Nameless, faceless blogger is fabricating the truth

COMMENTARY

“As Jon Stewart said last week in signing off The Daily Show, there is a lot of B.S. out there. TheObserver is accomplishing nothing more than to add to the pile and the stench of politics.”

MARK SCHUMANN

The person, persons, or corporation behind an anonymous blog, “TheObserver,” leveled more attacks this week against the Indian River Neighborhood Association. One may agree or disagree with positions taken by the IRNA, a community organization with countywide membership, but stooping so low as to attack the group through wholly inaccurate, politically motivated, anonymous commentary is pure cowardice.

Further, the blog is written in a way so as to imply the author is associated with the IRNA.  It’s a dirty tactic that may border on fraud.

Who is the spineless wonder behind “The Observer” blog? It’s hard to know, but the misguided talking points are ones frequently made by former Vero Beach City Council candidate Charlie Wilson. The court jester of local politics, though, may not be the person behind this new attack blog. The writing style lacks the rambling incoherence that is signature Wilson. The simple explanation could be that Wilson experienced an episode of lucidity

Photographs accompanying TheObserver’s latest blog appear to be ones Wilson might have taken. Certain he has been seen roaming City Hall with a camera.

The use of a picture of Indian River County Property Appraiser David Nolte with Jay Kramer may be instructive. Indian River County Commissioner Wesley Davis, looking for a more secure place from which to feed at the public troff, is challenging Nolte in 2016.  Should Wilson reconnect with Davis to run another of his campaigns, Indian River County may soon be covered with slime.

A quick fact check of “TheObserver” reveals that, whoever the coward is behind the blog, they are loose with facts, if not delusional.  The sole mission of the anonymous blogger seems to be persuading his/her readers that the IRNA has blocked the sale of Vero Electric to FPL.

In truth, the group has never taken a position on the power sale. IRNA leaders insist they are focused on quality of life issues, such as effectively controlling short term rentals, promoting managed, sustainable growth, preserving the health of the Indian River Lagoon, and doing what can be done to turn back All Aboard Florida.

Given the IRNA’s diverse membership, it seems likely the group has also avoided taking a position on the power sale because doing so would alienate many of its members, including board members. Only someone, or some corporation, with little knowledge of the IRNA could conclude the organization has even attempted to reach consensus on the proposed power sale. Turning over Vero Electric to Florida Power & Light is just not where the IRNA has been putting its energy and resources.

There is something to be said, after all, for concentrating on issues where one can make a difference; and there is certainly an advantage to keeping the main thing the main thing. In the case of the IRNA, the central mission seems to be addressing quality of life concerns, not cost-of-utility issues.

If the writer behind “TheObserver” truly believes the IRNA is a single-issue organization focused on the electric sale, then that person is indeed lacking in power of observation. It seems more likely they have no compunction fabricating the truth for political gain.

As Jon Stewart said last week in signing off The Daily Show, there is a lot of B.S. out there. TheObserver is accomplishing nothing more than to add to the pile and the stench of politics.