COMMENTARY
MILT THOMAS
The other day my wife was contacted by a friend who asked if she had seen the Vero Beach 32963 story about Amelia Graves. My wife thought she was then going to say how terrible it was that a local newspaper would print such an outrageous article about a local woman who has devoted her young life to helping others less fortunate.
But she didn’t. instead, she said it’s a good thing we found out all this negative information before the election. Needless to say, my wife was stunned because this same person receives, and presumably reads, InsideVero.
Incredibly, while getting her hair done the next day, my wife heard the same point of view from another person!
We live in a society and age where negative information seems to resonate with people more than the positive.
The only problem is, that story about Graves was not true. In fact, candidate Graves has filed two lawsuits against Vero Beach 32963 for publishing libelous material, libelous because it is false and she has proved it to be false.
Clearly, the island weekly has an agenda – promote Tracy Carroll and the FPL deal at all costs, financial, ethical and moral.
This is not new news to anyone who reads that publication and InsideVero has certainly pointed it out frequently. But after reading candidate Graves’ editorial about her life story (“After an early loss, a new direction”) on our website, as well as knowing her family and its impact on the history of our community, it is difficult to conceive of any publication printing such hurtful “information” about one of our own.
If candidate Graves has a fault, it is her youthful idealism. I only hope this experience will not turn that idealism into cynicism. It would be a loss for the humanity in all of us.
As to the people who read that Vero Beach 32963 story and believed it, they must be used to getting their “news” from Publix checkout counter scandal sheets. Yes, we at InsideVero have published negative information about candidate Carroll. The difference is that we quote things she actually said and did – on television, in print and in person.
This incident only further reinforces our endorsement of Amelia Graves and Dick Winger for Vero Beach City Council.
Confucius warned us to believe nothing of what we hear and half of what we see. If he were alive today he would add, “and by the way, don’t believe anything you read in Vero Beach 32963.”
Indian River Guardian 
Unfortunately voters in this day and age do indeed receive their news from the publications at the Publix checkout counter, Another great source for their “information” is the comedy channel known as Fox News that reports only that which Rupert Murdoch allows.
Any objective and thoughtful person would have to come to the conclusion that the dysfunction in our culture today comes from the sad reality that too many people get their “information” from less than objective sources.
Getting information and accepting it all as truth (It must be true – it’s in writing!) indicates we are not using the gray matter that came with our full-body birthday suit. Every now and then it’s easy to get sucked into supposed facts about something. I know I have been duped. However, the untruths being passed around about Ms Graves are so obviously an attempt to discredit a bright, compassionate, homegrown young person. I am glad she is fighting back. She has my support and vote.
The biggest problem as you point out is that people believe what they read. When the Veterans Council members filed charges against me for theft, everyone believed that I was guilty! Including a county judge. Of course those who knew me saw what was happening, stayed with me and helped me do some great things in this county. The Vero Beach Police Department questioned me, and investigated the allegations finding them to be untrue and found all records and actions to be in proper order! Today the final chapter in that case has ended. The Court of Appeals overturned a local judges verdict ordering me to pay legal fees for a case that I dropped against the council. As a public figure my remuneration for winning a suit against the council was diminished and not worth pursuing. The court of appeals just yesterday turned down an action by Attorney Carla Suggs Matthews for a new hearing to reverse their decision! Attorney Matthews represented her husband, a local Jeweler and member of the Veterans Memorial Island Sanctuary board committee She filed for $79,000 in legal fees to defend her husband against my action. Politics has become a “Dirty Business” and it is a shame that there are no controls to the spins and lies , however sooner or later the truth always surfaces, and let us hope that the voters in the City of Vero Beach are wise enough to realize this!
I have just heard that Glenn Heran is circulating his body in Amelia Graves neighborhood on behalf of Tracy Carroll. Now if this is true, it would only prove to me that there are concerns for the Tracy Carroll campaign or maybe Mr. Heran is going door to door to try and find Ms. Graves and personally apologize to her. Maybe not……….
A paper like 32963 should not even be used to wrap china in….the ink may run and ruin your good china.
Nick…seriously? Do you really believe what you write? Did you do your own research or did you just say what others told you? You are better than this. Do your own investigation. Then publish it. I know you and can’t believe you believe what you just wrote.
If Glenn Heran knocks on my door he best take a few steps back before I answer. The sleazy smear campaign that he is orchestrating in order to further his agenda does not sit well with me and if he is on my property, all bets are off. 32963 is a greasy tabloid, and if their tactics are successful, get ready for some long public input portions of the city council meeting. Please, Mr. Heran, do not trespass upon my property, the city police will be called. I suggest that Mr. Heady and Mr. Guffanti throw their support behind Amelia. Lisa Zahner should be ashamed.
George, I don’t see a previous commenter on this story by the name of “Nick.” To whom was your comment directed?
Sorry…I meant Milt. But no problem…you will censor me anyway
Where do get your news Patricia, Al Sharpton ?
Again, George, if you have specific reasons why you believe Milt’s reporting is inaccurate, offering examples might further the conversation. To put forward kind of generalized assertions you made in your last comment is basically to say nothing of substance. What you term “censor” professional online journalists call “moderating.” As does TCPalm.com, I moderate the discussion on InsideVero.com. They remove objectionable, and/or irrelevant comments after they are posted. Instead, I choose to read comments before they are posted. Unlike Scripps, we also ask contributors to the discussion on Inside Vero to use their first and last name. By the way, you seem to have picked up Mark Mucher’s acerbic tone of voice.