Who hasn't had enough of the mess that Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser created by appointing Semler to the park board back in June?

Enough of the back-and-forth over Semler's membership in the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.

     Enough of the divisiveness. Enough of a needless distraction that did more to undermine Funkhouser's first year in office than any of his many other flubs.

     I don't know about you, but I was at "ENOUGH" long before Semler faxed out her resignation letter Monday night with that opening word in all caps.

    Not everyone was ready to move on. Judging from reader comments on The Kansas City Star's Web site and calls to the talk radio shows, many folks have not had enough.

     They want to continue flogging the issue of illegal immigration. But for the rest of us, these last seven or eight months have been like watching Lou Dobbs on a tape loop.

     Even if you agree that illegal immigrations needs to be curtailed (and I do), you wanted to throw a brick at the TV.

    Enough already!

    And now, thankfully, Semler has thrown the brick for us.

    The Semler controversy was a rallying point for civil rights organizations, which saw her presence on the park board as a sign of disrespect to minorities.

    But their protests grew shrill and overblown as time went on. So when Semler said, "ENOUGH," she spoke for all of us who think Kansas City has more important things on its agenda than remaining a battleground over a national issue like illegal immigration.

    Let them duke it out in Washington. Fix the borders.

     But here in KC, we need to fix the neighborhoods, figure out light rail and keep the Save the Bannister Mall Group from saving Bannister Mall all those community issues that tend to bring us together rather than tear us apart.

    I was surprised to see my name in Semler's resignation letter. I never suggested that she resign.

    She shouldn't have been appointed in the first place. But more than once I've written approvingly of the mayor's continued support for Semler. The guy deserved respect for not caving in to pressure, I said.

    But in her letter, Semler pointed to an account of my hourlong interview with Funkhouser after the Southern Christian Leadership Conference pulled its convention. The part that ticked off Semler was Funkhouser's explanation that more than principle was at stake in keeping her on the park board.

    There was also a political calculation. He feared losing support from Semler's fellow Northlanders if he forced her to step down. And he needed that backing to achieve other parts of his agenda.

    Here's the money quote, verbatim from my digital recorder:

    "The thing is, even if I weren't trying to do what I thought was the morally right thing, and I am, but pragmatically, I need to have the support of the conservative white folks north of the river in order to do what I want to do for the vulnerable people of color south of the river.

     "It?s fine to posture, but if you want to actually get something done, you can't squander all of your political power in the interest of making yourself look good."

     Some Northlanders were upset by that characterization. Not everyone is a conservative up north.

    However, Semler said it made her seem to be a political pawn.

    "I felt like maybe he was using me to hold the Northland together," she told me Tuesday.

My column alone didn't lead to her resignation. Semler was also offended by what she considered patronizing remarks from Funkhouser's wife, Gloria Squitiro, that were published recently in the Kansas City Hispanic News.

     And then there was Funkhouser telling her to avoid next week's Minuteman gathering in Kansas City.

    Some will see her resignation as a win for Funkhouser. He lost a political liability without caving in to pressure. Semler feels as if she's coming out on top, because she's free to speak out again on illegal immigration.

    "Free at last," she said.

     But corny as it sounds, the biggest beneficiary is this town of ours. Last time I looked, we were on something of a roll.

     With this past us, maybe now we can roll on.