By Jon Mann Santa Monica In defense of the movement Editor:
What gives anyone the right to tell someone to drop out as a candidate for president, whether it is Hillary Clinton, Ron Paul, or Ralph Nader?
Some people will do anything to get on T.V. I saw Jerry “Peace Activist” Rubin on YouTube challenging Ralph Nader to a debate, which is less likely than Nader appearing in the presidential debates, or Obama debating Clinton one more time.
Nader did not spoil the 2000 election for Al Gore. The Supreme Court did, and Ralph was not the only third party candidate to run in Florida (but he did have the best platform).
I thought this was a free country, yet Rubin wants to stifle the voice of anyone who does not follow his lead, whether he is having a melt down at the Ken Edwards Center because he was cut off, or censoring dissenting voices within the Treesavers.
There is no win/win solution for the trees, and no amount of whining, or sucking up to city administrators will change that reality, which is that the judge ruled the Treesavers did not file their suit within the required time period.
The only way to prevent that from happening in the future is to monitor everything the city attempts behind the backs of its residents.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 29, 2008. Read the original PDF.