Our Kinda Town...
Our common bonds are greater than our differences, and no one is going to run us out of town.
We are an international holiday destination, a military town, a small village, a place where part time renters and owners of second homes flock to flee burning hot summers and freezing cold winters.
We are admirals and artists, authors and entrepreneurs, doctors and lawyers, bankers and bakers, surfers and sailors, raconteurs and realtors.
We are liberal and conservative, religious and secular, politically passionate and decidedly indifferent.
We are grandparents, moms and dads, teens and toddlers, all living side by side.
Sure, a lot has changed: more traffic, more tourists, fewer full-time residents, and an alarming increase in cross-border sewage contaminating our shores... And, yes, like most communities in America today, we are more politically and socially polarized, especially with social media constantly stirring us up and profiting from our anger and angst.
So we get testy with one another now and then, stand in opposition on local issues, even perhaps lose our tempers once in a while. I know I’ve been guilty of this, and I always regret it.
Simply put: We’re human. Multifaceted. Complicated. But the bottom line is we all call Coronado home. We share a community that each of us loves in our own way, and this bond of commonality holds us together in a subtle harmony that soothes our souls as we navigate the circle of life in intimate proximity to one another.
Now Comes the Rub
This blog has, for some time now, focused on a highly organized, well-funded group called Awaken that openly states:
“Our vision is sixteen campuses around San Diego – literally, surround the city and then we can say, ‘come out with your hands up, we have you surrounded!’" — Awaken Founder Jurgen Matthesius
This plan includes taking over Coronado, with Awaken’s founder demonizing and threatening any of us who dare oppose him.
Really?
This is the action plan of an organization claiming to be “a church that has a culture and atmosphere of faith, hope, and love…”
Infiltrate, take over, demonize and run good citizens out of town is an expression of faith, hope and love? I think Jesus would be shocked.
I believe a majority of Coronado residents don't want a group of fanatics taking over our community. We don’t want to sacrifice our kids’ education, our town’s reputation, or our community civility on the altar of phony, trumped-up culture wars, hate speech, and power grabs by an ideologue with serious delusions of grandeur.
The wondrous art of Coronado’s Michael Ives reminds us of the blessings we share in our community and the special events that bring us together, from 4th of July and Christmas Parades, to Halloween festivities, flower shows, Concerts in the Park and celebrations of hometown heroes.
This is who we are…
We gather in celebration. We take our children to school. We volunteer for worthy causes.
We show up for one another because we care about one another.
We sit on our front porches and greet neighbors and friends passing by, often chatting and checking in.
We are not an amorphous, impersonal target for zealots or cult leaders who want to invade, take territory, demonize us and threaten to run us out of town.
This is Coronado.
Resources:
Conspiracies, Crackpots & Crazies
Awaken Pastor vows to drive Coronado residents out of town