I was listening to the Dave Conglaton show on KVEC. He discussed the SLO County 4th District supervisorial race between incumbent Lynn Compton and challenger Jimmy Paulding. Dave said that a proposed forum featuring these two has been postponed because of scheduling conflicts by the organizers. Dave stated that Lynn chose not to attend the forum and that Jimmy accused her of backing out.
Several of Jimmy’s supporters went on Lynn’s Facebook page and made similar accusations against her. One particularly nasty supporter called her a coward and troll. This is an excellent example of cyber-bullying, which I thought Progressives opposed. Many campaigns take opportunities to smear opponents with ugly, personal insults instead of debating issues. This does much to discourage people from getting involved in government.
A caller accused Supervisor Compton of being a corportist, a good example of false reasoning called argumentum ad hominem, arguing to the person. Correct reasoning involves arguing issues. If I were to state that Jimmy, supervisors Gibson and Hill were communist, socialist, or fascist, their supporters would object. Let us all raise the level of discourse in all discussions.
Gary L. Kirkland
Atascadero
This article appears in Apr 19-29, 2018.
Raising the level of political discourse, might begin with the two candidates agreeing on a place and time for a debate, so that their constituents can learn learn more from the candidates and what their platforms reveal. I doubt such a task could not be that difficult, and the community deserves such. If indeed, a proposed forum has already been discussed, how cumbersome could it possibly be to work out scheduling conflicts and do the right things for community members? Sometimes I have to wonder, when do politicians really do the right thing for their constituents. Please try to be the adults we expect you to be and do the right thing: Hold a debate, get your ideas out, and allow the community the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers! The community deserves nothing less!
Tina Dickason,
Cambria
Kirkland’s letter is disingenuous, as he chides Compton’s critics but gives her vocal supporters–and Ms. Compton herself–a pass. No one who has had to deal at length with Ms. Compton believes that she is an innocent waif, siting at the side of a pond and studying her reflection in the placid pool. Her temper and vulgarities are legend in the halls of government, and reasonable people have openly speculated about her emotional well-being. (And no–this has nothing to do with her gender; this is all about Lynn Compton the person, not Lynn Compton the woman.)
And certainly “Raising the level of discourse” is not something that can happen honestly on Congalton’s show. Dave has thrown himself in with Lynn Compton, to the point of repeating stories that he could have heard only from a closed session breach, likely from Compton herself. His hatred for Adam Hill is beyond reason, as is his unbending allegiance to Karen Velie and her ilk. Anyone who has tried to provide balanced viewpoints on Congalton’s show finds that they may or may not make it onto his program, depending on the extent to which their viewpoint aligns with Dave’s biases. He is either dismissively rude or fawningly saccharine–depending on whether the guest/caller takes Dave’s side. His is a bigotry of the worst kind–the soft spoken prejudices of a sad man, searching for influence in his tiny pond.
Jeeze, is that clown Congalton STILL obsessed with me? I actually wanted his movie to do well so he could stop poisoning our airwaves and succeed in movies. But alas, the reviews were uniformly awful and the spittoon known as “Dave” continues his small town AM radio vindictiveness towards people who have either 1) refused to be a sycophant to him; and 2) people who know him well enough to know what petty little hatreds and jealousies rule his raisined little heart.
And everyone knows that if you’re an attractive woman, Congo the Clown will fawn over you in grotesque ways that fill his sordid mind with the delusion that he has power and that he matters.