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Baldwinsville — To the editor: Censorship can be defined as “suppression of speech or other public communication which may be considered objectionable.” In this case, open and honest public communication, my recent letter to the editor, YMCA – Why Lysander, was found objectionable and suppressed by the RCA board. This is censorship plain and simple. The RCA board continues to block anything and everything, with a hint of negative connotation toward the YMCA or their open support of the Y, from reaching Radisson homeowners.

My letter, both factual and non-inflammatory, provided insight about the YMCA and logical “food for thought” regarding a possible reason for their tenacious drive to build at the Drakes Landing site. Its intent was to reach the mailbox of every homeowner in Radisson, exactly like Cindy Dowd Greene’s YMCA letter, “willingly” published by the RCA board in the Dec. 2, 2011 Reflections.

On Dec. 28, 2011, prior to the Jan. 3 online and subsequent Jan. 4 printing of my letter in the Messenger, I e-mailed Reflections requesting my letter be published. On Jan.11, 14 days later, I received a reply “committing” to publish my letter in the Jan. 27 Reflections. On Jan. 26, 15 days later and one day prior to promised publication, I received an e-mail from RCA’s executive director stating my letter was “discussed by the RCA board” and would not be published in Reflections.

The RCA board stated, “it was posted online as well as printed in the Baldwinsville Messenger, and it has also been shared via various social media websites” and “the BoD believes that it has been sufficiently shared in the public arena.” Without question, already shared in the public arena; however, not remotely finding its way into every Radisson mailbox like Cindy Dowd Greene’s YMCA letter. This intentional and biased suppression of “equal access” to Radisson homeowners can be described only as censorship and abuse of power.

It begs the question, what took place in that 15-day period between acceptance and denial. Readers, I am confident, can connect the “2-dots.”

Of greater importance and concern, the RCA board took legal action on Jan. 27 to suppress and shut-down the very same “social media websites” referenced in their denial to publish my letter. This legal action, involving trademark infringement, seeks to deny the word “radisson” in the domain name and websites of online community forums like Families for REAL, created by “Radisson” residents on Feb. 16, 2010, and used almost exclusively by “Radisson” residents.

This attempt to intimidate and suppress the free flow of information within the Radisson community is based on a claim of “domain name ownership” that does not exist; it was just applied for on Dec. 23, 2011. Application for a trademark does not necessarily guarantee approval. One can assume, this is a move on the part of the RCA board to move from verbal support to an increasingly active role. After all, the majority of the RCA board has staked their reputations on “pushing through” YMCA’s plans for Drakes Landing.

In roughly 34 years, no prior RCA Board found reason to seek trademark protection, apparently not finding it necessary or worthwhile. If the RCA board’s Dec. 23, 2011, trademark application is not Y-motivated censorship, then what is it and why now?

One can only imagine the egocentricity driving the RCA board to use HOA fees, to pay attorneys for legal action, against the same homeowners who pay those fees. One can only imagine the egocentricity driving their continued abuse of power and censorship against the same homeowners they are morally and ethically expected to equally represent. Censorship is ugly, alive and well in Radisson.

James R. Kocik is a Radisson homeowner.

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LETTERS: Censorship rears its ugly head