A CALL FOR UNITY

Today's Facebook attack is not the kind of politics that our community deserves.

Today, a Woodbury resident chose to use one of the Facebook pages intended for community discussion for a hostile personal attack.

In the wake of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, you’d have to be tone deaf not to understand what people all over the country, and from every political perspective, are saying as they call on each of us to be more civil and to end divisive language in our politics.

This resident posted video of me knocking on their door to talk about current and future annexation proposals. They used the conversation to post a ‘gotcha’ moment for their social media.

It is clear, they had no interest in finding common ground or working to make our community whole. They had no interest in bringing people together; no interest in exploring solutions; and no interest in face to face civil conversation.

A Call for Civility in Woodbury

I am spending time over the next weeks knocking on doors and talking to you directly. I want to provide an opportunity for two-way honest discussion about how we see as the best way forward for our village and town.

Discussion is not division. It is what we need. My goal is to talk to Woodbury residents about real issues. On election day, they are free to make up their minds about who to vote for. Jim Freiband

We Could Have Talked About

If this resident had bothered to talk to me, I would have told them that virtually everyone I speak with says they love Woodbury;

I would have talked about the concern people have expressed about losing control of our town’s future through annexations and rising taxes;

I would have said that it is not that we don’t share the same goal. The path to that goal is different. It is the path Woodbury picks that will lead us to fail or succeed.

I would also have mentioned that my experience on the Village Board has me concerned because I see that not everyone is willing to put in the work that is needed;

I would have pointed out that some people running for Village Board have said annexation is a foregone conclusion. They have essentially given up.

I take a different and more positive approach. I believe we can stop it, but that requires more than just talking points; it requires a deep understanding of the legal protocols.

If we accept an attitude that our neighbors are our opponents, it will keep us divided, distracted, and unable to work together on the critical issues we face.

Woodbury needs focus on the real issues. Voters deserve civil productive conversation. Those who refuse to work together for a better future are part of the problem.

A CAL﻿L FOR UNITY

A Call for Civility in Woodbury

We Could Have Talked About

If we accept an attitude that our neighbors are our opponents, it will keep us divided, distracted, and unable to work together on the critical issues we face.

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A CALL FOR UNITY