Kenneth and Marie
This past weekend, our committee, Politics in Paradise, hosted a family-friendly ice cream social, HOT TOPICS & COLD TREATS, to foster connection and dialogue in our community about the Fire Department. Concerned neighbors who are starved for factual information had a chance to listen to Fire Chief Gavin Brown in a non-working casual setting. They met with him under the shade of our beautiful oak trees to listen and learn about the Fate of our Volunteer Fire Department.
Neighbors gathered, partook in an ice cream sandwich and spoke openly with each other about the issues facing our community. It was exactly the kind of grassroots engagement we pride ourselves on—until the rumor mill started churning…
Enter the “Nextdoor Nonsense.” A handful of critics, seemingly allergic to goodwill, have taken to social media to bizarrely liken our event to Marie Antoinette’s infamous (and misattributed) “Let them eat cake” moment. Let’s unpack this absurdity—and set the record straight.
*Kenneth’s post is continued below.
Ice Cream Social ≠ Tone-Deaf Royalty
Comparing a free, inclusive ice cream social to 18th-century French aristocracy isn’t just hyperbolic; it’s intellectually lazy. Marie Antoinette (allegedly) dismissed starving peasants with a callous quip. We handed out ice cream sandwiches and listened to our neighbors ask questions in an open gathering at Ryckman Park. Kenneth L.’s attribution makes no sense.
Let’s be clear: This isn’t about dessert. It’s about deflection. Critics attacking our committee’s integrity likely feel threatened by our growing momentum. Just last month, we rallied bipartisan support from over 54 donors to support our efforts, raising over $5,000.00 to help us spread the truth. Our website has attracted 2,000 visitors who have read our pages over 7,500 times!
Kenneth L. claimed our event ignored real problems, like “the explosion of short term rentals” claiming, “now the number is closer to 70! Most are still illegal!” This is DEFLECTION at it’s finest. First of all… it has NOTHING to do with the Fire Department decision. Secondly, where is your proof Ken? He just wants to keep residents all whipped up in his demented world of vacation rental takeover in Town.
When you can’t discuss the issues intelligently, you invent drama… Right, Ken? More on Kenneth L. will be covered in a future article… stay tuned!
The truth is, our committee pushed for transparency by mailing everyone in the Town an invitation to HOT TOPICS & COLD TREATS. Our Committee also bore the costs of renting the pavilions, setting up water stations and offering free ice cream sandwiches and popsicles. We had an amazing selection of raffle prizes totaling over $5,000.00 in value from 23 local businesses and private contributors that support our efforts.
Kenneth L. wants to create further divide by calling us names like “Wealthy” as if it’s a dirty word. Wealth is relative to how it is being applied. It seems that a “wealthy resident” might be someone who owns four houses in Town, funds her own campaign for Mayor with over $12,000.00 of her own money, AND spends over $100,000.00 of her own money to fight the Town about a shed on one of her properties.
We see wealth as a blessing to wake up in paradise every day in our beautiful Town of Melbourne Beach. We see wealth as having a happy and healthy outlook on our way of life in the Town of Melbourne Beach. We see wealth as having the loving support of family, friends and neighbors in the Town of Melbourne Beach and beyond.
We have reached FAR beyond the pittance of Kenneth L.’s followers on Nextdoor.
We intend to organize more fun and informational gatherings for ALL of our neighbors to enjoy! We got a great response from attendees at HOT TOPICS & COLD TREATS and our residents are excited to do more!
A Call for Perspective
Marie Antoinette’s legacy, however you choose to interpret it, is one of detachment. Ours is the exact opposite. The reasonable people in Town, those that love and appreciate where we live, are standing together for accountable leadership. We won’t let baseless theatrics drown out our efforts.
To our supporters: Thank you for seeing through the noise. To our critics: We’ll save you an ice cream sandwich at the next social. Let’s discuss policies, not parfait.
Moving Forward
Kenneth L.’s negative posts on Nextdoor underscore why our mission matters. When kind acts of community-building are twisted into political weapons, it’s a sign of how fractured trust has become. We refuse to let negativity stall progress in bringing our Town together for a brighter tomorrow.
Join us at our next community event (TBA) —no sprinkles required, just your voice and your smile. Together, we’ll keep Politics in Paradise focused on what matters most… quality of life in the Town of Melbourne Beach and accountability in leadership!
Let’s keep melting myths into momentum. 🍦🗳️