JCP&L came by to fix the wires on Mt. Hermon Way (2/16/23). The HOA should untangle its own wires. Blogfinger photo.

This is a commentary about  the HOA’s hit-and-run invitation to a meeting that is designed  to air complaints regarding the CMA which evidently won’t  get a chance to speak. Who invented such a mechanism to address  problems in town?  Who has hijacked the HOA with these complaints?  And what gives the HOA permission to act like a governing body and position themselves as having the authority to solve problems involving the whole town of Ocean Grove.  Wouldn’t that be a challenge for the Neptune Committee?

a. “Controversy is percolating in OG over certain actions by the OGCMA having to do with religious symbols in town.”   But what is the evidence that “controversy is percolating?”  And what are the “displayed religious symbols” which have increased?    Why should we-the -people accept such imprecise language and crude  practices?  We need facts and not speculation or abstract complaints.  Is this meeting some sort of inquisition?  It is arrogant and unfair  for the HOA and whoever is pressuring them to put the CMA on trial like this.

b. There is “a perceived hardening in the CMA’s attitude toward the non-Methodist and secular residents in town.”   What is the evidence of a “perceived hardening of CMA attitudes?”  And since when are hardening  attitudes worthy of complaints?  Is anyone studying the attitudes of the Groaners or any other groups in town?

c. Who can verify that the CMA “asserts” that land ownership gives them the “license to do as they want.”  And who said “they can leave if they don’t like it here?”  Some people have said that to me for doing my thing on Blogfinger, but they can say that. It may be unkind, but it is not worthy of consideration at a CMA forum.   And besides I believe that this assertion is a misquote from Michael Badger.

d. Who says that the HOA “is in a bind” because some “parties are demanding that the HOA take aggressive positions critical of the CMA.”    How many members of the HOA have made such “demands?”  This sounds like hyperbole.

e. And so what if the HOA membership differs on policy?  There are ways for such a group to resolve differences, and a big-deal “forum” sounds hopelessly immature.

f. And  we will be subjected to one person’s opinion about “today’s relationship of the HOA with the CMA”.  —it’s just opinion.

g. Finally why is the HOA allowing a presentation by an organization that claims to be “committed to ensuring fairness and equality for all Neptune residents and visitors.” There may be such concerns in Neptune, but OG has no issues of fairness and equality.  The Neptune United says that it is concerned about how the LGBTQ community is treated, but in OG we have no such issues.

It seems to me that this “forum” is based on manufactured and abstract problems. The concrete complaints described above would need to be documented,  and then would the HOA membership agree that these concerns are really a big deal?   I suspect this is much ado about very little;  in other words an alien hot air balloon blowing through the Grove.

On Blogfinger we have often complained about the expansive plans of the CMA, but they are doing nothing illegal.  It would be better if the secular residential communities in town organize together and create policies and programs that they would like for themselves.

Who left the HOA in charge of public policy in the Grove?

Of course, if there are legal issues such as separation of church and state, then there are mechanisms to deal with that. For example,  I have complained about the creche in Firemen’s Park,  but this is merely me exercising my freedom of speech, but the  HOA, if it wants to seriously oppose such activities, can deal with it in a mature way without organizing a chorus of complaining Groaners carrying on at a “forum” and blowing smoke all over the Community Room, around town, and out into Zoomworld.

Paul Goldfinger, MD.  Blogfinger.net

So, if the people of OG can find a fair solution to all this noise they can then sing this song :

DOMINICK HAUSER FROM THE MOVIE “SCROOGE.”