Letters to the Editor 9-3-15

Internet censorship
Editor: NextDoor, a local social media sounding board, has been anti-Lytton since it first appeared and now administrators have taken the site to a level of self-delusion. They censor a post that they deem unacceptable because it fails to mimic the administrator’s views.

 In doing so, they discredit themselves and do a disservice to the community they profess to serve. Taking a political side and allowing positions that they feel is proper while editing out those positions they feel are unnecessary or inappropriate is undemocratic and un-American.

 Censorship is like saying: I’m the one who reports the last sentence. Whatever you say, the conclusion will be mine. It reflects a society’s lack of confidence in itself.

 Following the Lytton town meeting on Aug. 25, this post was censored by Nextdoor:
A consensus may have been reached by approximately 300 Windsorians attending the highly charged Town Hall addressing the Lytton Pomo Tribe’s fee-to-trust efforts on lands near Windsor. The nearly all white attendees heard legal arguments, Town Council positions, Lytton reasons for wanting the protections of a trust and congressional explanations seemingly all urging everyone to work together for a mutually satisfactory outcome. Although it is estimated that 30 percent of the town and county is Hispanic, Latinos were conspicuously absent. Congressman Jared Huffman apologized for a failure of not making the government’s fiduciary responsibilities more publicized regarding Congressional plenary obligations. He also addressed the Carcieri Supreme Court decision that promised these responsibilities to 30 Tribes in the second congressional district. There were vocal challenges during the public speaking portion of the meeting. One participant called the Homeland acreages purchases “a cancer” and another blamed the Obama Administration for “lawlessness” in its promise to take 500,000 acres into federal trust by the end of President Obama’s term. Concerns raised, but not addressed by officials, were about additional water drilling on Tribal lands that may include 300 homes, a winery, spa and possibly a resort. Town Council members said Windsor residents will have to vote on whether or not to extend sewage and water lines to the property. Lytton Tribal Chairperson Margie Mejia emphasized the Tribe’s intentions regarding her 20-year fight to regain a Tribal homeland where 250 to 300 members will become economically independent and self-governing. She said the Tribe negotiated in good faith with the county in agreeing that no casino would be built for at least 22 years. Congressman Huffman said he would strive to ink an agreement that would ban another Sonoma County casino forever. All sides were courteous and respectful. “We all learned a lot,” said one attendee.”

David Heventhal
Windsor