A small group of small-minded Democrats would have you think that Glenn Armentor is the only Democrat in town who believes that Joey Durel is doing a good job (“Fight For Your Right to Party,” Nov. 19). I think it’s sad that he is taking so much flack for the Joey Durel fund-raiser. Glenn had to defend himself in 2006, and now it is happening again.
Glenn and I were both so impressed by the work that Joey Durel was doing to move Lafayette forward that I approached Joey at the 2006 Black Chamber of Commerce Banquet and told him Glenn and I would like to host a fund-raiser. I am a registered Democrat, but I don’t see the relevance of partisanship at the local level. The duties of the city-parish president have to do with the betterment of the community as a whole. I think it would take a very simple-minded person to really believe that Joey Durel, before making a decision about better roads, drainage, garbage pick-up, hurricane preparedness, crime prevention, or technological advances would scratch his head and say to himself, “Gee, what would a Republican do in this situation?” If the Democrats who are attacking Glenn are that close-minded about making our community a better place, then maybe they are the ones who should step down. I would be happy to run for a seat on the Democratic Executive Committee because I thought that getting involved in the political process was about making your community a better place to live first and foremost.
I have worked many hours to make both of the “No Party Party” fund-raisers a success to support Joey Durel because I believe he has our community’s best interest at heart. I am disappointed in the pettiness of those trying to tear it down simply because we are Democrats hosting a party for a Republican. I would personally challenge them to bring an argument to the table that is not based solely on partisanship. Their energies would better serve the people of Lafayette if they could reach across the aisle. My hope is that the majority of my fellow Democrats would not allow themselves to be represented in this way.
I would invite anyone, regardless of party affiliation, who agrees with me and Glenn in our decision to support Joey Durel to contact me about our upcoming fund-raiser at [email protected].