, there is certainly nothing “illegal” about accepting those donations and voting in favor. By not disclosing them it is unseemly, but not illegal. It does however give one the impression that the approval of land use applications is for sale in PWC, particularly as the meat that Wally asked for was not required of the Lake Manassas application. BTW, Corey took money from them at the same time.
Sorry, I meant the two headlines I posted in comment #109. Somehow, I tried to quote that comment, and wrote something directly referring to it – but it went off into a black hole – not into moderation – didn’t even show up as being in moderation!
So, it wasn’t easy for me to clarify that if you follow those links I posted, I don’t at all agree with those headlines, as they imply bad things about Obama that aren’t true – if you find out the truth behind those headlines. Both of them imply he directly insulted vets.
Thanks – actually I’m aware of a lot of that. I’ve followed a lot of things regarding the BOCS and land use issues – especially out in the Gainesville/Haymarket area. But thanks for posting it in a concise list – and not all of the things in that list I was aware of.
Thanks. I would disagree. The headlines go further than implication. They state. And that’s ok. I don’t have a problem with that. I sort of skimmed the second one further and found myself agreeing. It made me want to read the article.
Mom – there are multiple people looking more deeply into campaign contributions this time around. I’ve spoken with some and am flabbergasted by some of the stuff they’ve dug up. I suggested in this thread earlier an informal meeting among concerned citizens to rally around solid candidates for the Republican and Democratic nominations for BOCS Chair. Perhaps a research/study group among everyone digging into these campaign contributions, some of which appear as outright money laundering to me, should be organized also. As far as I know, much of this work is being done independently by people who think alike and are likely duplicating efforts. If this work is coordinated and released to the public in an appropriate manner I think we could achieve significant turnover in the BOCS and perhaps also clean out some of the malevolent members of County staff. Interested in signing up?
@Mom
Wow! Talk about the “appearance of impropriety”.
Is this better Gainesville?
NTK, here’s a little more grist for the mill, just a couple of contributions over the last calendar year to Wally and the anti-development Chair’s campaign coffers (and its just those of particular interest to those in the Gainesville/Haymarket/Brentsville area).
Covington
$1,750 Gary D Rappaport
$1,500 EV Hunter Trust (Hunter at Haymarket application and others)
$1,500 National Capital Land & Development Corp
$1,500 RER Madison Square Associates LLC (Lake Manassas CEC)
$500 Mark Granville-Smith
$500 Merrifield Garden Center (Lake Manassas CEC)
Stewart
$5,000 Gary D Rappaport
$3,201 F Gary Garczynski
$1,000 Branscome Paving Co
$1,000 Finley Asphalt & Sealing Inc
$1,000 Mary Ann Ghadban
$1,000 Land Design Consultants
$1,000 Rappaport Company
$500 Quaker Custom Homes
$500 RER Madison Square Associates LLC (Lake Manassas CEC)
$500 Weber Ghadban and Associates Realty
Needtoknow,
Please contact me via my e-mail. http://[email protected]
Mom – interesting, but wait, there’s more! Actually, I don’t want to go farther here, yet. Sources and methods and all that sort of thing beyond campaign finance reports. Others might beat me to punch but that’s OK. The main thing is that the public is informed with well-researched, documented information by election day. I’ve been reading your posts here and on other blogs for a long time, have a very high regard for you, know you are serious, and know you would be a good fit to join a confidential research group.
Mom & NTK,
Please, dont forget about Bobby Surface of Superior Paving’s large donations. The paving companies certainly are charitable.
Campaign Contribution(s) Totaling $11,000
Campaign
Contributions Committee
$5,000 Stirrup for Prince William County Board of Supervisors – John
$5,000 Stewart for Lt Governor – Corey
$1,000 Nohe for Prince William County Board of Supervisors – Martin
None of these campaign contributions listed by both Mom and Lafayette surprise me in the least! Indeed, while they are perfectly legal – they sure do lead one to believe that indirectly, money is being paid for projects by developers to be looked on favorably by the BOCS. I always thought BOCS was kind of “in the pockets of the developers”. Maybe I shouldn’t paint the whole BOCS that way – but certainly some members of the BOCS.
Obviously, to avoid the appearance of impropriety – the right thing to do would be to not accept campaign contributions from developers or others in the construction industry.
However, of course if they did that – they’d obviously lose a lot of their campaign finance money. Still, if they really wanted to look like they weren’t in the pockets of developers and others in the construction industry, they should not accept campaign contributions from them.
I just noticed the change in title to this thread. That’s definitely much better – so I appreciate the fact it was done. I don’t really have any issues with the new title.
@Gainesville Resident
Gainesville there are some that give to each and every one sitting on the BoS. That was certainly the case in 2007. Planning needs to be revamped in this county from top to bottom. They also need to tell these builders to give up some land for schools when they throw up these Vinyl Villages in the county.
I’m not surprised some developers gave to every member of the BOCS.
I definitely agree with what you say about how the planning needs to be totally revamped in the county.
The school in my own neighborhood was very poorly planned! This neighborhood alone has 650 houses, the neighborhood next to mine has even more. All that was known when the school was built. What a shock – it is way overcrowded and a huge pile of trailers showed up in front of it last August!
It did not take a rocket scientist to have looked at the plans for just these two neighborhoods – which the school was built right at the very beginning of the building of this neighborhood (newer than the one next door) – and say the school needed to be at least double the size. I don’t know who made the decision about the size of the school, but they sure screwed up big time. As the school is within the boundaries of my neighborhood – I’m fairly convinced the builder of my neighborhood proffered that land to the county as part of the deal to allow them to build this neighborhood. It all smells of something very bad that happened – as while the school grounds really are quite large – the school itself isn’t very large. Maybe that’s more the county’s fault than anyone else. But, adding up just the number of houses planned for these two neighborhoods – not to mention all the other existing neighborhoods that also feed into this elementary school – there’s no way someone could have come to the conclusion the school only needed to be as big as it was built.
Lafayette – John Stirrup does not give me heartburn regarding developer contributions. VPAP is reporting that as of today his contributions for 2008 and 2009 include only a minority from developers and most of that is the Superior Paving contribution you mentioned. Stirrup has, for the most part, honored his pledge not to become dependent on developer money.
Covington on the other hand during the same period got most of his money from development interests, and of that more than twice as much came from development interests in Fairfax County as from Prince William County.
Corey is close to Covington. However, an even larger chunk of Corey’s money comes from developers outside Prince William County.
Wally never made any bones about taking developer money. It’s been expected from him. Corey, however, campaigned as Mr. anti-developer/conservationist and criticized Connaughton for doing exactly what he’s now doing in droves. The hypocrisy element comes into play big time here.
Keep in mind, however, as I wrote earlier that the VPAP data only scratch the surface of what Wally and Corey have been up to.
Layfayette and GR – the Planning Office is at least as, and likely more, corrupt than any member of the BOCS. We’ll go into the details of that later. It’s been a long day and I’m ready to have dinner.
GR,
Did you know that the schools and Planning has a grand plan to put an elementary school on the Stonewall Middle School site? Our area has been developed for 40 years and there was never a need for a new elementary school here.
The plan is for an 850 student school to be built where only maybe 100 kids if ANY from WestGate or Sudley would attend. Ellis & Mullen on the western side of 234 are both at about 120% capacity currently. There’s no room for anything new on the eastern side that would produce new students. The one and only project that may have had an impact on student increase withdrew their application this past week. That was Portsmouth Station.
They are short the required acreage needed for the two school. Our fire department is currently at 156% capacity, and Planning staff gave no forecasted numbers for that station, but they did say a new school would NOT have an impact on the FD. I strongly disagree. There’s also, a huge 80′ wide NOVEC easement that runs along the property where the kids would be playing sports, reccess, etc. What about safety? Oh, throw in a turning lane with a traffic light on Lomond Dr at Urbanna Dr.. The traffic in the mornings will be backing up Lomond Dr over Flat Branch Bridge and into Liberia Ave. I could go on and on. I think you get the picture.
Planning Staff’s analysis was piss poor at best. The residents that addressed the Planning Commission could have put together a much better/accurate presentation. Oh, when the schools were asked if they’d met with the residents of WG & Sudley. Ms. Hannon of the schools replied. “No. We might with them at SMS once the plan is approved.” You’ve got to be kidding me. It’s a little late then.
NTK,
Enjoy dinner.
My point was to only remember how generous the Bobby Surface was. It had NOTHING at all to do with John. You are right John doesn’t have the developer money the rest of seem to have. Too much money pouring into these county campaigns from outside has always caught my eye.
Boy, you get distracted away from this blog by something and you come back to find the whole Encyclopedia Britannica on one thread! Elena, do you even remember your #16? Well, I’ll give it a late try.
— You haven’t heard any vets in the Tea Party movement speak against name-calling? O.K., you’ve heard it here. As I’ve opined elsewhere, name-calling is a non-starter in every discussion. But there seems to be a penchant of late to confuse the name callers with the bulk of the Tea Party people, who believe strongly in the First Amendment and are determined to use it to let the politicians know in no uncertain terms that we do not agree with certain policies and actions. They had better understand that we are voters as well as demonstrators. Please do not label all of us by placing us in the media-defined fringes. We are just Americans using that First Amendment which we all revere. At the same time, I do not have any right to force those who do call names and do act out the extremes of “political theater” to shut up so long as they do not break the law. That sticky wicket of a First Amendment is tough to get around — Thank God. I can express my disapproval of extreme actions. I can cajole. I can recommend on the basis that some actions will wind up harming the cause. But I cannot stop it. The Constitution says I cannot. In the same way that it says I cannot force Glen Beck or any other public commentator to shut up or tell others that they cannot listen to these guys.
— On the subject of “unacceptable behavior.” Just who gets to define that? I can understand the backlash against the name calling and some of the insulting signage. I don’t cotton to that myself. But sometimes I get the feeling that those who oppose the Tea Party are throwing other things into that “unacceptable behavior” category — such as the simple fact of marching to demonstrate and calling vociferously for a change of policy by the politicians. In other words, some would seem to fault fellow Americans just for using their First Amendment rights in a visible and attention-getting way. Frankly, we ought to be used to that by now. Certain segments of the population have been using that tactic on a regular basis for over half a century. I’ve seen a lot of it personally. I can assure you that, based on what I have seen over the years and what I have seen lately, the Tea Party demonstrations have been a Sunday School picnic. Some name-calling, some nasty signs, some talking over each other to be sure, but no violence, no arrests, no police in riot gear, no burning cars, no sudden sweeping of the streets. Just Americans from every walk of life exercising their First Amendment rights. Parisian “communards” these are not.
Now, I’m sure someone will come up again with those health care reform townhalls. O.K., there was some noise to be sure. But subsequent events have certainly shown that many of the congressmen and senators at those townhalls had not done their homework on the bill. Charlie Conyers admitted publically that he hadn’t even read it and implied that he didn’t need to because he was a busy man. Well, golly gee, Mr. Congressman, you are advocating a bill you haven’t read? Are you sure that is how our system is supposed to work? And you fault me for getting a bit upset about that?!!! Frankly, Elena, some of those congresspersons reminded me of the old country preacher who would get up in the pulpit and rant and rave about the laws of God, until his congregation found out that he was illiterate and had never even read the Bible.
— Veterans. This has me amused. Next thing you know, we are going to get a tote board to see whether the Tea Party or the Coffee Party has more vets. In my opinion, this is a bogus issue. Being a veteran makes you knowledgeable about life in the miltary, about weapons, and perhaps about what war is like. It does not mean you must be deferred to on all issues just because you served your country. Unless the discussion at that Coffee Party meeting concerned how to maneuver a destroyer in formation, why would the presence of a retired Navy captain make him a superior authority on everything? If Elena and I got into a discussion on how to track down a saboteur-frogman in a tropical river in a war theater, I would have the weightier opinion to be sure. But if the subject is economics or health care or some other contemporary issue, my views should have no more weight than hers. So, what’s the big deal about how many vets belong to which group? And please don’t give me this thing about how guys who had a lot of scrambled eggs on the brims of their covers are automatically the best executive managers in the world. The military is largely run like a dictatorship. You never debate the captain. And it’s not likely that the ensign who has been aboard for six months is going to walk in and tell you that he just received an better offer from the competition and will be leaving next week. I’m not knocking military leadership. It’s just a lot different.
Also kind of amusing that someone would point out that we have more vets than you do. Nice to be liked for once. I can recall a long period when a lot of people got absolute grief, sneers, and taunts for even wearing the uniform. Now are we to be paraded around as some sort of “trophy vet”? Come on.
I’m getting long again, but here goes one last story with regard to the style and manner of the Tea Party demonstrations. I came home from Vietnam on the proverbial flight from Hell. The Marine on the stretcher-bed next to me did not stop moaning in pain for thousands of miles. I got out of that military hospital after eight long months. I left behind me a bunch of kids with no eyes and no legs and, to them at least, no future. I then served on limited active duty and finally left the service to go to grad school. The first thing I encountered on campus was an anti-war demonstration featuring some fresh-faced 18-year-old wearing bits and pieces of an Air Force uniform. On his chest where the medals should have been were all kinds of Cracker Jack-type devices. On his head was a beanie with a plastic propeller spinning around. I had a flashback to that hospital, to those poor young Marines. I could have killed that kid right on the spot. But I didn’t. First Amendment, you know. Please remember things like that when you jump all over your fellow Tea Party Americans for marching in the street as expressly allowed under the First Amendment.
Ok Trophy-man, Does Mrs. Wolverine know what a trophy she has? Just kidding. I don’t know you well enough to joke like that.
I think the point is, the veterans didn’t like being called crap. Elena, Annabel and Eric didn’t like being called crap either. I am sure I was called crap in abstentia, but since I am not on the rosters, I won’t worry about it. And I don’t think it is a bit better for them to be called crap than the vets. However, our vets are pretty important to us and they were insulted. Thus the thread. Obviously a lot of people had an opinion that kept on giving, otherwise we wouldn’t be pushing 140.
I commented on Tea Party somewhere …and I cannot remember where. Maybe here on this thread but who remembers. I said you ought to be the spokesperson because I listen when you speak. My point was, when I see footage after footage of tea party participants, and I see repeat behavior time and time again, what am I to think?
I don’t mind people carrying signs and chanting. I mind screaming over people and pushing. I mind stupid politicians out there whipping up their base to the tune of some absurd (at least to me) sound bite.
I mind when people don’t know the dirty nature of politics. I mind when they don’t realize that a vote is often a trade off. Changing the players isn’t going to fix what is wrong. Changing the system might. When it costs millions and millions of dollars to get elected, what do people expect. Every last dollar counts. You have corporations and special interest groups so infused in politics you could never seperate them. Until the cost of campaigning is controlled and politicians only stay one term, that’s just the way its going to be. We had better only let them campaign for 6 weeks or they will use up their term campaigning. Maybe they should also not get paid so it is not profitable to serve.
@Wolverine
First, Thank you for your service.
Second, (and this is a cut and paste from the last time I responded to similar comments form you) ”
March 19th, 2010 at 04:54 | #15 – “No one here (at least on this thread) is maligning the Tea Party. I spent an hour with Mark Meckler and Jenny Beth Martin, the Founders of the Tea Party Patriots , on Wednesday. They assured me that the Tea Party Patriots are an inclusive group that absolutely disavows bad behavior and uncivil conduct. You’ll notice that, in contrast to our Chairman, I acknowledged on national TV that the Tea Party folks are a bunch of Patriotic Americans with whom I disagree on some things (and agree on others). We are all Patriots. Mark and Jenny Beth are nice people… and I take them at their word. The link to our TV interview, a very civil affair, is floating around here somewhere so you can hear it for yourself.”
I remember the silver boxes being loaded onto C5A’s out of Kadena in the late ’60’s… I’m glad you made it home, I’m glad all of the vets that are engaged in this discussion made it home… and it warms my heart that you care enough to comment… whether I agree with you or not.
To all, I have moved the open thread up some in the line up.
@Wolverine
Join the Coffee Party Veterans website, Wolverine. We don’t have an admissions criteria… and you would be an honored member. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anywhere-USA/Join-the-Coffee-Party-Movement-Veterans-Group/401765141872?ref=mf We talk more about issues important to vets (particularly help with Disability issues thanks to George Harris, the Co-Admin) than politics; however, we don’t shy away from discussions either.
I won’t know you’re Wolverine… we have people joining all the time. Bring pictures!
…to the best of my knowledge, there’s no reason a person couldn’t belong to both the Coffee Party and the Tea Party. It’s not (or shouldn’t be) either or when it may be both. They both have things I like (and I’m on the record at CBS saying that to the Nation).
I have read and heard some very very bad things about the Planning Office. Even before reading your comment – I always thought of them as far worse than the BOCS – in terms of dealing with county planning issues.
You were my “target” audience 😉
I only realized that a few days ago when I saw you mention that elsewhere than here.
It does indeed not make any sense for all of the sudden a new school pop up there – as certainly there isn’t any new development in that area – most houses there have been there for many years! As you said in your comments elsewhere – put the school where there’s new development – not at that site in the middle of an area where all the houses have been there for a long time and there isn’t any new development. Whoever came up with the idea to put a new school on that site – it just doesn’t make any sense to me either!
Funny, I think I’ve actually asked that same question that you asked in the 2nd sentence of your paragraph above. It seems to me some people want to define it a certain way – and in a way that helps their cause as they seem to be OK with certain behavior by certain groups of people – even though it is the same behavior they are objecting to by other groups of people.
Anyway, I’m like you – I don’t like name calling and other things of that nature (unacceptable signage as you mention) – and feel far too much of that is done on both sides in recent history. Now, one side is doing it because they are the minority group/party – and everyone on the other side is objecting to it. Meanwhile, you can go back in time not too far back, to find the opposite guilty of the same stuff that they are now objecting to!
I find it all a little amusing actually – as how one side gets offended by the same kind of behavior their side was just as guilty of – just that they aren’t guilty of it in the present.
Well, maybe there’s some statute of limitations on bad behavior – that must be very short – that I’m not aware of.