Surfside Community Watch is an independent group of engaged and caring residents. While we are not officially affiliated with the Town of Surfside, our mission is to keep the community informed about local events and happenings.
Guilty by Association? Or Just Selective Outrage?
If we are going to judge people by who they have stood next to in a photograph, then we should at least apply that standard consistently. Over the past few days, a familiar group of noisy critics and political activists on Nextdoor launched another attack, this time against Surfside's Vice Mayor, Dayana Benmergui. Her offense? She once appeared in a photograph with State Representative Fabian Basabe. Basabe was recently found liable for damages in a civil case involving allegations of sexual assault, in which he chose to represent himself. The criminal charges against him were previously dismissed.
The real question is this: Does appearing in a photograph with someone automatically make you responsible for everything they have ever been accused of or found liable for? If the answer is yes, then that standard should apply to everyone. Curiously, many of the same people attacking the Vice Mayor on Nextdoor have remained completely silent about the fact that only recently, former Surfside Commissioners Nelly Velasquez and Ruben Coto publicly endorsed Basabe. An endorsement is a far stronger statement than appearing in a single photograph. Even more concerning, Commissioner Ruben Coto issued his endorsement using Town letterhead and the Town seal, a clear violation of Florida Statute 104.31(1)(a), and Article 1. Sec. 2-1 of Surfside's Charter. Yet there was no outrage. No endless Nextdoor posts. No calls for accountability. Why? Because apparently the rules only apply to certain people.
That brings us to an even larger example of this selective outrage. Several of the same individuals now demanding guilt by association openly supported Shannon Gallagher during her 2022 campaign for Surfside Commission. Gallagher is currently awaiting trial on extremely serious criminal charges. Gallagher has been charged with the murder of her uncle after allegedly convincing him to sign over his will to her before fatally shooting him in the head.
Yet, no one suggested that everyone who campaigned with her should now be condemned. No one argued that taking photographs with her made them responsible for the allegations against her. No one demanded public apologies. Again, why? Because guilt by association is apparently only useful when it can be weaponized against political opponents. This is the problem with today's political culture. Principles are replaced with convenience. Standards are applied only when they benefit one side while being ignored for friends and allies. If someone truly believes that standing beside another person makes you accountable for that person's actions, then they should be prepared to live by that standard themselves. If they do not, then perhaps they should stop demanding it of everyone else.
Surfside deserves better than endless character attacks, selective outrage, and manufactured controversy. Our community has real issues to solve. Infrastructure, public safety, financial responsibility, and protecting our quality of life should be the focus, not endless attempts to score political points through guilt by association. Residents should ask themselves a simple question. Are we interested in truth and consistency, or are we simply rewarding whoever shouts the loudest? The answer will determine far more about the future of Surfside than any photograph ever could. |
Surfside Community Watch
Surfside Community Watch is an independent group of engaged and caring residents. While we are not officially affiliated with the Town of Surfside, our mission is to keep the community informed about local events and happenings.
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