Letters to the Editor
Editor:
Regarding issues discussed by Margo Wheeler and Susan Smith (July 14), I also notice the difficulty communicating with my Mutual’s board via phone and email. Most shareholders’ legitimate issues can’t wait for monthly board meetings. Plus, the turnaround time after sending communications is frequently days, if at all. Often, timeliness is of essence. Experiencing this, shareholders then reluctantly resort to knocking on board members’ doors, etc. I moved to LW last year. Because of my background in finance and HOA boards, I’ve been urged twice by a Mutual board member to run for office. Susan Smith’s letter convinced me to forget that idea for now. And now I understand why not enough shareholders ran for available board positions this year. I’d love to help my Mutual troubleshoot these issues and forge solutions (I have ideas).
Mike Stabile Mutual 1 Editor:
It appears that Security at the Main Gate has a new electronic information system that they don’t know how to use. On July 8, I was expecting a small company to do some work on my place in Mutual 4. I notified Security of the name of the leader of the group and the name of the company about three hours in advance. When they arrived, they were not admitted and Security personnel said there was no record on the board of my name or their names. They were turned away.
On July 9, I was expecting my nephew and his son who were driving down from Hayward in the bay area. Again, I called Security on its direct line, gave them my name, the name of my guest and the approximate time I expected them. When my nephew arrived at 9 p.m., having driven (I suspect) 500 miles, he was also told that his name was not on the board, and they had nothing under my name. My nephew called me from the parking lot, and I proceeded to the Security office, where I was met with no help at all, or if anything, a defensive and hostile posture. I finally got my nephew and his son in after a long delay and no help from the on-duty staff.
Peter Franck Mutual 4 Editor:
For the past couple of years, an American flag and a Trump flag have been displayed on a flagpole at the corner of Del Monte Drive and McKinney Way. Now, the Trump flag has been replaced with a yellow flag that says, “Don’t Tread On Me.” At first, I assumed that it was the Gadsden flag, which has been popularized by the Republican Tea Party movement and adopted by MAGA Trump supporters.
When I got a better look at the flag, I could see that instead of the coiled rattlesnake of the traditional Gadsden flag, it had the image of a fetus.
For women who have had a natural miscarriage or an abortion, seeing the image of a fetus on this flag, is like a knife in the heart. The display of this flag is an assault on women.
The right of HOA residents to display political flags and signs is protected by the First Amendment and Davis-Stirling. This includes the right to display political flags of hate.
There has always been hate in Leisure World. But since the Trump presidency, there has been a significant increase in the open displays of hate here.
The rights of this resident to display this hateful and offensive flag are protected under the law and there is nothing I can do to have it removed. But I can express my outrage and disgust at the display of this flag.
Signe Merrifield Mutual 16 Editor:
Regarding a recent letter (July 7) that claimed Obama did “nothing” about gun control during his eight years in office, the writer seems to have forgotten McConnell’s commitment not to pass anything Obama proposed.
Obama was anguished when the GOP Senate refused to pass meaningful gun control after Sandy Hook, and Obama thought his executive order to limit gun purchases for those with mental illness would be upheld but the subsequent GOP POTUS rescinded it soon after he took office.
The first two years of Obama’s terms were pretty much taken up trying to pass the Affordable Care Act, which the GOP tried to rescind over 60 times and still talks of doing precisely that, even though the GOP enjoys the benefits of ACA.
That’s not “nothing.”
Janice Laine Mutual 2
