Editor,
I attended the April 18 city council meeting and sitting behind me was a man with a young boy – perhaps 9 or 10 years old. The boy was nicely dressed and sat very quietly, not fidgeting nor looking at an iPhone. Out of curiosity I asked them if they were here because of an award or part of presenting to city council. The father said neither. They were attending because his son wanted to experience a city council meeting as he was interested in government. It turns out that this young boy and his brother listen to the news, check things out on the internet and discuss issues that interest them. Naturally I was pleasantly surprised and complimented him on his curiosity and his father’s willingness to bring his son to the meeting. As I left I said to the young man, “if you ever run for office, let me know and I will vote for you.” He shyly smiled and thanked me.
For me, this was a very special moment to see a young man so motivated to attend what often are boring, dragged out meetings sitting patiently and absorbing what was being said. I hope that his curiosity and his motivation never gets jaded by what we now frequently call fake, sensationalistic, or plain lies that transmits over airwaves or the internet. Learning about how our country works and being able to discern and discuss what is pertinent without getting sidetracked will an invaluable tool for the rest of his life and that of his brother.
I want to thank the father for being attentive to his son and making this not only a bonding moment, but showing to his son that what his sons think and do are of value to him as a parent.
Ganka Brown, Laguna Beach
