Donald E. Russ
deruss@msn.com

March 13, 2013

Lake Bluff Park Board of Commissioners
kconsidine@lakebluffparkdistrict.org
rdouglass@lakebluffparkdistrict.org
kgronau@lakebluffparkdistrict.org
kmckendry@lakebluffparkdistrict.org
sehrhard@lakebluffparkdistrict.org
bwallace@lakebluffparkdistrict.org
bgordon@lakebluffparkdistrict.org

Dear Commissioners,

Lawrence of Arabia is a movie that tells the true story of a young, charismatic British officer who mobilized the Arabs during World War One.

In this scene, a newspaperman from Chicago who has just arrived in Arabia questions King Feisal.


 

 


Bentley: Major Lawrence is in charge of all this, is he?

Feisal: My army is made up of tribes. The tribes are led by the tribal leaders.

Bentley: Well, your people do think very highly of Major Lawrence though?

Feisal: Oh yes...In this country, the man who gives victory in battle is prized beyond every other man. One figure I can give you from my head because it never leaves my head. Since starting this campaign four months ago, we have lost 37 wounded, 156 dead. (pause) Do you remark at this proportion between our dead and wounded?

Bentley: Yeah. Four times as many.

Feisal: That's because those too badly wounded to bring away we ourselves kill. We leave no wounded for the Turks.

Bentley: You mean...

Feisal: I mean we leave no wounded for the Turks. In their eyes, we are not soldiers, but rebels. And rebels wounded or whole, are not protected by the Geneva Code and are treated harshly.

Bentley: How harshly?

Feisal: More harshly than I hope you can imagine.

Bentley: I see.

 

  

 


 


Feisal: Our own prisoners, Mr. Bentley, are taken care of, 'til the British can relieve us of them, according to the Code. I should like you to notice that.

Bentley: Yes, sir. Is that the influence of Major Lawrence?

Feisal: Why should you suppose so?

Bentley: Well, it's just that I heard in Cairo that Major Lawrence has a horror of bloodshed.

Feisal: That is exactly so. With Major Lawrence, mercy is a passion. With me, it is merely good manners. You may judge which motive is the more reliable.


  

 

That is exactly so. With Major Lawrence, mercy is a passion. With me, it is merely good manners. You may judge which motive is the more reliable.

Kate Amaral is currently a candidate for the Lake Bluff School Board. I admire her training a chemist and practice as a biologist. Still it was a red flag for me when I heard her say during the debate, "Being a scientist I am obviously very passionate about our science curriculum and our math curriculum." (She said that at 1:57:52 in the debate video.) The primary function of the School Board or the Park Board or any public board is to spend other people's money. That entails a trust between the board members and the taxpayers. And that trust entails a responsibility to set aside personal devotions and serve a larger agenda.

We need less passion from our School Board and our Park Board. Instead we are entitled to expect the careful stewardship that comes from modesty. Consider the contention:  "If you are not willing to spend millions of other people's money to replace the pool, you must hate children, right?"  No. Absolutely wrong and it is hateful to say so. But saying that it is hateful invites further vitriol, and the millions are spent according to the balance of hatred.  Because that's what passion is.

The 20 Year Capital Replacement Plan Task Force has produced a document (in several volumes) that can take much of the passion out of the work of the Park Board members during their short 4-year terms and that is a good thing. The next step is to adhere to the Capital Replacement Plan as our courts adhere to our Constitution. The Park Board no longer needs to make decisions in a vacuum because it has at last a foundational document that can keep the Park District on a stable course through the decades, free from the disruption of passionate personalities.

That is exactly so. With Major Lawrence, mercy is a passion. With me, it is merely good manners. You may judge which motive is the more reliable.

Respectfully submitted,

Don Russ

This letter is also web-readable at http://65.pxxq.com/passion.html