I thought of your blog when I read this. The title is perfect and I couldn't agree more with the following statement, "...Even more offensive is the lack of accountability and ownership of it. Simply put, people who hide behind either anonymity or pseudonyms to disparage people are cowards, and their credibility has to be called into serious question."
EditorialHave the courage to sign your name
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Posted: Thursday, May 14, 2015 3:00 am
As the story goes, the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy was once asked, upon graduating from Harvard — where he had played football — whether he’d ever consider going pro.
Kennedy replied that he was planning on pursuing a career “in that otherCONTACT
sport ... politics.”
sport ... politics.”
This comes to mind after hearing about the smear campaign that someone (anonymous) tried to inflict on Marblehead in the last weeks of the town election.
The smear centered around Board of Selectmen chair Jackie Belf-Becker, whose daughter, Kate Lipsitz, ran for, and won, a seat on the School Committee.
Two other members of the family sit on the Board of Health andFINANCE Committee, which was also duly noted in correspondence simply signed “concerned citizens of Marblehead.”
Committee, which was also duly noted in correspondence simply signed “concerned citizens of Marblehead.”
It says something good about the town that this screed was considered spurious, because there are other places — including around this area — where a missive such as this would be considered tame.
As offensive as one might consider this letter, however, even more offensive is the lack ofACCOUNTABILITY and ownership of it. Simply put, people who hide behind either anonymity or pseudonyms to disparage people are cowards, and their credibility has to be called into serious question.
and ownership of it. Simply put, people who hide behind either anonymity or pseudonyms to disparage people are cowards, and their credibility has to be called into serious question.
A letter such as this is no different than the comments section at the end of articles in the newspaper, where people do not have to use their real names, and feel free to crucify people with which they disagree.
There’s nothing wrong with being concerned about too much concentrated influence. There are plenty of people in this country who would prefer not to have Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush in the White House for the simple reason that we’ve had enough of both families in positions of national leadership.
A fresh perspective is often better.
But to cast aspersions on the motivations of a family, the way this screed did, and to do so without the courage to present a signature (or signatures) that would identify the source of the concern is unconscionable.
Politics can be rough and tumble. It is practiced by human beings — most of them passionate in what they believe, and who cede ground on issues grudgingly, if at all. Most people understand that, and take it for what it is.
But if we’re going toENTER the arena, some basic intellectual honesty is essential. If you oppose someone, or something, be honest enough to let people know who you are.
the arena, some basic intellectual honesty is essential. If you oppose someone, or something, be honest enough to let people know who you are.
The attempt to influence the election in this manner did not work. Lipsitz won the seat to the School Committee handily, by a 2-to-1 margin.
We may not take any positions on candidates come election time, but we all should take thePOSITION that these tactics have no place in town government — or any government.
that these tactics have no place in town government — or any government.
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