Larger issue is a troubling pattern of disrespect

Cartoon published June 25 by Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers

MARK SCHUMANN

A cartoon published June 25 in the Indian River edition of Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers attributed to Mayor Craig Fletcher a statement that was, in fact, made by Vice Mayor Tracy Carroll. The cartoon was submitted by a reader from Port St. Lucie.

Councilwoman Tracy Carroll looks to the ceiling as Phillip Katrovitz challenged her definition of Humanism as "atheism." — Councilwoman Tracy Carroll looks to the ceiling as Phillip Katrovitz challenged her definition of Humanism as “atheism.”

During the now infamous June 4 City Council meeting, it was Carroll who said her Internet research led her to conclude all humanists are atheist. Carroll gave that as her reason for declining to support a proclamation for Humanists Recognition Week, characterizing it as a proclamation for “atheist week.”

Presumably, Carroll would have supported a proclamation for any group of diests or theists, be they monotheists or polytheists.

Carroll’s criteria seemed to leave room for Hindus, Muslims, Jews and Christians of all stripes to seek proclamations from the Council, but would exclude Buddhists, Taoists and observers of other non-theistic religions.

Fletcher set the bar higher, insisting he would not support groups that, “do not believe in Jesus Christ as their savior.”

Carroll and Fletcher need not be religious scholars to serve as members of the Vero Beach City Council, if only they can learn to separate politics from religion, as is called for in the First Amendment.

The citizen concerns apparently fueling the threatened recall petitions against Carroll and Fletcher aren’t that they lack knowledge of religions other than their own, or of the First Amendment. Rather, their remarks made at the June 4 City Council meeting are just the latest in an increasingly long list of occasions when they have been harsh, dismissive, combative and disrespectful to members of the public who have come before the Council.

For Fletcher, disrespectful behavior bordering on abusive dates back to his first term as Mayor, when some wondered if he hadn’t confused Vero Beach’s weak mayor form of municipal government for a monarchy.

2 comments

Mark, you should have your cartoonist do a do over of this cartoon with a female facsimile of Tracy Carroll. That would be appropriate.

The cartoonist really should have done a bit more research. Mr. Fletcher offered plenty of soundbites that night, but honestly, he has paid enough for that mistake and we should all move on. I don’t doubt that he spent a few nights in the doghouse at home over it. Lets try
to be accurate when attributing statements to council. For example,
the statement “If you haven’t read the report, you don’t know what you are talking about”, in response to a respected citizen’s comments.
That was Mr. Fletcher. “Does he know who I am, I could have him fired”. That was Mrs. Carroll, who ran out of gas in her boat and thought that the city marina should be locked up so that the one attendant could rescue her and her husband.

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