Raising the Quality of Debate

Over on "Historic City News," the Faux FOX News-style website of political apparatchik Michael Gold f/k/a "Michael Tobin," there's an ugly little cartoon of a "short bus" -- labelled "SPECIAL BUS" -- imputing mental acuity problems to City leaders, whose photos appear inside the "short bus." Get it? Real satire is great -- I once used Thomas Nast's cartoon of Boss Tweed and his ring to similar effect when City officials put 40,000 cubic yards of solid waste in our Old City Reservoir, then wanted to move it back to Lincolnville, put nine feet of dirt on top and call it a "park." (Michael Gold & C. were supercilious City-supporters then and attack dog City-bashers now. Wonder why?). However, I am as uncomfortable with mentally unhealthy and unbalanced attacks on government officals that contain imputations of mental retardation ("Historic City News" and its "short bus") as I am with "Anonymice" invitations to commit homicide (which the St. Augustine Record allows on its website with impunity, refusing to identify the poster -- who is he and why is the Record protecting him? One of their staff or advertisers, perhaps?). We can and will raise the quality of debate in St. Augustine and St. Johns County. Do your own research. Ask questions. Demand answers. Don't be deceived by bullies.