I belong to an organization that supports sending packages to the troops at this time of year. It is my way of showing my appreciation for their sacrifice. I also appreciate when our town comes together at the Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial to collectively show our respect for the troops. I can tell it is election season when former Atascadero City Councilmember Ellen Beraud showed up to the Veterans Day ceremony in a front-row seat after voting against the building of the memorial as a City Council member years ago. Campaign season hypocrisy!
Mary Lea Harris
Atascadero
This article appears in Last-Minute Gift Guide 2019.
Mary Lea Harris makes a false accusation against candidate Ellen Beraud. Ms. Beraud and many others in our community wisely and rightly did not want the memorial placed in the Sunken Gardens, which was the basis of the first proposal.
The Sunken Gardens is our community park and it has been preserved for the multiple purposes and uses of Atascadero’s citizens. It is also a state historical monument. Given the expansive scope of Faces of Freedom, it would have restricted our use of the Sunken Gardens.
I am one of those who believe the Faces of Freedom monument was optimally sited in Lake Park. It is now at a major intersection with nearby parking, AND where there is daily foot traffic. So. Ms. Harris, when a former and aspiring public servant shows up at Faces of Freedom events, please greet them with hospitality rather than “stirring your pot” of past resentments.
I think it is important for our veterans to know that they have the support of the whole community, not just one political faction or ideological group. No one should be discouraged from expressing respect and appreciation for veterans at our County’s premier Veterans Day celebration — whether or not they shared any specific group’s preferences in public art. It’s about the veterans, not the art. I was proud to have former Atascadero Council Member and Mayor Ellen Beraud as my guest at that event, because our vets deserve to know that the leadership of our community is standing shoulder to shoulder to respect and honor them.