ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

Dennis,

First, let it be publically known that earlier this month, October, Dennis had the chutzpah to crash the private club meeting... totally univited... of the Friday Rotary club. I am a member of this club. Your intrusion into a private club was rude and way out of line. You had no business being there and you deceptively intruded past our club members at the door. Fortunately, it SOOOO backfired on you that not a single offended Rotarian will vote for you. Another political shrewd move Dennis! Attaboy!

Sorry Dennis:
You routinely distort the "truth". There's 3 kinds of truth, as the saying goes: "Yours, mine and objective". So in the pusuit of accuracy try using the more appropriate: "my understanding is..." OR "my perspective is.."

From my perspective, in your ardor to be an advocate for "we, the people" (without having lived here long enough to get to know the established residents. How presumptive!) you present false premises... i.e. the "developers" have taken control of the council, when the fact is, you simply don't like the direction the council takes (your right) but you purposefully and disingeniously INFLAME your rhethoric by implying corruption, when, in fact, the citizens who have lived here know the council members as honorable, honest people, regardless of whether we agree with their policies or no.

As a typical leftist, you routinelly distort the facts, tell "the big lie" with the hope that uipon enough repition of yopur propaganda that it resembles reality.

When you go down to defeat, one hopes that you show graciousness and wither back to your position of "newbie" to the valley who never did the due diligence to meet the greater circle of longstanding people in Ojai and THEN started forming observations and opinions. You merely shot from the hip!

P.S
To Lenny Klaif... my reference to you as "Marxist" is the standard use of figure of speech called hyperpole. Nobody can "red-bait" with the disappearance of the Soviet Union. Stop using Fifties rhethoric to defend your socialist principals (NOT hyperbole).
Finally, THANK GOD Los Arboles removed the rundown shacks and desolation on S. Montgomery. Los Arboles improved and upgraded that entire street! Even rich folk need a place to live, Lenny. Take susteance Lenny, your kharmic revenge may be at hand: I hear the townhomes are NOT that well built.

Dear Leland - regarding the accusations of "leftists" telling big lies and spreading propaganda - do you really want to go there? Because I will roll up my sleeves and bury you with GOP lies and propaganda. Those in glass houses (or condos), and all that...

Leland, get back to work, you're blowing it!

The group think of the Ojai Post is now made self evident.
First to Howard: You, my friend, should learn his limits. I don't need to read your crap or have you even posit what I should do or not. "Blowing it"? Please explain.

Tyler; just because Dennis is spewing his proganda means i have any obligation to defend ANY other position by anybody else. I f you intend to "bury me" then do it on my own positions not some straw man positions that you create that I may or may agree with.

It is evident, Tyler, that you're not interested in having the Post be a blog of interchange but rather a self-fullfilling liberal continous loop.
Sorry, don't play that game of group think. And to answer your question of "want(ing) to go there" you bet.. but my "there" is MY "there" not some other group's position.

I am attempting to conduct a civil discourse but it is difficult when participants resort to "hyperbole" as a compensation for lack of reason, using such sophomoric terms as "crap," and "spewing." I gave a careful, detailed analysis of prior "group think" propaganda methods on the part of a certain son, who apparently is disobeying his mother in not attending to his proper work, which has not been answered, on the facts and evidence presented.

I attended three Rotary meetings, paying for the lunch at two of them. I carefully explained to the person at the door that I was self-invited. I spoke to the chairpersons, and membership coordinators, was introduced publicly by members at our table to the group; and at no time did anyone question the propriety of my being there. In fact, I was welcomed by most, who seemed happy that a reasonable, fair minded individual was in their presence. I noted that the first and second principles of Rotary are truth and fairness, and on that basis I consider myself a true and fair Rotarian. Any Rotarian worth her salt who reads these exchanges can tell a true Rotarian of the spirit, from imposters.

"My understanding is" [for those who need that kind of pre-qualification for truth statements] that I have been paid the highest of compliments, in being referred to as an "advocate of the people." I am proud to say I have lived here longer than Mr. Kersnar, the city manager, who is held in esteem by the city. By that token, I even exceed him in seniority.

Some developers, not all, are speculators who inflate prices, drive lower and moderate income people from their homes, damage historic and economic resources, destabilize the community, and eventually cause a collapse, doing much harm to people in the process, all for the sake of a few bucks.

I have never used the word "corruption." An individual here, other than myself, has brought the idea up in reference to the council and developers. I am not a "leftist," as evidenced by my support for small businesses like Frostie, and economic, historic resources like Mallory Way. I'm about as middle of the road as you can get. I use metaphor, not hyperbole, as a communication tool.

I agree that both the rich and poor "need a place to live." If the statement, "townhomes not that well built," applies to Los Arboles, I agree. I was talking to a couple who live there, and they said the same thing. "My understanding is" that "small houses make great love," to quote a proverb, and often big houses are cold and uninviting, other than as museum pieces.

I find the Ojai Post to be far from a "group think," like the mainstream press, and their hyperbolic party liners. The Post is more of a think tank.

If I fail to win this time around, I will continue my "graciousness," a word used in reference to myself, by someone who has a great talent for hyperbole, but in this instance hit the truth of the matter right on without hyperbole.

With honor and respect,
Dennis Leary

Dear Leland -

You accuse "typical leftists" of "routinelly [sic] distort(ing) the facts, tell "the big lie" with the hope that uipon [sic] enough repition [sic] of yopur [sic] propaganda that it resembles reality."

I merely pointed out the absurdity and hypocrisy of blanket-labeling those who have progressive values as telling lies and propaganda. And so if you really want to have a FACT-BASED discussion on the predilection of one party vs. another to lie and spout propaganda, I am more than happy to do so, and highly confident in my ability to make the case that your apparent party of choice is far more predisposed to resort to lies and propaganda.

Regarding this: "It is evident, Tyler, that you're not interested in having the Post be a blog of interchange"

Well, I'll just have to laugh that one off, considering that I don't censor any comment or interchange whatsoever (even if they don't know how to use a spellcheck). I will however, call people on their BS when they slander "typical leftists" with their own half-baked talking points.

As always, thanks for your participation on this noted "blog of interchange".

Leland,

With all due respect to you (deserved or not), you are not doing yourself any favors. Geez - I don't know you, but you come across as angry, frustrated and - well, just plain cuckoo. I was shocked to read in your post just now that you have lived here for any length of time. Judging from your posts, you do not resemble any of the wonderful people (the "established residents") that I myself at least have lived among in this town for over 30 years. In contrast, many of the other "newbies" (who I may or may not agree with politically) at least seem fair and open to debate in their posts (granted - some more than others). And all sound infinitely more intelligent!! So, like the previous poster said - YOU ARE BLOWING IT (if indeed it is your intention to represent anything but a "fringe" element of this town) Believe me: Old Ojai is cringing!!