Dear Editor,
Mazel-Tov
The election results are in, but since this column was submitted before election day, I don’t have a clue who won. I could have waited another week to file this column, but I think the content would have been the same regardless of the results, so why delay.
Since there were five candidates for two openings on the City Council, I have to assume that two people won and three did not. This is the kind of critical thinking I learned at an elite Ivy League college.
Notice that I did not say three people lost. As the winners move forward and devote countless hours to helping our City, they will be subjected to an infinite amount of abuse by those people who will not always agree with them. This is what awaits public servants in the world we live in today. Those who did not win might come to wonder why they ever sought a seat on the Council in the first place and, in retrospect, may even think of themselves as the winners.
For those two candidates who got the most votes and are willing to sacrifice their time and energy to make Malibu a better place, I wish you a hearty “mazel-tov.” I thank you ahead of time for your public service. I know you love Malibu and only wish to make it a better place.
Below is some unsolicited advice (all my advice is unsolicited and rarely followed):
- Don’t forget you represent all the people, not just those who voted for you.
- Set the example for civility. Disagree without being disagreeable.
- Compromise is not a dirty word.
- Do not question the motivation or integrity of those people who disagree with you.
- All matters are not life and death issues. Black and white are not the only colors.
Try to smile or even laugh occasionally. We are all neighbors, and we all love Malibu. Good luck to you.
Burt Ross, Malibu