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Readers: Letters to the Editor should be addressed to: inSierra@inSierraMadre.com.

Dear Editor;

I was recently the target of a political dirty trick in my otherwise friendly town of Sierra Madre. Someone sent out an invitation to a meeting at my house, without my knowledge, slightly distorting my address. It was mailed in time to arrive two days late, which kept people from coming to my house or calling me about a meeting that would otherwise have alerted me earlier to this trickery. The stated two purposes of the meeting were issues that it is well known that I do not support. This was intended to make it appear that I have changed my views or am insincere in my position on these issues. The invitation looked as if I support the downtown specific plan (which I do not) and that I advocate outsourcing our public safety providers (I am actively involved in establishing a Sierra Madre chapter of the California Fire Safe Council.)

I bring this to your attention because this is dirty politics after the election, perpetuated by a sadly discontented group with the potential for hostility that could escalate. It was designed to dampen my effectiveness in political participation and curtail my exercise of free speech. I have filed a police report with the Sierra Madre Police and a mail fraud report with the US Postal Service. I am proceeding to have known pieces of this mail sent to a lab for examination in order to identify the perpetrator.

I thank you for allowing me to alert your Sierra Madre readers of this activity. If it is directed at me, someone who has strength of purpose, it could be directed to others who would be more easily intimidated to remain silent in fear of a personal attack.

This is not an appropriate form of civil discourse. It is an attempt to target the messenger but never really discuss the message.

Sincerely,
Caroline Brown
Sierra Madre.