To the Editor;
Recently, I have responded to several posts on the Culver City Democratic Club (CCDC) facebook page. None of those responses were ad hominem attacks on individuals, none were obscene, none used foul language, and none disparaged any protected class of people. All were promptly deleted.
My responses did, however, call into question some of the policies that the CCDC, and their president, Jeff Schwartz, supported. In addition, one response took issue with Mr. Schwartz’s characterization of people that disagree with his position as “right wing,” using as an example Mr. Schwartz’s criticism of the City Council’s statement in support of getting both sides together to end the WGA strike. Apparently, to Mr. Schwartz and the CCDC’s leadership ranks, anything that falls short of their progressive ideology is “right wing.”
Now, a “progressive club” could easily take this approach. After all, they would be holding themselves out as “progressives.” However, the CCDC has, on many occasions, claimed to be the voice of Culver City Democrats. How can they be that voice if they actively censor the voice Culver City Democrats?
In fact, in the CCDC’s own bylaws, it states as one of its purposes, “to foster the active participation of constituents.” How is active participation fostered when active participation is censored?
I am not a new Democrat. I have been a Democrat for over forty years, a California Democrat for nearly thirty years, and a Culver City Democrat for about twelve years. My voice is as valuable as is Mr. Schwartz’s voice. I am personally offended by the CCDC’s continued censorship of ideas and ideals that are not lockstep with their leadership’s progressive agenda. This approach should be stopped–the LA Democratic Party, under whom the CCDC is chartered, must step in and direct the CCDC’s leadership to properly represent the Democrats of Culver City–or stop saying publicly that the actually do.
An organization that purports—in its bylaws—to foster the participation of its constituents has a duty to foster such participation. Failing to do so is a breach of their leadership’s duty.
This sort of censorship and false advocacy is the norm in authoritarian regimes. One of the basic principles of the Democratic Party has been, for a very long time, to resist such regimes. It is time for the CCDC to live up to the ideals it falsely purports to support.
Gary M. Zeiss, Esq.
