Same issue, different venue

For the most part, much of what appears here focuses directly on the Buffalo Grove Village Board or other issues in the land of jumbo Bison.

For the most part.

Allegations, or rather campaign rhetoric by who the Chicago Tribune calls perennial candidate Andy Martin, about Mark Kirk's (R-10) sexuality represents just about everything that is wrong with political campaign.

Martin has about as much credibility as an ice salesman in the Arctic, apparently sees fit to throw allegations around to make a name for himself.

Martin, by the way, is running for the U.S. Senate seat as is Kirk. Media reports don't paint a pretty picture of Martin saying he has included "anti-Semitic rhetoric" in various appearances does not appear to be the poster boy for political excellence.

If nothing else, he's the poster boy for what's wrong with excessive campaigning.

For the record, I have probably disagreed more with Mark Kirk that I have with other politicians and have sent numerous emails to him.

Like him or not, he has done an excellent job representing the 10th Congressional District and has gone above and beyond when it comes to communicating with his constituency. Kirk has a great educational background and military experience. So what's the wrap?

Martin claims that Kirk is gay. I guess that's worse than being anti-Semitic. After hate is not as bad as someone's alleged sexual orientation.

It's perceived that Martin's allegations come as the result of Kirk's divorce earlier this year.

Geez, we can't elect divorced politicians, can we? Don't tell Nancy Reagan that.

So the tacky mud-slinging now known as elections continues. Kudos, by the way, to Kirk and his staff for staying calm in the face of the allegations.

Hopefully, and it would not surprise me, if Kirk let this slide and went on with campaigning on his record of service to the 10th District.

Which is the way campaign allegations need to be handled by politicians at all levels -- whether it is the U.S. Congress, the state legislature, the county board -- or the village board.