To the Editor,

Come on Folks and Wendy -  Cut the rhetoric! There was no abuse of process. I had asked previously through various channels if I could provide my thoughts on how to improve their relations with the Lillooet Ratepayers and other forms of intimidation.??

Here's what I told them:??

1. That all the members of Council were citizens before they were elected, retain their citizenship during the period they are elected, and after they are finished their public service. Their service before they are elected is precisely the reason their fellow citizens chose them in the first place.  The winners of the election are winners because the majority of citizens thought they had earned the right to represent the community.  The losers are usually just that - losers - and particularly in this case.??

2. No one - absolutely no one - has the right to paint a target on their back and take off their head just because they sit in the "Big Chair." If the disgruntled whiners wanted to make the decisions, they should have run for Council.  I have yet to see the names Anderson, Kempfle, Jordi, Maxon, etc. etc.  on the ballot paper.  I told them to fight back with all they had - not to sit and take it.  Not to be the aggressor, but reserve a hell of a wallop for the most offensive individuals.  The majority will respect such activities and engage in the battle of hearts and minds of the majority who elected them. That is true leadership - not to be pushed around by bullies.??

3.  I also told them that I despised tyranny in all of its forms and that is what I have witnessed in the community for the past years throughout the various manifestations of the Ratepayers.  Ask the numerous people that the previous Mayor (the best I served with, I might add), devastated in defamation cases.  ?

4.  I also told them there was no likelihood of reconciliation with these soul-destroying, community-destroying haters. They would all rather destroy the various great things about Lillooet to hove to a point which is misinformed and downright dangerous to the future of your community. I suggested these people are participating in an extreme version of "cutting off your nose to spite their face" - rather they are cutting off their heads to spite the community. And nobody should stop them. Simply ask them to leave and try and go and destroy another community.??

Wendy - if you would have asked, I would have told you this.  But I guess that's the current state of journalism in Lillooet!

Chris O'Connor,

Lytton

Editor’s Note: I did ask – I asked Mayor Bontron about the meeting between Council and Mr. O’Connor and the mayor’s comments were printed in the June 13 issue of the News.