Kathryn Brodrick

[pingtheduck]

"Personally, I look forward to the day when we can have dialogue among ourselves instead of hate, snarking and sarcasm. I long for the day when we all realize that we’re actually the same person - clothed in different skins and born at different times."

A wise person once told me that understanding comes from more talk and, I guess, "dialogue" not less. And it's not very pleasant but sometimes "snarking" is part of it. KB, I think you can do more to achieve your goal if you get on the boards and "dialogue" instead of gathering ammo from them and then revealing your "diagnosis" in a one way format. Course you don't get paid to do that here.

Also, we are a community of people with all the different black, white and grays that every other group of people have. We're not raising funds for our schools and supporting youth athletic programs on the surface and covertly burning crosses. A group of people, working hard for their community and not perfect.

I think we're saying the same thing. But I think you disapprove of my freedom to say it my way.

[Birdieman]

She's not very bright, and the RVT is doing itself a dis-service by continuing to let her write articles. The Jon Stewart comment made me spit my drink up, hella funny!

[Martha]

Originally Posted by RanchHQ

Other media are adept at promulgating nonsense."

Just an observation, but I think the RVT is "other media."

Just sayin'...

[pingtheduck]

Originally Posted by Birdieman

She's not very bright, and the RVT is doing itself a dis-service by continuing to let her write articles. The Jon Stewart comment made me spit my drink up, hella funny!

Intelligence isn't the be all and end all. Intelligent people can be completely close minded, nuts, evil etc..

I think if Ms B could be more open minded, that would do the trick.

[Birdieman]

Originally Posted by pingtheduck

Intelligence isn't the be all and end all. Intelligent people can be completely close minded, nuts, evil etc..

I think if Ms B could be more open minded, that would do the trick.

You're right Ping, I shouldn't confuse brightness with close mindedness. Either way, it's a dis-service to the community.

[pingtheduck]

You are right about that Bird. And she's a one note commentator. Something fresh please.

[dreamliner]

Originally Posted by RanchHQ

In this weeks "Commmentary" Ms. Brodrick says:

"Jon Stewart is especially adept at highlighting nonsense. Other media are adept at promulgating nonsense."

I'll stick to that "other media".

I also believe she is promoting an "authoritarian central government".

Hum.

She also talks about all you out there "sniping" and "snarking".

Stop that, will ya.

Challenge of governing RM not always easy

Rancho Murieta Commentary
By Kathryn Brodrick - Rancho Murieta seems to be a tranquil neighborhood in a rural area, populated by urbane, mostly well-to-do people. The crab feed was a resounding success for our local elementary school, and residents support the OKC Corral unreservedly.
Soccer, Cosumnes River Little League, football and cheer are provided for young people as well as the Easter Egg Hunt, teen dances and Summerfest. However, a peek under this tranquil surface reveals a festering nest of unrest sometimes full of sniping and general unpleasantness. Board members accuse one another of sedition. The mere mention of cable TV will send the blood pressure of some residents sky high. In other words, Ranch Murieta is a mirror of the wider world.
I’ve caught parts of the newly released Timothy McVey tapes, and they take my breath away. The shock comes not just from the words he uses to justify himself and his actions, but the fact that what he’s advocating is precisely what militia types are proposing to do.
When many of us were appalled by the U.S. invasion of a country that had not threatened us, Vice-President Dick Cheney denounced the opposition as “unpatriotic.” Now militias and “birthers” are tossing around ludicrous insults and conspiracy theories, and nobody is calling them unpatriotic.
President Obama’s security people are fielding and disarming the greatest number of death threats ever directed at a sitting president. The anger sometimes seems like Rancho Murieta super-sized, although we can be thankful we have had no death threats in RM to date.
Rifle through your brain. Somewhere in the back you’ll come upon what you learned in college philosophy about the writings of Thomas Hobbs, born in 1588. He argued in "Leviathan" (1651) that an authoritarian central government is necessary to the social contract theory. The governed agree to a system of laws and punishments under a governor who gives rights in return for citizens abiding by the rules.
Hobbs proposed that, without such a governor to keep the peace, the state would descend into constant war in which there would be “no arts, no letters, no society.” Worst of all, people would live in continual fear and danger of violent death. He noted this would lead to a life that was “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.”
Not a lot has changed in regard to the social contract. In these modern times, we elect our leaders in the U.S. just as we do in Rancho Murieta. Our current occupant of the White House was elected by both the popular vote and the Electoral College. As such, he deserves the respect (or at least the tolerance) commensurate with that office.
In the same manner, those who run for election in Rancho Murieta deserve respect and tolerance. When the time comes for another election, you yourself may run, especially if you disagree with those currently in office.
Don’t misunderstand me. Dissent is an important part of the political process. That’s why we have forums, meetings, media and even such television offerings as “The Daily Show.” Free speech lives in the U.S.!
One of the wonderful aspects of free speech, both nationally and locally, is that nonsense speaks for itself. Jon Stewart is especially adept at highlighting nonsense. Other media are adept at promulgating nonsense. Of course, what I consider nonsense might make perfect sense to you. Have you joined a militia yet? Are you still looking for President Obama’s birth certificate? When was the last time anyone looked up the actual meaning of “fascism” in the dictionary? Anne Lamott wrote, “You can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.”
Personally, I look forward to the day when we can have dialogue among ourselves instead of hate, snarking and sarcasm. I long for the day when we all realize that we’re actually the same person - clothed in different skins and born at different times.
Our world is too small for hate and racism to rule, no matter from where it comes. Once we all realize this, we’ll lose the need for external rules because knowing what’s right or wrong will arise from within each of us. We’ll no longer be able to inflict suffering on each other because the illusion of separateness between who you are and who the other is will have disappeared. What you do to another, you’re doing to yourself. We may never get there, but it’s a worthy goal.
Meantime, our elected officials are doing the best they know how to do. We’ve agreed to abide by the rules in exchange for our rights, and we need to remember that fact when election time rolls around. Are you willing to stand up for what you believe by serving on a governing board? Are you willing to play by the rules?

SOURCE: The River Valley Times, Newspaper for Rancho Murieta, Sloughhouse, Wilton, Sacremento, California with Sacremento, California real estate, antiques, news, and entertainment

Ranch, thanks for posting Ms. Broderick's RVT thought here. Even Karl Marx could not have articulated her, and his, same philosophy better...well maybe he did.

[Matthew]

I am not sure it's helpful to combine local politics with national politics in the same article. Your message on the local side gets lost when you include the national stuff.

[pingtheduck]

That's a good point Matt. Though I think it's a cool thing to show how things play out on a micro level. Especially if there's an interesting, related macro trend. The local government/ national government could get there with all the economic factors etc. But throwing in the value judgment about the "mole people" was a big distraction.

If KB was looking for an interesting topic - one might be how small cities in Amador County are handling their challenges and then contrasting/comparing with RM. Or other gated communities. Or digging in and really talking to parents and community pitching in with Principal Gulden for the new elective program on Fridays next year etc..

Or, how about how innovative and on it our local businesses have gotten since the economic crunch. Plaza has FB, MarShaTes has waffles.. Or..where are our teenagers working? College plans for graduates? Or what about friendships formed online? All these folks who chat, locally online and have never met in person but really care about each other. How does that benefit RM?

Lots of interesting, uplifting topics KB.

[Martha]

Originally Posted by pingtheduck

That's a good point Matt. Though I think it's a cool thing to show how things play out on a micro level. Especially if there's an interesting, related macro trend. The local government/ national government could get there with all the economic factors etc. But throwing in the value judgment about the "mole people" was a big distraction.

If KB was looking for an interesting topic - one might be how small cities in Amador County are handling their challenges and then contrasting/comparing with RM. Or other gated communities. Or digging in and really talking to parents and community pitching in with Principal Gulden for the new elective program on Fridays next year etc..

Or, how about how innovative and on it our local businesses have gotten since the economic crunch. Plaza has FB, MarShaTes has waffles.. Or..where are our teenagers working? College plans for graduates? Or what about friendships formed online? All these folks who chat, locally online and have never met in person but really care about each other. How does that benefit RM?

Lots of interesting, uplifting topics KB.

I'd be motivated to walk across the street to the mailbox and GET the RVT outta there if ping was on pg 2.

Just sayin'...