Dear Mayor Laforet - please pay attention...

Dear Mayor Laforet:

At last night's Mahwah Town Council meeting, you shared that this coming Tuesday, August 15, 2017, the folks from the South Monsey Eruv organization, responsible for mounting the eruvin in our town and elsewhere, will be visiting town hall to discuss potential compromises, middle-ground, or other potential arrangements.

I state this often and I mean it - I have a profound respect for you. I admit, I didn't know very much about you until recent events triggered my interest in the decisions and actions of our local government. It was after reading this article when I took a step back and did something I almost never do...gave someone (you) the benefit of the doubt. I have an unyielding trust in my gut instinct. But to have gone through what you have led me to believe that you are a fighter. In the section of this article titled Sharing an Important Lesson, you stressed your hope that others will learn from you and your experience. My question is, why are you not eager and willing to do the same on behalf of Mahwah?

In response to my objection to the Council hosting this meeting next Tuesday, you responded in what I can only label as, a diplomatically. I transcribed your words from a video of last night's Council meeting and apologize in advance if I got a word or two wrong as it was hard to hear with perfect clarity-

"Absent from the entire conversation is the group that initiated this problem. I believe we are a very inclusive community, that we are open minded. We have always responded to adversity. Sandy was a perfect, a perfect example. Why we would not engage them, talk to them, to find a solution...I believe anybody, anybody, would agree that's in our best interest? We've not given them that opportunity. We may not like what they have to say, they may not like what we have to say...but I tell you what- I think we are open-minded enough to engage them, to give us the opportunity to discuss this and that two weeks is all it's for." You continued, "I think it is very responsible, as a community, it is very responsible...we understand, they admit their mistakes. I think you're going to hear some things you don't expect to hear. I'm not saying a solution comes out of that but give it a chance. Our community needs the merit to try to work this out. Listen, nobody wants this in Mahwah. Nobody wants to do it. There's a way to do it. And I think it is through prudent discussions, in an honorable way, and that's my point."

As I noted last night Mr. Mayor, I disagree at a cosmic level. As I also stated last night, there are really two forms of discrimination- those against behaviors and others opposing a people. At the core of this entire issue is the fact that those on the other side of this debate are trying to place blame on a non-existent discrimination of a group of people- a tact that they have relied on to succeed with their efforts for as far back as I can find. However, our fight is not against any group of people but rather their behavior. Discrimination against behaviors, Mr. Mayor, is the foundation on which laws are established.

Are we stating that anyone who smokes shouldn't be allowed to live in Mahwah? No. Laws were passed to prevent smoking in restaurants, parks, etc. for the betterment of society. It is the behavior we oppose, NOT the people. There are stereotypes and there are norms, both of which influence social behavior. "A careful analysis of the role of legislation in social change would reveal two things. (i) Through Legislation, the state and society try to bring the legal norms in line with the existing social norms, (ii) Legislation's are also used to improve social norms on the basis of new legal norms(1)." Our community will always experience social change and there is nothing wrong with protecting it from the influence that may come along with it, based on facts and history.

I wanted to break down the transcribed response above, specifically calling attention to a few of your points-

"I believe we are a very inclusive community, that we are open minded. We have always responded to adversity."

This is true Mr Mayor. But the operative word there is we. WE are inclusive. The group you are meeting with next week is not. This has historically been proven true and is outright irrefutable.

"Why we would not engage them, talk to them, to find a solution...I believe anybody, anybody, would agree that's in our best interest?"

Here's the reason- only those who would choose to completely ignore history or the warnings of those who have traveled down the road you're first driving on would want to so eagerly engage or believe there can actually be a solution other than creating legislation to protect our town.

"We may not like what they have to say, they may not like what we have to say...but I tell you what- I think we are open-minded enough to engage them, to give us the opportunity to discuss this and that two weeks is all it's for."

This is actually one of the core problems Mr. Mayor. This group is highly organized, extremely well-connected, and has absolutely no issue, in the slightest, with lying to your face. They don't care if you sue them. They don't care about your proposed citations, warnings, or otherwise.

"I think you're going to hear some things you don't expect to hear."

No Mr. Mayor. It is actually, completely irresponsible to think this makes any sense. These folks know exactly what to say and how to say it. They know the exact promises they need to make. I often say that the only way to find disappointment in life is to live it with expectations. I challenge you (or anyone) to prove I'm wrong. There are no expectations here. We know exactly what they'll say and it will fall on deaf ears - we don't believe a word of it. Why do you?

"I'm not saying a solution comes out of that but give it a chance. Our community needs the merit to try to work this out."

Not a chance Mr. Mayor. Albert Einstein famously stated, "Insanity Is Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again and Expecting Different Results." Why would we give anyone a chance in this situation? What possible rationale can you give to justify they deserve this from us? They say they have no intention of moving into the area- that we are misguided in believing the eruvin represent an 'impending doom.' It's all nonsense rhetoric and untrue. Yes, what they have done in one town should not disqualify them, alone. This is in every town they enter. This is a consistent and deliberate initiative of theirs and the way you phrased this statement, I'd like to ask you...if you were on a beach and saw a tsunami headed towards you, would you choose to remain on the beach because Mother Nature "deserves the chance" to prove she might not do what she has unapologetically done with every other tsunami?

"Our community needs the merit to try to work this out."

You are categorically wrong, Mr. Mayor. What our community needs is a Mayor who listens to his constituents. Last night, you shared that one of your fears is that this group will (eventually) sue the township. Let them sue...that's why we have lawyers and a budget that includes funding for legal counsel.

Ultimately, if you want to meet with these folks, have a blast. But there is absolutely no justifiable reason for you to treat this meeting as a substitute or alternative to creating legislation that protects our town. These are unrelated actions and can both be pursued. The legislation we need is not against a people but rather, in objection to certain behaviors that have only occurred due to a lack of proper ordinances. And as Mayor, we need you to stand behind the true intention of these ordinances, not conceding to anyone. Let them sue the town...stand up to the media...why is fighting to protect our town something you love to say but also something you are attempting to avoid doing?

There is exactly one path forward here- assigning a special counsel, with no current association with the town or its elected representatives. This counsel should be selected by representatives from the community who would be qualified to choose the ideal resource(s). We have a lot of lawyers and professionals in our community and they, not you or the counsel, should choose the ideal representation. This isn't a suggestion, Mr. Mayor- this is what we demand.

"There's a way to do it. And I think it is through prudent discussions, in an honorable way, and that's my point."

I respect that this is what you think. However, there are only so many reasons you can draw such a conclusion and none of them would present you in a positive light.

We are watching Mr. Mayor and every path you go down is yours to choose...but there is only one that we want or will accept as responsible citizens. You are intending to give a 'chance' to a group that lacks any interest in showing us the same respect, no matter what they say.

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1. http://www.shareyouressays.com...