Willow Lake — the latest example of manipulation
To the Editor:
Just because someone says the same thing over and over again does not make it true. Yes, the constant repetition of inaccurate information has impacted campaigns, tarnished reputations, hidden lies. We have all seen them. Sometimes they are shouted for the very things we believe and so they seem to ring true to us. Other times they support ideas we are not in agreement with and we dismiss them or become angry at them.
The people who live on Pine Island have been repeatedly pushed into reacting to a variety of issues on the island through the use of hyperbole, over-the-top declarations, purposeful misstatements and my favorite, a general disregard for truth or information from the very people actually involved. Instead, we Islanders have often surrendered our own ability to think, question and determine issues for ourselves. We have repeatedly taken one person’s opinion, one club’s opinion and accepted that as the absolute and only truth, without the need for questions, research or further consideration. If he or they say it, it must be true and everyone else’s opinion or point of view is wrong and must be shouted down and stomped out.
I know this because it has happened to me. It will happen to me again over this.
I have drawn a line in the island sand over the abuse the landowner of the area known as Willow Lake took at the hands of the “island expert” and his band of followers. I could list well over 30 statements made after the accidental overclearing of the 1.45-acre area that were made by the “island expert” at various meetings that are not true. They are on tape so they can’t be denied. However, to demonstrate the main point of my letter that they will come out to shout anything that opposes a different point of view I will offer up these:
1. The swamp, low spot of ground, that became to be know as Willow Lake was never wet until Stringfellow Road was paved and the culvert was run under the pavement to drain across the property on the way to the sound.
There is historical aerial photographic evidence to this fact that has been shared with hundreds of Pine Islanders who changed their opinion after seeing them. This puts a bid dent in the “it took Mother Nature thousands of years to create Willow Lake.” It took exactly one rain storm after the culvert was installed to create a damp low spot.
2. This area was not a natural freshwater habitat because the creation of it was not natural. However, if you want to ignore its origin, it was never the only natural freshwater habitat on Pine Island. There are several more such habitats and the “island expert” does not get invited into everyone’s backyard or onto every property for a reason.
3. The “island expert” declared that the only place on the Island where willows could be found had been destroyed. There are five locations where willows of the same kind can be seen from the public streets on other properties, let alone the farms and backyards.
4. The “island expert’ and his band of followers claimed the lake, now called swamp, was over 5 acres and buried under 10 feet of dirt. First they said it was from an unauthorized borrow pit, which they neglected to admit would create a hole of 5 acres 10-feet deep, or that it would take over several thousand dump trucks to deliver that much dirt. Neither of which happened.
There are just too many more to list. Some are more fun than others and many are just plain sad to see what depth people can sink to in order to rally the citizens to light their torches to burn the monster they themselves fabricated with hyperbole, inaccuracy and purposeful misstatements.
So when you hear about the settlement of this issue, remember, the property owner reported the accidental over-clearing of 1.45 acres himself, that he asked for permission to make the situation right. No other “island expert” or club need be thanked. It was always going to be made right by the owner.
Be hopeful that you never give any of these people a reason to put your name on their list. Their contempt and disregard of truth is daunting. Watch this newspaper, they will be announcing themselves in the next few weeks, because it just is not possible for them to not restate and restate the same inaccurate information in an effort to stomp out someone else’s opinion.
Bob Glennon
Bokeelia