So How Long Have You Lived on Marco Island?

What is this incessantly puerile and sanguine penchant some people have for asking how long someone has lived on Marco Island as a means by which to classify the individual? Does it really matter how long someone has lived here before that person can offer some insight or some advice or some recommendation? Does one have to have lived here for some specified time before they can become responsible citizens?

Once again in this week’s obituary we were entreated to yet again another character assassination where the premise was in near totality based on the claim that the accused has been living on Marco “for only three years”. The week’s emails showed us where one activist and one internet industrialist confused as an activist were besmirched in part because of “how long they lived on the island”. Given every other attack and public proclamation from the longevity police, it is clear we are engulfed in the mindless flu pandemic.

So which god proclaimed the acceptable time one has to have lived on Marco before that objection to their civic involvement is not questioned? Or is it a city ordinance? Or better yet, is it some diktat from the real estate special interest cabal?

A lesson to be learned comes from businesses and universities. How often do we hear that consultants and CEOs and leaders are more often than not brought in from outside the organization to effect change? Additionally, it is the standard for universities not to hire their own doctoral graduates to teach – they always seek professors that have studied at other universities. The reason for this outsider practice is to provide the organization with a much needed fresh perspective, a new eye if you will, that is free from the baggage and the bias and the history that tends to influence us all.

In case the aggressors don’t change their mind as to this inane longevity question, here are some equally absurd assertions/questions to pose in support of their character assassinations:

• “And Ed doesn’t even speak Spanish!” (Important since construction workers are illegal, are from Mexico, and the rest of the state speaks Spanish – including the governor and the two politicos seeking his job)
• How long has Roger had arthritis?” (Important for obvious reasons – can’t relate to 99% of the Marco population if you don’t have this curable affliction)
• “Raymond has received only 209 code violation warnings from the city’s code enforcement bureau!” (Important since one has not suffered enough indignities by having been anonymously accused by the neo-Nazis that patrol the neighborhoods under the guise of walking their dogs of such immensely serious illegalities as their garbage cans not having been removed by some arbitrary time)
• “Did Bill declare bankruptcy and have IRS liens before coming to Marco Island?” (Important since, if true, would make Bill a successful businessman per amerikapitalism standards, and then Bill can take a leadership role on Marco Island as we continue our unabashed commercialization efforts)
• “Are you a CPA?” (Important only to attempt to humiliate the chairperson of the city council. This author was so taken aback when this question was posed that he felt compelled to violate the “comments on attorney’s fees only” rule (just like every other speaker did) and proclaim “I don’t have a CPA either – but how many of you geniuses have a Ph.D.?”)
  

This author finds it interesting that many on paradise make it an issue of where they came from and how long they have been here. You are here now, it’s good that you have a history, but it’s important to only yourself that you came here decades ago from Rustbelt, Ohio.

By the way, this author was deposited in South Florida in 1962, so all of the above will not be deemed credible.