By Les Greenberg
Re “Dear Community: Time to Stand up for Grace Lutheran”
“Actives” rule. “Inactives” should be thrown under the Big Green Bus.
We learn a lot about Michael Gotz from his recent letter to the editor. First, that he believes that the actions of persons who are “active” in Culver City should not be impeded by “really stupid and selfish” laws. Second, Culver City is owned only by those who “share certain community values.” Third, “actives” do not “attack our community institutions,” even if the institutions act illegally or overreach.
Mr. Gotz thinks that Farragut Drive residents are audacious when we exercise our legal rights because one such institution is a church. The Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church works with many groups and “engages in good works.” Mr. Gotz does not explain how that obligates Farragut residents to abandon our legal rights at Grace’s doorstep. Exercising our legal rights is not “waging a war against the church.” His use of the word “war” is over-the-top and offensive.
Mr. Gotz presents no evidence we are “obstructing the ability of [church] meeting attendees to park their cars.” Not one person has ever come forward—at public hearings or in any news media—to make such a claim. Even Ken Smith cannot make such a claim as his handicapped sticker trumps the Farragutparking restrictions. The Meals-on-Wheels folks have parking permits. Further, there is no Farragut parking restriction on Saturday or Sunday.
Mr. Gotz feels that the government is another institution that should not be challenged. Let’s talk about what Mr. Gotz describes as “some (really stupid and selfish) legal rights.” Should we leave it to Mr. Gotz to determine which laws are “really stupid and selfish”? Mr. Gotz implicitly advises “not to avail ourselves of these rights” because he “care[s] about this town.” Farragut Drive residents also care about this town by making sure that elected officials do not continue with their current attitude that they can trample our legal rights. We are protecting Mr. Gotz’s rights, too.
Mr. Gotz implicitly concedes that the Farragut Drive residents have a bona fide legal claim and then, inconsistently, leaps to the conclusion that “[t]he City Council should rescind the parking restrictions….” Why? What facts, if any, support that statement?
My prior correspondence has demonstrated that for 32 years Farragut residents have presented our facts to the City Council, the Traffic Committee and the traffic engineer. Each has supported us and rejected Grace’s meritless claims. Further, in November 2013, the current City Council — “active” Andy Weissman include — re-grandfathered those parking restrictions. Now, Mr. Weissman is so obsessed that he ignores the law, which supports us. Having no sense of history, Mr. Gotz wants the City Council to do what is not legal to Farragut Drive residents. Hopefully, that is not one of the “community values” that Gotz so admires.
Lastly, Mr. Gotz expresses a “love it or leave it” attitude, which should be “love it, but fix it.” Mr. Gotz states, “I call on all good citizens to stand up….” Stand up to protect your rights and the rights of all others from local government officials who turn a blind-eye to the law. That would be true activism.
Mr. Greenberg may be contacted at plgreen@att.net
