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After watching yesterday’s Select Board Forum, I was impressed by the preparedness of both candidates and their civility toward each other. While there are clear differences between the two candidates on several issues, it was a breath of fresh air to see a productive discussion. However, after reading several of the LtE’s from today, there is a clear difference in the groups within our town that support these candidates. These groups fall into two categories…
- Individuals who are heavily focused on creating a separation between groups with differing views. These people make false allegations toward people in our town by implying involvement in horrible incidents: a bomb-threat at our library; banning books from our town; overall hatred toward LGBTQ+ individuals and events.
- Individuals who are truly interested in improving our town. People who come together to providing high quality of life for all, making fiscally-responsible decisions that everyone can support, rallying around cross-generational initiatives, and improving town infrastructure.
For those people who continue to fall into the first group, you are doing the opposite of what this town needs. I really don’t know what you are trying to accomplish within our town. Do you want stronger or weaker businesses? Higher or lower taxes for all? Unity within our community or isolation between the various groups, ethnicities, and perspectives? Never do you discuss these issues or provide potential solutions. So I’m just confused.
However, what I’m not confused about is the overwhelming support for Tara from this particular group. Does Tara agree with these tactics and thoughts? Tara seems like a very solid individual with the best intentions, but never do I hear any denouncing of this strategy. In yesterday’s Select Board Forum, Melissa Murphy made it abundantly clear her position on every one of these topics: book banning, open communications and inclusiveness, fiscal responsibility, town-wide facilities, role of the Select Board, and more. While Tara answered the same questions as Melissa, what I didn’t see was the condemnation of these supposed supporters and their dirty tactics.
We have seen firsthand what scare tactics can do to the stability of our town government. As clearly stated in her LtE (Investigating Our Politics), Ms. McCarthy described the situation that lead to her resignation where her “reputation would be at serious risk if I voted for my choice” for town manager because a “potential OML misstep was now a weapon when it came to the power and control of Reading’s government.” She also names some of the people directly involved. Folks, this is the definition of extortion. And extortion is a prime example of scare tactics at their worst.
So I challenge those of you who are reading this. Are you in group 1 or in group 2? Are you willing to follow those who will go to no end to manipulate our town and its politics? Or are you focused on making our town better for EVERYONE, independent of different beliefs or viewpoints? We must put an end to this disgusting chapter in our town. I did not move here 14 years ago to watch our leaders be extorted, votes be manipulated, and inflammatory rhetoric be the voice of communication. If you agree with these thoughts, I recommend you vote for Melissa Murphy on May 14th.
Stephen Pruitt
Bethune Ave.
