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As a former Reading resident who became involved in local politics out of concern for the dynamics surrounding the operation of Town Hall and the behavior of the Board of Selectpersons, I find myself still troubled by the willingness of some in the community to engage in personal-attack politics as part of their approach to governing.
From the outside looking back into the community those who throw accusations of “misogyny” as a motive for the actions of the current selectboard chair and the use of cloaked threats to personally discredit a recent past selectboard chair don’t create a great look for Reading.
The lobbing of countless accusations of Open Meeting Law violations into the Attorney General’s office like Molotov cocktails looks more like petulance than governance.
Local politics isn’t, or at least, shouldn’t be about national parties or policies, it’s about governing for the betterment of the community of Reading regardless of what is happening in DC or Beacon Hill.
The paradox of Reading politics has always been that some don’t see it that way, and the trend of attempted character assassinations show too many of Reading’s die-hard political leopards haven’t changed their spots since I lived on Howard Street.
Maybe it doesn’t matter what a former resident thinks but it bears saying, Reading deserves better than those who can’t stop themselves from launching petty personal attacks when they don’t get their way in Town Hall.
It’s hard to watch, even from afar.
David Mancuso
Formerly of Reading, now in Charlestown.
