RON DAVIS -- Through My Eyes

You may have noticed that another local concerned citizens group has

been formed called the Concerned Citizens of Fountain Valley.

I’m always concerned about groups that profess to be concerned.

Accordingly, I have formed my own watchdog group called the Citizens

Concerned about Concerned Citizens’ Local Efforts.

We -- or I should say I? -- at CCACCLE (pronounced “cackle”), believe

that those so-called watchdog groups who claim to be concerned about

issues in their communities should be unconcerned about those of us who

are genuinely concerned about whether their concerns are contrived solely

to con those of us who were unconcerned into being concerned about issues

that never warranted concern in the first place or are genuinely

concerned.

Get it?

I have spoken with some of my colleagues and they believe CCACCLE is a

terrific idea. Unfortunately they’ve refused to join my group, because

they’re concerned about my concerns regarding concerned citizen groups to

the point that they may form their own concerned citizens group focusing

their concern on those of us who are concerned about concerned citizen

groups. A watchdog to watch the watchdog watching the watchdog, if you

will.

The obvious defect in this approach is that the final watchdog

watching the watchdog that is watching the watchdog is left without a

watchdog to watch that watchdog. But, don’t be concerned, I’ve solved the

problem.

Dogs are notorious for chasing their own tails -- even watchdogs. So,

if we could get these watchdog concerned citizens’ groups to be as

concerned about their own agendas and their leaders as they are about

issues they claim to be concerned about, I suspect that some of these

groups might shrink like the radiated tumors they often turn out to be.

My case in point is that the Concerned Citizens of Fountain Valley

group professes to be concerned about whether the City Council intends to

pass a law mandating that all residents in the city park their cars in

their garages. They claim to be so concerned about the problem that

they’ve circulated 18,000 brochures to residents expressing their

concern. But, the City Council has said again and again and again that

they have no intention of passing an ordinance requiring people to park

their cars in their garages. So, why are they so concerned about an issue

that is really a nonissue?

Call me cynical, but I noticed that the leader of Concerned Citizens

of Fountain Valley and many of those whose names are listed as supporters

of the group, are recreational vehicle owners. Coincidentally, the city

is considering an ordinance that might affect the ability of RV owners to

park these barges in their driveways. You don’t suppose that this group

is really the Concerned Citizens of Recreational Vehicles disguising

itself as something else, do you? The group professes to be concerned on

your behalf about government -- the city of Fountain Valley -- telling

people what they can and cannot park in their driveways.

Do they really support a homeowner’s ability to park anything --

tires, auto parts and “Sanford and Son” junk -- in their driveway? Or,

are we talking about RVs here? Since I have my own watchdog organization

together now, I’ll be watching groups such as these concerned citizen

groups in an effort to identify their real agenda. It’s actually a lot of

fun. You don’t have to be smart. Just be prepared to cackle.

* RON DAVIS is a private attorney who lives in Huntington Beach. He

can be reached by e-mail at o7 [email protected]