The Grinch is alive and well at The Claremont Apartments in Arlington, Texas, where management sent a warning letter to some elderly residents who write and edit a newsletter called The Good Neighbor. According to the management, it violates their lease and could result in “further action”.
Dave Lieber of the Fort Worth Star Telegram went to bat for the seniors by writing a column about them as the watchdog of the Texas community. The elders believe, “There is nothing more basically American than freedom of the press.”
The seniors have dared to attempt to organize a resident’s council to deal with such vital senior citizen issues as why they cannot play Bingo on Saturday nights any more, among other things.
You have to wonder why management is so afraid of having any criticism or negative news in print. Digging in their heels and acting like grinches instead of cooperating to resolve issues is not exactly improving their public or business image.
“What they have done is pitted themselves against the First Amendment rights of some senior citizens, which is a public relations blunder of monumental proportions.” commented Tommy Thomason, director of the Texas Center for Community Journalism at TCU.
Read more in Lieber’s column and listen to a radio interview about these feisty seniors who believe being old does not negate their First Amendment rights.
