Letter: Respect is a two-way street
Susan Burk
Former St. Augustine City Commissioner, St. Augustine
Publication Date: 02/24/09
Editor: St. Augustine City Commissioners and staff deserve respect at meetings. As Aretha sings, "sock it to me," she is not referring to the manner in which certain citizens should address the commission. It was quite annoying to sit in a seat as commissioner for more than a decade and take the abuse and insults repeatedly hurled at the commission table from a few disgruntled citizens and non St. Augustine citizens who demand respect but do not give it.
This small group of citizens and non-citizens appear regularly at meetings wasting everyone's time making the same false statements and insults which they have repeated over and over and over at previous meetings.
Somehow they must imagine the repetition will make it true or will get attention. Unfortunately this tactic has the opposite effect.
After hearing the same people repeat the same things it is only human nature to tune them out. This is sad because on occasion they may have something worth saying and it won't be heard.
Elected officials knowingly put themselves out there as targets for abuse. It comes with the territory and I thank every one of them for doing so.
What kept me going was that the few rude and ill-mannered speakers are far outweighed by wonderful and truly concerned citizens who make up this incredible city.
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