St. Johns County Commission Chairman Ben Rich's Words Pale By Comparison With Mosquito Commission Vice Chair LINDA WAMPLER' and St. Augustine Official

St. Johns County Commission Chairman Ben Rich's Words Pale By Comparison With Mosquito Commission Vice Chair LINDA WAMPLER' and St. Augustine Mayors and City Commissioners

I sincerely appreciate Ben Rich's efforts to reform our county government, which would try the patience of Job with one of the Seven Labors of Hercules (cleaning the Augean Stables). That said, I also appreciate the Record editorial about how public officials should stop intimidating citizens. The Record had earlier called for Rich's resignation over facetious remarks. I disagreed. with that one

County Commission Chairman Ben Rich was provoked by an erroneous septuagenarian former St. Johns County Clerk of Courts, part of the ancien regime. Rich called the man a liar and challenged him to fisticuffs, or something. As one scholar wrote, democracy is "an invitation to struggle" (see below). Macho-crotcho talk is not uncommon among American politicians, or local ones. President Truman threatens to beat up a music critic who criticized his daughter's piano-playing. LBJ was often crude, had a potty mouth and bragged about having peoples' "peckers" in his "pocket." Jimmy Carter said he would "whip" Teddy Kennedy's "ass." Politicians (like trial lawyers) generally have more testosterone than other occupations, and their words and deeds show it.

Piquant, opinionated politicians are memorable ones, to be preferred to dull Republicans who blend into the wallpaper while picking your pockets.

But hold on a minute, St. Augustine Record. In his defense, County Commission Chariman Ben Rich's words are meek and mild compared to the full-on, hostility displayed by Anastasia Mosquito Control Commission of St. Johjns County Vice Chair LINDA WAMPLER, who may be viewed on Cable Channel 2 later this week excoraiting citizens and saying she'd call the police again for criticism. WAMPLER gets offended when citizens laugh, raise their eyebrows or otherwise express dissenting views. The Record hasn't covered her antics, except for her alleged Sunshine violation, given front page coverage. At the October 11 AMCD meeting, WAMPLER showed conduct that may be charitably be viewed as provocative, intetionally trying to disrupt the meeting and the feeling of peace and trust that erupted last month when AMCD canceled its illegal helicopter contract (AMCD has now received a full refund of its Bell Helicopter contract thanks to the citizens WAMPLER wants to incarcerate. Perhaps WAMPLER would be happier in a fascist dictatorship or Communist China, whose repression of an environmental activist is featured in today's NY Times.

At times as bad as WAMPLER are St. Augustine City MAYOR JOSEPH LEROY BOLES, former Mayor GEORGE GARDNER, Vice Mayor DONALD CRICHLOW, ex-Vice Mayor SUSAN BURK and Commissioner ERROL JONES. All can be hotter than two dollar pistols and nasty to citizens. See below. WAMPLER refers to their illegal actions in justifying her own, rather like one dictatorship getting succor from another.

Some politicians is they are too thin-skinned and need a better sense of humor. JFK or Lincoln woiuld make a witty remark or tell a joke. But they didn't have a 442-year history of Florida and St. Johns County corruption to cope with.

There has been quite a lot of nastiness from City and County Commissioners and Congressman JOHN MICA (please see below for examples of their Philistinism over the years, grist for Record editorials about the need for kinder, gentler public officials. Let's compare and contrast politicians styles across the board, and not criticize on Mr. Rich, whose attention to detail, homework and anti-corruption focus make him a source of hope for our community.

With kindest regards,
Ed Slavin