Letter to the Editor of The Observer

A week before the City Council election this month, some friends and supporters of mine created an ad explaining why they supported me and my vision for Charlottesville. Two days before the election, the enclosed letter was mailed to all known Democrats in the city. I feel I must respond to this letter.

A "knee jerk" is usually a fear reaction. Paul Gaston appears to fear sensible ideas for the future of our city coming from anyone who is not in his ruling party. This fearful "knee jerk" permits him to dismiss any Republican without confronting the actual vision or ideas of that individual or their effect on the city. Indeed, neither Charlottesville nor any of the issues of this election is ever mentioned in his diatribe. To him all Republicans are non-people. None of the actu ' al Democratic candidates behaved like that. In the several public forums with them we engaged in heated, even passionate, discussion about the future directions for our city. Each of them had intellectual honesty and political integrity.

Paul dismisses us simply because we are not of his party. It is a typical "knee jerk" reaction.to dismiss individuals because they are gay, or black, or just of the wrong tribe. Then there is no need to listen to what they say. But, unfortunately, political leadership, is seldom achieved by "knee jerks."

Several of my Democratic friends have asked me why I chose to run as a Republican since I share so many democratic goals. I would observe that there are many different kinds of Republicans. Moreover, I find that membership in a party that countenances such political bigotry as Paul's would feel very uncomfortable.

On the other hand, I greatly appreciate those Democrats who were willing to support me, either privately or in public. They saw me as an ordinary citizen trying to introduce divergent thinking into our city's government. They thought of me as a real person, and for that I am extremely grateful, and humble.

John L Pfaltz, Charlottesville (The Observer, May 24-May 30, 2000).