THE ARCADIA MANNER: BEFORE POLITICS, THERE MUST BE STANDARDS

Opinion | Arcadia's Best News

For those who did not grow up in Arcadia, there is a phrase worth understanding: “The Arcadia Manner.”

It may not appear in any official city document, but it captures something longtime residents understand. Arcadia has always taken pride in being a community with certain standards. There is an expectation of how people conduct themselves, how neighbors treat one another, and how disagreements are handled.

You can disagree with someone without humiliating them. You can challenge someone's judgment without attacking their character. And you certainly don't have to destroy another person's reputation to make yourself appear qualified.

That is the Arcadia Manner.

Yet some of the tactics emerging in this year's municipal election suggest that political ambition is beginning to take precedence over those standards.

The circulation of dark, ominously designed attack mailers targeting Councilmember Dr. Michael Cao is a particularly disappointing example.

Cao is a physician, a veteran, and a former United States Air Force major who chose to continue his public service through local government. His decisions as a councilmember are certainly open to criticism. That comes with holding public office.

But there is something profoundly disappointing about watching political operatives attempt to reduce a person's years of service to a collection of ominous images and insinuations designed to make residents suspicious of him.

Military service does not place anyone above public scrutiny. It should, however, remind us that the person being attacked has a life and record beyond the political caricature appearing in someone's mailbox.

Equally concerning is the rhetoric directed at Asian elected officials, including descriptions such as “tainted” and accusations invoking the Chinese Communist Party. Such language carries serious implications and demands credible evidence. Individual conduct should be examined individually. Turning political associations into collective suspicion risks stigmatizing an entire community.

Today, the targets may be Asian elected officials. Tomorrow, the same tactics could be directed at another racial or ethnic group.

Arcadia is home to residents from diverse backgrounds, with decades of community-building rooted in the principle that everyone should be able to participate in civic life without having their heritage turned into a political liability.

That expectation should survive an election.

The more revealing issue is what these campaigns suggest about the judgment of those seeking office.

Candidates have the ability to establish publicly what conduct they consider acceptable. When inflammatory attacks circulate in support of a candidacy, the response to those attacks becomes a legitimate measure of leadership.

The standards a candidate is willing to tolerate during an election offer a preview of the standards that candidate may bring to City Hall.

That matters in a city where political disagreements have already strained relationships among elected officials. Municipal government requires people with competing views to work together on budgets, public safety, and neighborhood priorities. Personal grievances cannot be allowed to dictate how the city conducts its business.

Candidates who struggle to look beyond personal rivalries should consider whether they are prepared for the responsibilities of public office. Political ego becomes a public expense when council meetings turn into personal battlegrounds and residents' concerns are pushed aside.

Arcadia has no reason to import the worst habits of national politics into its neighborhoods. Campaign consultants may move on after November, but residents and elected officials will continue sharing the same community. The reputational damage caused by reckless accusations does not disappear when the election ends.

There is ample room for vigorous political debate. Questions about public spending, ethics, and government performance deserve direct answers. Those seeking office should welcome serious examination of their records. But accusations must be supported by evidence, and criticism should remain proportionate to the facts.

The willingness to exploit suspicion for political advantage raises legitimate doubts about a candidate's judgment. A person who cannot exercise restraint while seeking office may struggle to demonstrate it once entrusted with public authority.

Arcadia's next City Council will inherit real responsibilities that require cooperation despite political differences. Residents have already witnessed enough political hostility to recognize the cost of allowing personal conflicts to dominate City Hall.

Before asking for the privilege of governing, candidates should demonstrate that they understand the community they seek to represent. Public service requires the maturity to recognize that winning an argument at someone else's expense may ultimately damage the city itself.

Arcadia's reputation was built over generations. It should not be casually sacrificed for a four-year political ambition.

The election will pass. Campaign materials will disappear. Neighbors will remain neighbors, and the city will live with the governing culture its elected officials establish.

Arcadia has a standard. Those seeking to lead this city should learn to meet it before asking residents to lower it.

That is the Arcadia Manner.