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Burbank Leader, CA
Jan 20 2007
EDITORIAL:
Time for dignity, not disgrace
OK. We want a nice, clean fight.
Nothing below the belt. Keep your hands up.
As this year's political competition kicks in to high gear, let's
make sure the discourse brings dignity to the city, not disgrace.
In a nation where ideology seems to trump pragmatism, we want to
remind the candidates running for the school board and the City
Council that political infighting and cynicism only bring on more of
the same.
And in the end, it clouds the issues and the voter pays the price.
There are many issues in the Media Capital of the World - from how to
deal with traffic congestion and land development to declining school
enrollment. And the candidates certainly need to debate how to best
tackle those issues. But they need to do so in an above-board manner.
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Burbank can't afford the mudslinging, especially coming after recent
years of tumult in which its voters would have every right to be
skeptical of its leaders.
In 2005, Burbank earned a political black eye when former City
Councilman Stacey Murphy resigned after being charged with cocaine
possession and child endangerment.
Then last year a state Assembly election drew attention to Burbank
and its neighbor to the east when former Burbank school board trustee
Paul Krekorian and Glendale City Councilman Frank Quintero duked it
out in a race that got extremely ugly.
Voters were getting nasty campaign calls and a vicious mailer that
attempted to link Krekorian and the Armenian National Committee to a
suspected terrorist.
It was not pretty, nor was it good or clean politics.
Not that it ever really is. We realize that the nature of politics
can be dicey, particularly during a campaign season, and particularly
in a nation, where voters are sharply divided.
But the debate doesn't have to be below the belt, whether it is in
campaign literature, online chats about the candidates, in letters to
the editor, candidate forums or discussions on the street.
The candidates and their supporters have the obligation to educate
the voters on how they could best direct the city's future.
And voters should stay in tune to who could best do that.
But when the discourse gets ugly, and with unfounded allegations
abound, everybody loses.
Burbank deserves a campaign free from dirty fights.
Candidates and their supporters should go as many rounds as needed,
with vigorous debate on city issues and how to improve life here. But
let's make sure the voter is not knocked out with dirty blows.
OK. As the famous boxing referee Mills Lane says, "Let's get it on!"
Jan 20 2007
EDITORIAL:
Time for dignity, not disgrace
OK. We want a nice, clean fight.
Nothing below the belt. Keep your hands up.
As this year's political competition kicks in to high gear, let's
make sure the discourse brings dignity to the city, not disgrace.
In a nation where ideology seems to trump pragmatism, we want to
remind the candidates running for the school board and the City
Council that political infighting and cynicism only bring on more of
the same.
And in the end, it clouds the issues and the voter pays the price.
There are many issues in the Media Capital of the World - from how to
deal with traffic congestion and land development to declining school
enrollment. And the candidates certainly need to debate how to best
tackle those issues. But they need to do so in an above-board manner.
advertisement
Burbank can't afford the mudslinging, especially coming after recent
years of tumult in which its voters would have every right to be
skeptical of its leaders.
In 2005, Burbank earned a political black eye when former City
Councilman Stacey Murphy resigned after being charged with cocaine
possession and child endangerment.
Then last year a state Assembly election drew attention to Burbank
and its neighbor to the east when former Burbank school board trustee
Paul Krekorian and Glendale City Councilman Frank Quintero duked it
out in a race that got extremely ugly.
Voters were getting nasty campaign calls and a vicious mailer that
attempted to link Krekorian and the Armenian National Committee to a
suspected terrorist.
It was not pretty, nor was it good or clean politics.
Not that it ever really is. We realize that the nature of politics
can be dicey, particularly during a campaign season, and particularly
in a nation, where voters are sharply divided.
But the debate doesn't have to be below the belt, whether it is in
campaign literature, online chats about the candidates, in letters to
the editor, candidate forums or discussions on the street.
The candidates and their supporters have the obligation to educate
the voters on how they could best direct the city's future.
And voters should stay in tune to who could best do that.
But when the discourse gets ugly, and with unfounded allegations
abound, everybody loses.
Burbank deserves a campaign free from dirty fights.
Candidates and their supporters should go as many rounds as needed,
with vigorous debate on city issues and how to improve life here. But
let's make sure the voter is not knocked out with dirty blows.
OK. As the famous boxing referee Mills Lane says, "Let's get it on!"