Comments on: What George Castrataro Doesn’t Want You to Know

By: Carol O

Thu, 09 Oct 2014 05:43:34 +0000

I have had the privilege to know George both professionally and personally. At the core of this man is as genuine passionate man that has always been dedicated to giving back. As a young man he was a care giver to the aids community at the height of an epidemic. He was the hand that sat at the bedside of dying young patients, he was not a man of means then, there were no billboards. He learned compassion. His choice after law school was not the uptown office for a large firm eager to have him, it was Legal Aid. He honed his skills as an attorney and had learned another valuable lesson, it takes money to fight for the causes he believed in and wanted to support. When he opened the doors to his own small private practice his mission statement included tithing. But he is also a business man, the billboards, the ads, his very presences made him a small town celebrity. Which also makes all that he does, all that he has given suspect. His business did not grow and earn national recognition and honors because of his pro bono work; he earned that. And in turn that hard work supports his ongoing commitment to the community.
happy birthday g ]]>

By: George Dauphin

Wed, 11 Jun 2014 20:29:17 +0000

What exactly is your point? That it’s wrong to talk about his work? I thought I did address that. For someone who is not criticizing Mr. Castrataro, your comments seem to be very personal:

“Why not simply run an ad that says ‘we do lots of pro bono work’ instead of this article which is a bit insincere considering that it contends that you don’t want people to know about your pro bono work and you just finished telling us that you do pro bono work to generate profitable business.”

This seems to suggest that Mr. Castrataro is in some sort of conspiracy with the author to deceive the public. I’d say that’s a criticism of him and what he does as an attorney. So, according to you, the only valid way of informing readers of the good that he does is for him to take out an ad to announce it. So, if a writer knows that he does this work and would like to tell everyone about it, that writer doesn’t have the right to go to Mr. Castrataro and simply ask him to tell us about the pro bono work he does. And if Mr. Castrataro answers that question, that means he is boasting. What would you have him do? Lie about it? Refuse to be interviewed? Seems to be a lot of negativity for the sake of negativity.

By the way, in response to the nasty comment referring to Mother Teresa, even she understood the value of positive publicity as essential in doing the work she cared about. And before you refer to anyone’s writing as “junk” (as if ANYONE in Wilton Manors has earned the right to do that!!!), it would be wise to first research the author’s previous work. It sounds to me like all these comments are inspired by the Agenda’s rival publications, once again on the vitriol pill.

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By: Frank

Wed, 11 Jun 2014 02:56:10 +0000

No one is criticizing George’s work and you obviously know this. It is the article that is being criticized. It is Your publication and not George’s work that has been criticized here. Notice you don’t address a single specific point that has been made here. ]]>

By: George Dauphin

Tue, 10 Jun 2014 22:35:11 +0000

Maybe I’m biased, considering that work for the Florida Agenda, but I am surprised at the cynicism expressed in all these comments. Honestly, I thought I was the cynical one in this community. But the people who have been making comments criticizing George Castrataro’s good work seem to feel that if you can’t say something bad about someone, then don’t say anything at all.
I was happy to read a positive account of someone’s life and work, for a change. All too often, we read about things that are negative in this world. The interview with Mr. Castrataro was originally conceived as part of Bobby Blair’s “Thriving in South Florida” series. They are all profiles of members of our community, such as Laurie Whittaker, Jennifer Morales and Krishan Manners, all of whom have made positive contributions to our lives. They talk about how they began, how they overcame adversity and how they are working to help others to do the same.
And they SHOULD talk about the good they have done—everyone who has made a positive contribution should tell about it and be recognized for it—because it gives others hope. I don’t think it’s boasting, or self-aggrandizement on the part of George Castrataro. His story gives others reason to feel good about being in this community. It tells us that it really does get better, something I too often have grave doubts about. ]]>

By: Frank

Tue, 10 Jun 2014 12:47:04 +0000

I disagree with the criticism about George’s answer. It is a real answer, a surprisingly honest one. I commend you George for admitting that, as you put it, your business model requires that you let people know about your pro bono work because this attracts business. Fair enough. But is this article the proper way to do that? Why not simply run an ad that says “we do lots of pro bono work” instead of this article which is a bit insincere considering that it contends that you don’t want people to know about your pro bono work and you just finished telling us that you do pro bono work to generate profitable business.
With regard to the author I would suggest learning the meaning of the word he used at the end of this ad copy: “compassion”. Compassion is the act of relieving or trying to relieve the suffering of another solely for that purpose, without requiring any return whatsoever, including notoriety or sales. If Mr. Castrataro cannot do his pro bono work anonymously without anyone every knowing about it then it isn’t compassion it’s PR.
George you know I mean well and think highly of you. I’ve posted this comment because I think this article is beneath you. ]]>