A Heartfelt Thank You to ALL Who Came...
Impressive Turnout at Today's Protest Hearing
Just a quick note to say THANK YOU to everyone who showed up today at Carpinteria City Hall to support the septic tanks-to-sewers effort that has been underway for the past 9 years. I will have more important information to post later, but I would just like to extend the gratitude of all Rincon locals to Ms. Hillary Hauser who has been spearheading this effort on our collective behalf for so long.
I would also like to extend special thanks to legendary waterman/international surfing ambassador/Rincon local Shaun Tomson for showing up today and lending his credibility to the cause. Shaun made his case to persuade the resistant homeowners to not oppose the initiative, and hopefully they were able to absorb Shaun's wisdom. The battle is far from over, but I did sense a feeling of relief and perhaps even a hint of euphoria amongst the crowd as it dispersed following the hearing. There are individuals who deserve credit for their efforts, win or lose. We can't say enough good things about them. We know who they are...
Pictured below: Heal the Ocean Executive Director Hillary Hauser & Former World Surfing Champion Shaun Tomson
Peace and Mahalo,
--Jon Shafer
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Late Addition: Some Final Thoughts on Todays's Events from Hillary Hauser
Thank you, DEAR SURFERS!
Today was incredible!!!!!!
The speaking from all of you was tremendous, so from the heart! What about Shaun Tomson, turning to the homeowners and saying, “Please don’t protest, Please, please don’t protest!”
...and JP Garcia, talking about his kids – all of you speaking so beautifully and articulately!
And everyone with their great signs – thank you thank you Ava Everett for organizing, and Heather Hudson Crummer for organizing and “being in the field.”
Just a quick note to say THANK YOU to everyone who showed up today at Carpinteria City Hall to support the septic tanks-to-sewers effort that has been underway for the past 9 years. I will have more important information to post later, but I would just like to extend the gratitude of all Rincon locals to Ms. Hillary Hauser who has been spearheading this effort on our collective behalf for so long.
I would also like to extend special thanks to legendary waterman/international surfing ambassador/Rincon local Shaun Tomson for showing up today and lending his credibility to the cause. Shaun made his case to persuade the resistant homeowners to not oppose the initiative, and hopefully they were able to absorb Shaun's wisdom. The battle is far from over, but I did sense a feeling of relief and perhaps even a hint of euphoria amongst the crowd as it dispersed following the hearing. There are individuals who deserve credit for their efforts, win or lose. We can't say enough good things about them. We know who they are...
Pictured below: Heal the Ocean Executive Director Hillary Hauser & Former World Surfing Champion Shaun Tomson
Peace and Mahalo,
--Jon Shafer
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Late Addition: Some Final Thoughts on Todays's Events from Hillary Hauser
Thank you, DEAR SURFERS!
Today was incredible!!!!!! The speaking from all of you was tremendous, so from the heart! What about Shaun Tomson, turning to the homeowners and saying, “Please don’t protest, Please, please don’t protest!”
...and JP Garcia, talking about his kids – all of you speaking so beautifully and articulately!
And everyone with their great signs – thank you thank you Ava Everett for organizing, and Heather Hudson Crummer for organizing and “being in the field.”
It is so fitting that this project began with surfers, and is going through the final process with the surfers. You have been there beginning, middle and now end.
Please circulate this among all of you, with my forever thanks. and PLEASE COME TO CSD BOARD MEETING NEXT WEEK (Tuesday October 16, 2007) 5:00 p.m. at CSD headquarters - 5300 6th Ave. Carpinteria, for the tally – and announcement – of the septic-to-sewer vote...this is IT!
Love from Hillary
Hillary Hauser, executive director
HEAL THE OCEAN
735 State Street, Suite 201
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 965-7570
Love from Hillary
Hillary Hauser, executive director
HEAL THE OCEAN
735 State Street, Suite 201
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 965-7570
Jon:
I want to thank everyone for taking the time to attend the meeting today. It is unfortunate that you are at the end of the process and not the beginning. For those who would like to hear the preliminary vote total for the sewer, the meeting is scheduled at 5:30 PM on Tuesday the 16th of October at Carpinteria Sanitary District.
Wow. I would have thought Hillary's response would have included an apology for the tactics used by her 'heal the ocean squad'. I came upon the photos of a few local opponents plastered all over the entrance to the Con this morning. No matter what side I'm on, that is way out of line. To take so much good and over shadow it by ridiculous name calling and threats is beyond me or anyone else for that matter. 'Heal the Ocean' should Heal their tactics before it proves to diminish the noble cause of cleaning up our oceans. Maybe after the next Gala and photo-ops in SB magazine, Hillary can step aside to let someone who actually swims in the Ocean spearhead this movement. Seems like the cause was started by surfers, almost de-railed by glory seekers and finished by surfers.
Clean it all up, not just the ocean.
i came upon those too and am saddened to think that you would assume that heal the ocean had anything to do with it.
Heather,
To have the audacity to reply to that e-mail is overwhelming. Your last post to Jon including names of a pro-active Rincon Resident family with threats of visits to "talk someone into something" were especially tasteful. I saw that post before it was edited. It is nothing short of libel and defamation. Using names like "out of towners" and so on just smells of ignorance and doesn't represent those of us who have lived here all of our lives. Last I checked, you don't live at the Con or pay property taxes there.
From what I have heard, these specific opponents are caring individuals who are doing their diligence prior to making decisions based on "what ifs". Again, what side I am on is irrelevant, but I am amused to see that Heal the Ocean is now moving their cause to see how the discharge of treated sewage in 27 feet of water will effect the Ocean, after pushing it out there in the first place (should this thing pass). No one truly knows for sure if the septic to sewer will be a good thing for the ocean, but the majority of us assume that it won't hurt. There is a chance the majority is wrong. No matter how the vote turns out, I hope you and Hillary learn from this experience and change some of your tactics because your motives are too good to be ruined by careless accusations and threats. You know the truth and it's your bed to sleep in.
Here's for some clean water and a new swell to remind us what this is all about.
Hi Barry,
I'm urging everybody to take a step back now and let the waters calm. I am sincerely hoping that as a result of the process, maybe, just maybe the parties can come together. Sometimes, quite often actually, adversaries end up becoming best friends. There are many examples of this -- even within the surfing community. Read the book about Kenny Bradshaw and the late Mark Foo - a classic example of this phenomenon... As far as a cause of action (tort) for libel or defamation, what purpose would this serve now? Not to mention the fact that in Law, such actions do not apply in cases where individuals have thrust themselves into the public spotlight - a situation that could well be argued in this case, as the resident Rincon family in question was openly the subject of a New York Times special article... Feelings have been hurt, but I am hoping that everyone can recover from this wipeout, so that we can all paddle back out and surf tomorrow (today maybe?)...
Peace to all,
--Jon
Jon,
Your intentions are clear and in line with what appears to be the common goal. No cause of action (tort) intended w/ regard to mention of libel or defamation. You missed the point on that one. My opinion is just that, an opinion. I am just a small drop in the porcelain bucket. Take it for what it is worth.
All involved are on the same path to seeing this water clean up and stay that way. The methods have to be in line with the goals. That's it, enough said.
Your call for calm waters is right on. Keep it up and keep it unbiased.
Dearest Barry, I do swim in the ocean every day, away from everyone...I haven't posted any pictures anywhere, and don't know about name-calling either, am so sorry you feel it's me, feel that it's Heal the Ocean, and mainly I am sorry you feel this way. Peace, Hillary
First off, I don't know who put up the signs Barry described, and I don't claim to know. However, it is troubling that:
1) As Barry said, Heather Hudson (cited above), who has been repeatedly and publicly thanked by Heal the Ocean, both here and elsewhere, was cited on this blog as the poster of personal attacks against the same homeowners in question. Not just that, but she was cited as Heather Hudson, "on behalf of Heal the Ocean".
2) Another person affiliated with Heal the Ocean published statements describing homeowners who oppose the project as, "dysfunctional", "pathetic", and at one point questions their "mental stability." While these may have been personal views, it is still important for the organization to take a position against such tactics.
3) A Rincon resident who opposes the project has described receiving a communication which allegedly came from a Director of Heal the Ocean using vulgar language that I shall not repeat here.
It makes me think of the untenable position (in my opinion) that Hillary Hauser took in the Coastal View a while back saying that the seal rookery in Carpinteria should be discouraged and should even be relocated (!) because the increased risk of shark attacks is bad for people who recreate in the waters. I think her words were, "[T]he Harbor Seal Sanctuary is in the wrong place. These mammals which attract great white sharks need to be relocated, or discouraged, from living and breeding in this particular location." It's on the Coastal View archives.
Anyway, addressing people as "Dearest" and signing a post "Peace" are all well and good, but it feels like a facile way to brush off a valid post by a concerned poster.