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| Councilman James Toma |
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| Councilman Corey Warshaw |
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| Mayor Mike Spence presenting an award |
To the West Covina City Council:
First of all, I want to reprimand the previous chief of
police for not expediting the process and issue of concealed carry permits.
The Second Amendment is not a suggestion, but the
affirmation of a God-Given right. Notice that the government does not give us
the right to self-defense, but government is instituted among men to protect
our rights.
I understand that that chief of police has been removed. I
only hope that the current police chief will respect the application and issue
of all valid and compliant CCWs. I am holding out great hope for national
reciprocity to pass Congress and receive the President’s signature.
Second of all, I am here to recognize and celebrate the
appointment of Mike Spence as the next mayor of West Covina. I am aware that
there is much controversy that surrounds his placement as the leader of the
city.
Yet I believe that his status there should be a welcome sign
for all of us.
No one in this life is perfect, and to expect absolute
perfection from our elected leaders is beyond idealistic. It’s impossible. If
men were angels, we would not government or elected officials in the first
place.
I want to specifically commend Corey Bradshaw for rejecting
the vocal critics and partisan bigotry which repeatedly seeks to hold a man’s
failures over his head and prevent him from serving his community in an
available capacity.
Mayor—Yes, Mayor—Mike Spence recognized his wrong doing and
plead guilty. Isn’t it about time that as a country we stopped repeatedly
shaming and demeaning elected officials for private and personal wrongs,
especially when they have apologized and made restitution?
On another account, I wish to directly indict and shame
Councilman James Toma. It is evident to anyone paying attention that the city
councilman deliberately intended to drag Mayor’s Spence name through the mud.
The November 2016 city council meeting was a real disappoint in this regard.
Mr. Toma had no regard for the well-being or image of the city. He just wanted
to put down a man whose political views he did not share. Nothing more.
I was disgusted with the 20-minute hate campaign which Toma
waged against his colleague--and it was vindicating to see everyone of his colleagues
reject the move to have Spence removed from the Mayor Pro Tem position. Such
behavior is unbecoming of an elected official, to repeatedly put down and
embarrass someone for their past failings, especially when he had plead guilty,
agreed to restitution, and took ownership for his actions. Mr. Toma, you own
Mayor Spence an apology for your personal attacks against him, especially in an
august setting in these chambers.
We need more elected officials like Mike Spence—people who
don’t act as if they engage in a perfect life, but are willing to grow and improve.
That’s the kind of leadership more people want to see in their cities.
To finish, I would like to offer some advice to the new
Mayor. For the record, I do not believe that anyone is born an addict, and I
would advise you to stop identifying as one. We are far more than our
behaviors, whether healthy or destructive. What is an ongoing source of
addiction in our lives? A sense of fear, shame, guilt, or condemnation which we
have not confronted. When we face the hurts and pains in our lives, the sense
of shame and condemnation, real or imagined, that we have wrongly believed for
some reason, we are set free and will no longer find ourselves in bondage, no
longer in need for comfort measures or pain killers.
And Mike – you’re going to have stop wearing those polo
shirts. I would suggest staying away from them altogether.
Once again, Thank you Mr. Bradshaw for honoring your
colleague. And Congratulations to Mayor Spence. I think of a great verse that
depicts the beauty of this moment: “Where sin increased, grace superabounds—and
also it is the grace of God which teaches us to say “No!” to sin and yes to
godliness.
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