Shame on J.J. Gasparotti for demonizing a group of civic-minded citizens who have done much good for the community over the years and who continue to work for the common good in the face of a groundless hate campaign directed against them. Mr. Gasparotti didn’t mention Village Laguna by name, but he wrote that they are “imposing their vision.” What they are doing is expressing their opinion, and that is their First Amendment right. They have neither the power nor the will to “impose” anything on anyone. Attacking them is like attacking the Scouts for “imposing” their vision of character on young people.
I am not a member of Village Laguna and, honestly, I do not know anyone who is a member personally. But I do know Laguna history and I do know that many members of VL have done a lot of good for Laguna over the years and I admire all of them for continuing to use their time and efforts to promote their vision of village character in the face of these senseless and unceasing slander campaigns.
Lee Otterholt, Laguna Beach
Thank you for this very thoughtful and long-overdue comment on the “senseless and unceasing slander campaigns” waged against the very civic-minded members of Village Laguna. This multi-year campaign to demonize this valuable and hard-working organization which has done so much good for this town for decades is really shameful. It is merely a way to make developers and their projects look good. Let the new proposals for change and development in this community be presented and stand or fall based on their merits, but don’t attack your neighbors because they have a different opinion…they have as much right to present their vision for Laguna’s future as the developers do.