Dear Sir:
We are sure that the objective of the Lakeside Community Awards Committee is to encourage enhancement of the quality of life at Lakeside by recognizing individuals and organizations that have contributed significantly to such enhancement. We are equally certain that all those nominated by the Committee deserve to be recognized for their contributions. But while, according to the article about the awards in the January 14-20 Reporter, nominees in five categories "are unopposed and will not require votes to receive their awards," nominees in the other six categories are opposed, and they must compete against one another to garner votes. The article states that "this is the first time in several years that the winners in each category will be decided by public vote," although nominees in almost half of the categories are in fact exempted from that requirement. Will some nominees having to compete for votes enhance community life, or will that foster divisiveness instead?
Having to choose between equally worthy persons and activities —between people supporting different programs that provide homes for children, for example — can pose an insurmountable dilemma for voters. The competitions may be nothing more than popularity contests whose outcomes are determined by how many people who like and support nominees will go to LCS to vote for them. We have been told that two nominees have withdrawn from the competition on that account.
We suggest that the committee abandon the competition for votes and simply recognize every person and organization that has been nominated, exactly as it is doing with the "unopposed" nominees.
Kenneth G. Crosby
Thetis Reeves, Ajijic