10 lagunabeachindy . com OCTOBER 21 , 2022
GUEST OPINION
Give Blake the Boot
BY BILLY FRIED
It ’ s a sad day for Laguna and society at large when politics has become so riven with partisanship that we subordinate decency for heartlessness , kindness for vitriol .
I hosted Peter Blake back in 2018 on my radio show on KXFM . It was his first time publicly airing his bile ( I mean grievances ). I didn ’ t have to say much , as it was a lengthy and frothy diatribe . He didn ’ t hold back , and I ’ m shameless enough to admit it was good radio . But it ’ s not good politics .
The attention was intoxicating enough for Peter to declare his intention to run for City Council on a campaign of angry , scorched earth reform . Good for him , but very , very bad for us . By now , those of you scoring at home have witnessed his ongoing , squirm-inducing meltdowns .
His constant interruptions and verbal attacks are his trademark “ bad boy ” behavior , not only to the public exercising their right to free speech , but to his colleagues as well . This is a man who , without a medical degree , told Councilwoman Toni Iseman , “ The next step is for you to resign . If you ’ re not willing to , then provide a recent and comprehensive medical report detailing your medical condition and the nature of your tremors . Include all medication as well . I know that you ’ re not legally bound to do so but let ’ s face it , your cognitive impairment has progressed , and you are no longer fit to serve .”
This is insanity . Questioning someone ’ s mental health in public is cruel and beyond the pale .
Toni and I have been at odds for years on policy , but she ’ s always been respectful and courteous . She ’ s as caring and decent a public official as I ’ ve ever known , rarely missing a meeting in her 25 years of service . She doesn ’ t deserve this .
And then there ’ s Peter ’ s disdain for the public , you know , the people he ’ s elected to serve ( despite his proclamation of only serving the people who voted for him ). Rather than engage in thoughtful or spirited debate , he taunts and intimidates his foes with blather like , “ I ’ m a bully . I got elected as a bully .” “ The rules apply to you - they don ’ t apply to me .” And , “ You can censure me a hundred times between now and the day we meet back at the ballot box . It means nothing to me .”
Is that really toughness ? Ask him , and he ’ ll say he ’ s a victim . He once wrote me , “ Try walking a mile in my shoes .” Yeah , must be brutal up there on the dais , lording over the peons , the power to shout over them with his microphone . Peter ’ s personal Vietnam .
Is this the kind of behavior you want modeled for your children ? That its permissible - or even admirable - to bully and shame people in the public forum ? That if you are loud and obstreperous enough , the rules won ’ t apply to you ? This isn ’ t Stalinist Russia ! What other public or private forum would tolerate this bellicosity , except maybe prison ?
It ’ s certainly not being tolerated in Los Angeles , where City Council President Nury Martinez was recently forced to resign after a tape was released of her disparaging remarks about several racial and religious groups . And these remarks were made in private ! Can you imagine the things Peter says when not on mike ? Well yes , I can . Because we have a private voice message to former Council candidate Lorene Laguna that ’ s too vile to repeat here .
And finally , there ’ s Peter ’ s recent lame attack on his rival Ruben Flores , insinuating he ’ s not fit for office because , wait for it , he posted a shirtless picture on social media . I ’ d take a shirtless Ruben on the dais ( loosening up with an adult beverage ), then a clothed , scowling , Blake any day .
Sadly , there are still those who will subordinate their better selves to support Peter , because of their hatred towards their opponents . Or their desperation to get what they want . Come on people , we are living a charmed life here . Are we that desperate to prevail on issues that have little life or death consequences that we will abandon our moral compass to support someone who so glaringly lacks the temperament for the job ?
Even the Los Angeles Times recently weighed in : “ The community is struggling to find any level of civility , as its City Council meetings are often
FRIED , page 28