Stay involved in local government even if election season is over
Editor:
This being a more political year than most, it brings to mind some excerpts I’ve come across and when I feel the need to reassure my motivations in a decision of civic duty or responsibility I refer to these “Qualities of a Good Citizen”:
THE GOOD CITIZEN recognizes the social problems of the times and has the will and the ability to work toward their solution. He or she recognizes and endeavors to help in the solution of problems; problems of race, religion, economics, politics – problems of the United States in the place of world affairs; problems of equitable use of resources; problems of family, school, community, and neighborhood living.
THE GOOD CITIZEN is aware of and takes responsibility for meeting basic human needs, and is concerned with the extension of the essentials of life to more individuals. All people have certain basic human needs; the need to be free from aggression, domination, or exploitation; the need for love and affection; the need to take responsibility in cooperation with others; the need for a level of living which provides for adequate health , housing , and recreation; the need to have high standards of spiritual, ethical , and moral values. The failure to meet these fundamental human needs may result in the development of maladjustments which increase the intensity of social problems.
THE GOOD CITIZEN possess and uses knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary in a democratic society. The good citizen possess and uses knowledge, skills, and abilities through facility in reading, listening, discussing, and observing. He or she uses these skills and abilities in order to gain understanding of the present structure and functioning of society, the working principles of representative government, the impact of pressure groups, the operation of the economic system, the social stratification of the population, and the relationship of all these to the complex social heritage. With knowledge, skills and abilities as a basis, the good citizen becomes more proficient in civic action.
Now compare this with the definition of OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT:
2C:30-2. Official Misconduct. A public servant is guilty of official misconduct when, with purpose to obtain a benefit for himself or another or to injure or to deprive another of a benefit:
a. He commits an act relating to his office but constituting an unauthorized exercise of his official functions, knowing that such act is unauthorized or he is committing such act in an unauthorized manner; or
b. He knowingly refrains from performing a duty which is imposed upon him by law or is clearly inherent in the nature of his office.
In order for you to find the defendant guilty of official misconduct, the State must prove each of the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt:
(1) That the defendant was a public servant at the times and dates alleged in the indictment, and
(2) That the defendant committed an act relating to (his/her) office knowing that it was unauthorized, or committed the act in an unauthorized manner, or that the defendant knowingly refrained from performing an act which (he/she) was required to perform as part of (his/her) office, and
(3) That the defendant’s purpose in (committing the act) (failing to perform the act) was to benefit (himself/herself) or another, or to injure or deprive another of a benefit.
These would be the observable characteristics I would look for in any person who chooses to promote themselves as an elected representative and thus a public servant. Disturbingly enough, I believe that I have been subjugated by such acts of official misconduct. I’m not going to go into details of my misfortunes as I would feel it would be more important to the readers of this letter to identify with these characteristics and conditions to voice their objection(s) to such acts that would be defined as that of official misconduct.
This comes to a head for me as I have brought my complaints to courts of law, only to have them dismissed in favor of the opposition. Years ago I wrote to the ACLU in my observation of the fact that between 1986 and 2001 there were over 150, 000 Americans being held prisoner in the state of New York alone. The response as I recall it was essentially that they (the ACLU) were just a group of private attorneys who only got involved with issues they felt affected society as a whole. More recently I have come to discover how some of our government agencies have become so corrupted as to represent the characteristics of official misconduct more than that of a Good Citizen.
Laws were made to protect the people, our American Constitution is the foundation of all laws, and all Constitutions from which all laws and State Constitutions are drawn and no law or constitution may be legally enacted or enforced which would violate the Constitutional rights and civil liberties set forth in the American Constitution.
Being involved in government is the only effective way to make it stronger. There was a time when I sat on a jury and at that time it was the only thing that restored any sense of faith, hope or confidence I had in our judicial process. I would hope that this letter will make people more aware and concerned enough to be more involved in our government.
David Hollis
St. James City
Development deals are worth watching, no matter what Southwest Florida location
Editor:
I am writing to express my hope that the residents of Pine Island and Matlacha will work together now and in the future to defeat the pressures of development.
The cheapening of the landscape is palpable throughout much of Southwest Florida. Anyplace that manages to maintain even a bit of it’s original character becomes increasingly more attractive as time goes on. Open tracts of land, period architecture, even a four way stop, becomes a hallmark of something unique. If a community was established before strip malls and box stores, it is worth preserving, not just to appeal to our need for nostalgia but to provide a contrast from the depressing effects of obtrusive developent, which serves only to homogenize communities in the guise of providing a service to them.
Who cares about the demographic study that Publix has conducted to show that their business could survive in our neighborhood? That’s not a mandate to make it happen! In Cape Coral, where they have multiple stores, their monstrous parking lots are excessivley over lit, which blots out the stars. The sprawl of concrete and expansion of roads illustrates an insensitivity to what most people value most; the natural beauty of the landscape, manageable traffic, dark, night skies, and a small town feel that fits the scale of the stores and shops already in existence.
Although I am a relative new comer to St. James City, I can see so much that deserves to be preserved, not just for our own enjoyment, but as a way to ensure the future value of our homes and businesses. I relish driving the uninterrupted stretch between Pine Island and Matlacha, where the eye can see to the horizon on both sides, where the moonrises are a feature of that wide and dark expanse, and the traffic is more about citizens conducting their personal business than the redundancy of big trucks transporting unneeded goods.
If we are not vigilant, these qualities will only be a memory. It is our job to stay apprised of the changes as they happen, not to regret it when all is lost.
The first time that I came here, I noticed the four way stop at the intersection of Stringfellow and Pine Island Rd. To me, it has become a symbol of a community where, in taking turns, we have to look one another in the eye before moving forward. I like that! It sets a tone of cooperation and slower pace that I value (Never mind that it seems to be an incredibly effecient and safe way to navigate a busy intersection). I would like to think that with the same cooperation, we can focus our common desire to preserve what is unique about this fascinating, diverse, and sane stretch of Southwest Florida.
Lisa Burke
St. James City