The controversial story of Arlington Mayor Carmen Kontur-Gronquist’s photo – posing on a fire truck in a black bra and panties – has attracted nationwide attention, including a large number of comments on the East Oregonian’s Web site. Here is a sampling of those comments:

? I wonder what people would say if the mayor was a man? How many public employees have posed for calenders on public property? I think the real issue here is some people disagree with the mayor’s position on some issues and, rather than debating the issue, they try and make her look bad. In my opinion, they are the ones who should be ashamed. If they have a problem with the mayor, then why not debate the issue in a proper forum? Or, maybe they can’t, so that’s why they had to stoop to dirty tactics.

? I support the mayor completely. What she chooses to do outside of her employment, as long as it isn’t illegal, is no one’s business. I wish more people in public life had her courage.

? As for the “outrage,” it’s just a silly way for supposedly moral people to focus on lingerie instead of real issues that take more thought. If you have this much time on your hands, apply it somewhere useful instead of spying on your neighbors.

? This sounds like sour grapes over other issues. … If you got it flaunt it because it doesn’t last long.

? How dare she be in public without her burka! Where does she think she is, the United States? Oh, wait a minute … never mind.

? What’s the difference between her “lingerie” and a bathing suit? Not much. You should be more concerned about what your kids are wearing to school.

n She’s right, get over it. The pictures were taken before she was mayor. All you “Mrs. Kravitz” types (remember the nosy neighbor from the show “Bewitched?”) need to get a life and stop sticking your noses – and morals – into other peoples’ lives.

? I agree that higher standards should be upheld by public officials. Like it or not, they represent more than just themselves and they’re often held as examples to our youth. Also, including the city fire truck in the photo probably wasn’t a good way for her to keep her “private and professional life” separate. Truth is, Carmen was “Carmen” before she was elected. She has a body we Arlington women would love to have, she’s worked hard for it and I think we’re all a little jealous. She may have made an unwise move, but I think we should probably put the tar and feathers away.

? Frankly, I would love to see some mayors in my neck of the Mississippi woods who are more like the breath of fresh air that holds the position in Arlington. She addresses the issues just fine.

? This too shall pass; as soon as something else comes along. That’s just the way it is in a small town. If it happened before she was mayor, citizens have no beef about what is on a personalized Web page. What were they looking for in the first place? Just trying to dig up dirt to discredit someone and then spill it to the press like a coward.

? First and foremost, you are right, she is entitled to a personal life. But when you take a public office, you should in no way post private pictures of yourself on a public Web site. I believe it looks badly onto the community and upon herself. She may very well be a nice lady, but keep your personal photos personal. She took public office and, with that, comes your private life. Pretty sad that my family was all set to move to the small town, until my teenage son pulled up his MySpace account to check out local teens and found her pictures. Not what I want my son to see how this town is portrayed. Sadly, for this community, they lost out on my home purchasing and all four of my kids being involved with school.

? Once again this goes to show that particular people that live in the “small” town of Arlington have tried to ruin someone’s life due to jealousy and pettiness. I don’t live in the town of Arlington, but heard of this story in Portland. (The mayor) proves an excellent point when she states it is her personal life. Three years have passed since she was elected. If there is a problem with the way that she “mayors” the town, then bring up her defaults in a city meeting. Not in a journalistic review of pictures.

? As a former resident, I can tell you that Carmen is a great lady and has done a great job as mayor … . This is nothing less than the “old” power group trying to replace her with more of the same old “cronies.”

? Personal life? Sorry, even in a small community you have standards to live up to in your public and personal life. What was she thinking?

? Just great. A backwoods small-town teacher lashes out against a rival over a MySpace photo with fake moral indignation. No one mentions Ms. Woods disliked the mayor and her daughter (one of her students) long before this.

? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with what she did. It was before she was mayor and it’s just a swimsuit. What’s the matter with that?

Making headlines around North America (as found on Google news, Jan. 8):

Oregon mayor loses clothes, respect, New York

This mayor has nothing to hide, Pennsylvania

No cover-up here, Missouri

Memo to mayor: Ditch the racy MySpace page, North Carolina

Mayor poses on fire engine – in bra, Illinois

Mayor sports lingerie, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Arlington mayor shocks voters with scantily clad photos online, Arizona

Oregon mayor’s racy photos create stir, Minnesota

Town abuzz over mayor’s racy MySpace page, Massachusetts

Arlington mayor’s lingerie debated, Washington

Other media outlets featuring the story (as found on Google, Jan. 8):

CNN.com

FoxNews.com

CBSNews.com

MSNBC.com

The Oregonian

D.C. Examiner

San Diego Union-Tribune

The Plain Dealer, Cleveland

Chicago Tribune

Miami Herald

Statesman Journal, Salem

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Raleigh News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.

Syracuse Post-Standard

Transworld News

KATU, Portland

KOMO, Seattle

KGW, Portland

News Review, Roseburg

National Post, Canada

Daily Tidings, Ashland

KMTR, Eugene

KTVZ, Bend

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Star Tribune, Minneapolis

Boston Globe

Herald-Leader, Lexington, Ky.

Tulsa World, Tulsa, Okla.

Register Guard, Eugene

Lewiston Tribune, Lewiston, Idaho

Roanoke Times, Roanoke, Va.