In case you thought culture wars are only taking place in other parts of the country, Boston Globe columnist Marcela Garcia brings the issue home with her piece about the Save Nonantum PAC and what’s going on in the upcoming special election.
An excerpt:
“And thus, as a special election for two vacant council seats nears in Newton, an alleged conspiracy is afoot to terminate Santa. There were no identifiable public incidents or specific comments made by any of the candidates singling out the annual Santa Claus display or the St. Mary of Carmen Society Italian Festival, which has taken place each summer since 1935, for elimination, at least none that Save Nonantum PAC could name.
Still, the knives are out. But this might be more about housing than Santa.”
As I mentioned on another thread, the culture wars have indeed come to Newton. It will not end well.
I’m not aware of anyone threatening to halt those holiday traditions and don’t object to them myself, but I do take issue with the Italian colors on the streets. There’s a difference between a holiday event and permanent national/ethnic/religious markings on public infrastructure.
As the article points out, I have yet to see any concrete threats to Pellegrini Park, The St. Mary of Carmen festival, or Santa Claus. The original outburst by this PAC, such as it is, mystifies me.
The endorsement of more conservative candidates (despite some of the tasteless methods of doing so), makes more sense, but I simply don’t get the “they (who ever “they” is) are trying to destroy our whole way of life” defensiveness.
Is it a culture war if only one side is fighting?
Meh.
Hey Newtoner, I am offended by your statements ,they sound Anti Italian,as a American Italian I find your comments full of hate and bigotry, find something else to complain about,get a job,volunteer ,occupy your time doing something other than whining about something…
@Newtoner, why would the flag on the street offend you? Have you been to the North End? Southie? Chinatown? Provincetown? etc etc etc. People should always be able to celebrate culture in a positive way.
And further, we should celebrate culture, all culture. Whether it is a BLM or LGBTQ flag or a shamrock on a fire truck or the Italian flag on a street – as long as these symbols displayed in celebration and done respectfully, why would this be a problem?
@Newtoner, Wow. Just Wow
Newtoner,
I’m not familiar with the history of Nonantum but I assume there are several decades of italian immigrant history in the neighborhood. Ie someone didn’t just decide to paint the flag on the roads one day for no reason
When I read your post, I can see why the PAC feels they are being attacked.
The Boston Globe article only exacerbates the issues Save Nonantum PAC raise.
see https://www.savenonantum.com/in-the-press.html
Wealthy 1 % City councilor Vicki Danberg, has used her political power to smear the Nonantum people. Councilor Danberg had her contacts at the Boston Globe run a one sided propaganda piece against Save Nonantum P.A.C.
Below are the questions we were asked by the Boston Globe and the detailed answers from Save Nonantum P.A.C.
……..
Here is a comment to the article that I think adds a valuable perspective:
PreserveOurNeighborhoods
3/09/21 – 9:03AM
This piece is not journalism. It is character assassination of a community. The Globe should apologize for publishing it. Nonantum has long been a village of immigrants, working-class people and housing density that is higher than other places in Newton. In terms of people of color and recent immigrants, Nonantum celebrates the most racial and ethnic diversity of any part of Newton. Nonantum remains one of the few parts of Newton where houses to buy and apartments to rent are affordable to non-wealthy people. The people of Nonantum want to keep it that way. They recognize that the Fuller Administration’s cynical push to rezone the entire community for high-density housing will result in the complete redevelopment of their village. They don’t want to be displaced. They don’t want to be pushed out to make room for “luxury” condos and overpriced “luxury” rentals. Just like their counterparts in neighborhoods in Dorchester and Roxbury are doing, the regular, not-rich, people of Nonantum are organizing to prevent their own displacement from the home they love, a village where they have created the traditions and the institutions that give Nonantum such a rich culture and such a vibrant sense of place and community. Nonantum is a community that is incredibly welcoming and looks after anyone – of any race or ethnicity – in need. This reporter should be reprimanded for concocting such a shoddy piece of writing. That anyone would seek to portray a community that is so genuine, humane and compassionate the way this writer has is appalling. Why is the Globe so focused on demonizing anyone who isn’t on board with helping wealthy property speculators displace, demolish, gentrify and densify neighborhoods for their own profit while spinning their greed as being about creating affordable housing, advancing racial or social justice or saving the planet? The investors bulldozing places like Nonantum – in Newton, in Boston, or anywhere else – they aren’t doing it to help poor people, people of color, the environment or whatever their press releases say. They are doing it to make as much money as possible. They couldn’t care less who gets hurt and what is destroyed in the process. They want that land, so they can clear it, put up high-density “luxury” units and extract as much profit as possible. They co-opt local government and local civic organizations through donations, consultants and professional PR, in the same way that they have taken over the agenda at the Statehouse and in the Governor’s office. The character assassination about current residents (the people in the way of the property speculators’ big plans) is just the first step in the process, as the property speculators who own and run the Globe well know. It is also an outrage that this writer is trying to conflate Ranalli’s electability problems with the Nonantum residents who are trying to save their neighborhood and their neighborhood traditions. This college undergraduate organizes defund-the-police rallies and sends hate-filled, expletive-laced tweets about the Newton Police out into public cyberspace and wonders why people think she is too immature to serve on our City Council. When she was threatened, the same Newton police officers about whom she tweeted hate, guarded her home and kept her safe. Why did this reporter miss that fact? In fact, why did this reporter miss all the facts, and the real story? Perhaps because when it comes to disparaging as racists and NIMBYs the people standing in the way of their displacement by property speculation by extremely wealthy and powerful people, the Globe only tells the same story, over and over again.
Agree or disagree.. Let’s put this column in perspective. This was an opinion piece, not a news story.
@Simon-Can you provide specific evidence that Councilor Danberg directed her contacts at the Boston Globe to run a one sided propaganda piece against the Save Nonantum P.A.C.? If you are going to impugn someone’s character, please provide specific and credible evidence to back it up.
@Bugek: Actually it did start with someone just painting the street. From what I heard, it happened after Italy won the soccer world cup in 1982. I supposed no one ever intervened so as not to get the same responses as I’m getting here.
I just got a robo-call from Save Nonantum urging me to “vote for Tarik Lucas and John Oliver to save Nonantum”
I understand that none of the candidates are calling for Santa’s head. And that nobody is moving to cancel the Festa. And I also agree with many who have voiced concerns about Save Nonantum’s messaging. But, I’m having an hard time getting my head around the level of outrage that is being leveled against Save Nonantum, and the necessity of the efforts that are being made to discredit it.
That’s what our politics are like nowadays. It just sucks to see it unfolding here, in Newton. We are all literally neighbors, and we should all be able to see that we all have to live and work and send our kids to school together after March 17,
At the moment, I still see 5 good candidates. But all this negative campaigning between neighbors does not work for me, and though I only have one vote, it very well may be cast against the candidates that allow themselves to be seduced by the dark side.
typical hachet job by the globe!!!!!!
how about a story in the globe
about the redsox getting rid of the 3 best African American players
in a generation
and not having one single African American
on opening day!!!!!!!
yeh that will never happen!!!!!!!!!!!
and john henry does a hachet job on tom yawkey!!!!!!
@Bruce C
I merely copied and pasted from the Save Nonantums website (Although I did fix Councilor Danbergs name).
Ranalli’s hate-filled comments on social media are a serious issue…for those that don’t put their heads in the sand or look the other way.It is my opinion that she is nothing more than the front for her father…who I believe is steering her bus. And make no mistake that his connection to the Globe as a former writer went a long way toward the tone of the article today. I am tired of reading about how there have been no specific threats to end the long standing traditions in Nonantum. The fact remains that something that was very important to the fabric of this neighborhood was taken away when Columbus Day was changed. The fear is what’s next? Will Santa be removed? Will the Italian flag be banned? Will the traditions that make this neighborhood what it is be taken away? Will we be left with a sterile, non-controversial village with no identity? It only takes one person to complain or voice concerns and the City will act. One only need to look at Fire Station 4 and the thin red flag controversy to know it’s true. One person. One complaint. Flag gone. Political correctness can go too far….that’s the fear of the people who live here.
The dirty little secret is that if Barash or Ranalli, who are both running for CITY WIDE seats, tried this gambit elsewhere in the city, they would get their heads handed to them politically.
I think their focus on Save Nonantum is a red herring and a distraction.
Nonantum is a perfect target for them
because they have identified the village as politically and financially weak, and irredeemably racist.
It’s the classic Saul Alinsky
approach. Identify a target and weaken it by relentlessly attacking it. In this case, by directly or indirectly, attacking SN with underhanded salacious smears and innuendoes.
Rather than labeling Save Nonantum as
racist ingrates, shouldn’t “progressives” who support Barash /Ranalli be saying “yes in my neighborhood” to their housing ideas? The focus on SN keeps the other 13 villages off the map for more housing. That’s really what this is all about.
Imagine if you will, the outcry and
S-storm that would ensue if Barash & Ranalli tried this in Vicky Danberg’s neighborhood, or Sean Roche’s, or Paul Levy’s,
or Susan Albright’s, or Waban,
or West Newton Hill, or in South Newton over near Ruth Balser & the Lipofs. Heck Gail, even Rachel Rd where you are near, would convulse in
outrage if the Rannalli/Barash template were enacted.
Shouldnt we all be asking Barash & Ranalli why they arent imposing their housing mandates on the wards or districts of all the school committee and city councilors who are supporting them?
After all, they are running for city councilor CITY WIDE not just in Nonantum.
Methinks that if a housing proposal is good enough for Nonantum,
it’s good enough for every single ward and village throughout the city.
Just saying…
@Paul Green – I really have no idea what you’re referring to. I must have missed something.
When did Barash and Ranalli propose a Nonantum housing proposal? All five candidates have publicly spoke about what they think about housing and zoning issues in the city in general but I have yet to hear anybody propose a Nonantum specific housing proposal. If you have info please forward.
As for Save Nonantum. Its a political action committee that raised money to run campaign ads against Barash and Ranalli. This isn’t a case of the candidates picking a fight with Save Nonatum. The fight was brought to them with rather nasty personal negative ads by Save Nonantum.
Isn’t Maddy Italian-American and running for Nonantum’s ward?
Why would she be running a campaign against her own neighborhood and heritage?
I think the Nonantum PAC just doesn’t like her progressive views on things like police reform and Indigenous People Day.
I’m first gen Italian-American on one side. I love the pastries from Antoine’s, the Nonantum Children’s Christmas Party Association, the big Santa and tree lighting…and I’m pumped to vote for Maddy.
(I’m also voting for Bryan, but I think Tarik is a fine candidate and we’d be lucky to have either. Not a fan of John Oliver and Micley doesn’t appear to be running a serious campaign)
@JerryReilly-
Agreed. Wrong choice of words.
Housing Approach, rather than Housing Proposal is what i mean/meant.
@Paul Green – my point still stands though. You seem to be taking them to task for some unspecified housing mandates that you say they are unwilling to impose “on the wards or districts of all the school committee and city councilors who are supporting them?” only on Nonantum.
The only housing issues I’ve heard the candidate discuss have been potential city wide changes. Where have they gone after Nonantum in any of this?
I tend to agree with MMQC about this. I don’t think much of this is truly about Nonantum. I think it’s about an organized group which don’t like those candidates progressive politics. That part’s fine. Organize, get out the vote of like minded citizens and get your candidates elected.
How ‘someone’s coming after Nonantum, Italians and Santa Claus’ became such a focal point of this campaign has me totally perplexed, especially as MMQC points out, one of the targeted candidates is an Italian American, life long Lake resident.
The Globe has written a one-sided frontpage article that breaks every single journalistic rule, including using fact-checking and getting quotes from both sides. They then label it an “opinion” to make it okay. Why would anyone care about a sophomoric opinion from someone with no primary sources and no familiarity with the subject?
I miss having a professional newspaper.
I agree with MMQC and Jerry’s comments here. There’s valid opposition to the more progressive candidates that gets lost in the hunt for the boogeyman who wants to kill Santa Claus and Nonantum, and bizarre choices in political advertising.
Btw, the article, an Op-ed piece and not a news article, was on page 11.
The globe website pushed it to the front probably for clicks. That’s how the paper always works, bit it’s not a journalism question.
Some of my thoughts..
Shouldn’t a running CC know that in order to Defund the NPD you direct that at City Hall and not at the PD? I would hope a running CC who be well aware of that.
I have concerns with a Newton Activist running for Political Office. I don’t believe that will have a positive impact on our community. A CC should back the people not their own beliefs.
“… of the people, by the people, for the people…”
Vote smart Newton.
Having witnessed this from the very beginning, I think I can shed some light on all this.
The origin of the “Save Nonantum PAC” is from the “The Real Lake – Nonantum, MA” Facebook group. Some months ago, several members of the group took the national issue of Columbus Day extremely personally, and decided it was attack on Italian-Americans.
Proximal to this event was another event: our mayor had to step in on the issue of defaced American flags being displayed on city property, to wit: the ‘Thin Red Line” flag.
That is literally all. There was never any entity attempting to modify – or address in any way – the celebration of Christmas in one of our local parks, the annual Italian festival and carnival, or the painting of the colors of the Italian flag on public properties (street dividers, fire hydrants, street sign poles).
It took less than two weeks for this Facebook group go from disparaging supposed attacks on Italian heritage, and defending defacement of the American flag, to presuming that every facet of our existence is under attack. Thus a nebulous fundraiser, described only as intending to “defend against these attacks on our way of life.” Followed by an outrageous $20,000 of collected donations.
As with any good lie once you really get going, it’s really hard to stop. So how to justify having this $20,000? Well, invent some attacks.
In summary, the Save Nonantum PAC was built on falsehoods, and continues to propagate this falsehoods to justify itself.
First of all, Bryan Barash is now pulling at straws. He is try to back peddle. He was caught about his plans with Ranalli to put an end to the traditions that The Lake holds dearly. He has gone on Facebook, Twitter, the Newton Tab, now he has some other councilor pull strings to have an article written about him. We all see through him, he voted to end Columbus Day and he claims he has respect and understands the Italian community, if he did, he would not of voted to change Columbus Day.
Another situation that bothers me, who cares if he is bi-sexual? He issues a statement that he is married and expecting his first child and he is bi-sexual….what does this mean? Because he is bi-sexual, I should run out and vote for him. Being a married but-sexual expecting his first child should be the voters business? What do I care about who he sleeps with? Is being bi-sexual mean he will do a better job then a heterosexual, a transgender, gay/lesbian? When I fill out a job application, it does not ask me what my preference is for a sex partner. So why do we need to know what sex partner he wants to sleep with. Is the Mayor Fuller administration requiring candidates to now announce their personal business of who they go to bed with? That statement he made was the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. But, you have to put this into perspective, he is pulling out all the stops to get elected, so he is not a candidate of color so the next best thing is to say you are gay but he can not say that since he is married so let’s say a bi-sexual. He knows the Newton liberals love that. The same as Ranalli, she tells us all she has two ovaries. So does that make her a better person for the job then someone with one ovary or no ovaries? I don’t get it. What does her ovaries have to do with doing the job? Why is this necessary for the voters to know? But, while we are on the subject of Miss Ranalli, excuse me if I do not address her as her “pronoun” I am not sure what “pronoun” she falls under. I have wanted to ask this question for awhile now, but have always been shut down….
She started and organized the rally to defund the Newton Police, she posted on her Twitter account, “Do not say stay safe or say hello to any of the police officers” I have the Twitter post if you need to read it. This is totally uncalled for by any representative for the city. She never showed up for the rally because my understanding is that two of the sitting councilors told her not too because it would not look good for her with some of the voters. Now my question, if she wants to defund the police and does not want us to tell them to stay safe or say hi, why is she having them guarding her 24/7 because she claims she was threatened. And who is paying for these details, her and her family or the Newton taxpayers? If she is in fear of being threatened, then maybe this is not the right job for her. I heard the comment passed to her was “why do you want to defund the police, it is the police that protect you from people like me.” That in my opinion does not warrant a serious threat and does not call for police protection from what she considers incompetent police.
Newton has been voted the safest city many times over and because one rogue cop in another state used his position for a personal vendetta, then all cops are “bad”. There is always a handful in any group of people whether you are police, firefighters, contractors, teachers, etc., not a whole group should be labeled and I think it is a disgrace for our Councilors and our Mayor not stand behind our officers. Then the Mayor wastes taxpayers money to have a team to investigate them and watch them. She as a Mayor should be proud of having a city named the “safest city in Massachusetts” but she disrespects them as she has and so does the Barash/Panallu Team.
Mayor Fuller is dividing this city. She will allow the gay rainbow flag to fly and the Black Lives Matter banners hang, but she will not allow an American Flag with a thin blue or red stripe to fly because someone did not like it. This is a dedication to fallen heroes who died in the line of duty. She feels that a “sexual” flag has more credibility then the loss of life.
As far as what she has done to Newton with all the building, Newton is looking more and more like Cambridge. You would think with all this building going on the Newton taxpayer would get a break, no, she raised the taxes and if that is not bad enough, she did it in the middle of a pandemic. People are losing their businesses and jobs and she is raising taxes. If you are late, she continues with the penalties and the fines. Where is her compassion for the people of this city? She has none. Funny, they had no problem giving themselves a raise.
The late Jay Ciccone loved the Lake and was a dedicated servant to his Ward. Before Jay, his dad held the seat for many years. I think it would be a kick in the face to Jay if Ranalli or Barash held his seat. He loved the traditions and he worked hard to keep them going, these two just want to destroy all he worked for, they have no sincerity for the community. If you have respect for Alderman Ciccone, do not vote for that ticket.
Looking forward to reading article on white male lawyer candidate (renter, union champion) raised with privilege gangs up on Black male opponent (renter, union member) who, along with 14 other city councilors, spins local race such that the white male lawyer is the constant, unrelenting victim.
The main differences between the two of them is that Bryan has been caught flip flopping more than once and is a lot of money in campaign contributions from out of towners. Will the article mention that the progressive town of Newton hasn’t had a Black councilor since the mid 1980’s?
Sure, let’s read about Nonantum. Seems like a distraction but what do I know?
I wrote a letter to Globe, which they haven’t published, concerning one aspect of the article:
“The flaw in Marcela Garcia’s interesting take on the election in Newton lies in its final paragraph. The proposed zoning reform, now on hold, allows single unit properties to convert to two or four units. It places no restriction, however, on the price of the new units. More often than not, these conversions result in the demolition of a modest property, replaced by multiple expensive units: no chance that families of moderate income could ever purchase any of them. Many of us ‘progressives’ would like Newton to require that at least half the units of such converted properties be affordable; does that make us NIMBYs?”
I would add here that projects like the Armory, all of whose units will be affordable, are laudable and deserving of our support. The current zoning proposal, on the other hand, which encourages tear-downs and conversions to multiple units, imparts the false sense that we have contributed in some concrete way to greater racial and socioeconomic diversity in the Garden City. Not so, and we can do better. City government must play a role in ensuring that zoning reform yields the desired result: greater socioeconomic diversity in Newton. The free market has failed us in this respect.
@Ainsley – Your comment has a number of things that are clearly just not true. Here are two …
The City Council voted on the Columbus Day resolution. Bryan Barash was not on the council and did not vote.
The city enforced a rule that no flags except the American flag can fly in city owned public buildings. Under the rule the Black Lives Matter, rainbow flags, Thin Red Line, and all other flags can not be flown in public buildings
@Bob When you say that you would like to see Newton require that at least half the units of such converted properties be affordable since conversions lead to more expensive housing and developers buy up modest properties, are you suggesting that they sell their properties for less so the developer won’t bid up the price or the city should impose some type of ceiling on the sale price?
Since, in many cases, these homes are owned by older people, their house is their greatest financial asset. I would find it problematic as one of those owners who fits into the older person owning a modest home category (and is on a fixed income) that I would not be able to maximize the value of my property when I got to sell it.
@Ainsley – even more corrections:
“Another situation that bothers me, who cares if he is bi-sexual?”
Clearly, Ainsley cares, given that she dedicated a significant portion of her comment to expressing her simmering hatred of non-heterosexual people.
“[Ranalli] posted on her Twitter account, ‘Do not say stay safe or say hello to any of the police officers…'”
This is a quotation taken out of context. The quote is from a more general post for a local BLM protest; the instructions are specific to those attending the protest, and specific to the protest. It is not, as Ainsley implies, a post with general advice.
@Ainsley – One more correction. “his plans with Ranalli to put an end to the traditions that The Lake holds dearly.”
That is a flat out lie. She has never said anything remotely like ending any Nonantum traditions, and in fact she is on record supporting upholding them.
@Ralph Ranalli, I really feel that you do your daughter a disservice with your posting here and on FB. Maddy understandable expects to be viewed as experienced and adult enough to serve as a City Councilor. But if any of the other candidates’ dads, or moms, were posting it would not strengthen their position.
I realize that you are an engaged citizen and care about Newton and your daughter. But your posts are not helping her
@JerryRiley, Bryan Barash may not have been in the Council but all over Facebook he let it be known he was in FAVOR of changing Columbus Day, he was very vocal.
As for the flags, you are a 109% right the city did say only the American Flag can fly, so tell me, why is the Rainbow Flag flying high on the flag pole? Why are there banners all over the grounds at City Hall and the schools say “Black Lives Matter”? Believe me, I do not care what flags fly but give respect to all groups not just the ones the Newton Liberals like. If these flags and banners are allowed, so shouldn’t the Police and Fire flags.
Hi Claire. I have my own independent political identity in Newton, including as the former co-chair of the Ward 1 Democratic Committee. Madeline is an adult and an accomplished political advocate and she and I are political allies. I have great faith that most thoughtful people in Newton understand this.
@Ralph Ranalli,
What about this statement from a comment to the Globe’s column:
Candidate Ranalli “…sends hate-filled, expletive-laced tweets about the Newton Police”. True or false?
Also, could you explain why is it necessary at a BLM event “… not say stay safe or say hello to any of the police officers”? Without an explanation it looks to me just as foolish as Berklee College of Music apologizing for allowing Boston police to use their restrooms.
@Ben
Tell me how this is taken out of context….
“Can’t believe I am writing this one either but lastly do NOT talk with police who are there, ESPECIALLY not to say “stay safe” or “have a good night.” If you are even thinking of doing this then I suggest you stay the fuck home and think about your place in this fight.”
I mean that statement stay the f home is very classy for a candidate.
As far as Barash goes, I sent you a reply but whatever the reason they did not post it. But reread what I wrote. I said what does his sexual orientation have to do with his performance. I could careless who he chooses to sleep with. I personally do not care what anyone’s sexual preference is, not my business. But why did he feel the need to come out and say this? Does it make him a better candidate for the job? So don’t go saying I am obsessed with his being bi-sexual because I could really give a rat’s a*^.
@RalphRanalli I sent you a reply back to your comment but whatever the reason they did not post it, so I will ask you once again.
If your daughter has no such plans to end the Italian traditions, where did all this come from? Did someone one day just pull it from the sky?
The people who formed the PAC are not people who do not know their facts. They are educated people who put their names out there. This is not a one person group. If they were not sure of their facts, they would not hang themselves out there without any knowledge. And Barash basically came out and said something about it then suddenly back peddled when it exploded in his face.
And as far as running a fair campaign, why did the Boston Globe choose to write a one sided bias story about the Lake? There are two sides to every story, why was no one represented from the Lake?
@Ainsley, I have some issues with your logic:
This sounds like Donald Trump logic. Because someone you agree with said something, it must be true. Educated people get things wrong all the time.
This logic would suggest that there’s no need for a Pride parade either.
@Ralph,
It would be more helpful if Madeline would comment herself rather than you speaking on her behalf.
A few other things….Tweets that Madeline posted, whether they be her words or snippets of what someone else said have to be owned by her. She put it out there, she should answer to it.
And as far as the flags go….there is a flag pole on the grounds of City Hall that flies various flags OTHER than the American Flag. This pole does not belong to the City so therefor it is allowed to fly whatever flag it wants to. Although the pole is on city property, the pole itself is not owned by the City. It’s apples and oranges as far as I am concerned but that is the fact about that particular pole.
Bruce C.: Good question. The goal is not to limit the sales price of such a property, but to empower the city to have some say in what’s built on it. If we leave the decision entirely to the market and the realtors, then when that modest Cape gets swallowed up, demolished, and replaced with, say, four units for sale or rental, each of those units will probably be more expensive than that Cape they replaced. Forget about engendering diversity that way.
Requiring 50% of the new structures to be affordable might be a reach, but something can be done. I am unconcerned about the profits that developers might make. They have been driving the terms of the debate all along. These are Gold Rush days for property speculators in Newton and the western suburbs, with fortunes to be made.
I am open to hearing counter-proposals to mine. The goal? To create conditions for families of moderate income and greater diversity to call the Garden City their home.
I’m speechless at the bigotry being expressed in this thread. Really gross stuff.
The bigoted statements by Ainsley are not acceptable & need to be denounced by everyone.
Ainsley, then why is the PAC being so cagey?
@GailSpector what does a Pride Parade have to do with what I said? When you went to school, did you know the sexual orientation of your teachers? I know that I knew my teachers by Miss, Mrs, or Mr. I had no idea what their sexual preference was nor did I feel it was my business. Did what sex they preferred make them a better teacher? Why does anyone feel the need today to know someone’s sexual preference? Does it make a difference in how they do a job? I mean seriously you people are so obsessed with who people choose to sleep with.
As for “Donald Trump” logic, why would someone put their name out there and their reputation to back something false? These people have accepted donations to fight for their cause they would not accept money and look ridiculous. And yes, smart people have been wrong, not everyone is correct but it baffles me why people would be so passionate about a cause if they did not know that there was some truth to it.
@NathanPhilips….does the cat still have your tongue. You are serious a case. What bigotry are you spewing? Nothing in my comments has a bigotry in it. Tell me, are you going to call me racists? Well my husband is African American. Now, am I homophobic? My sister is a lesbian married to another woman and has two children. They even ask the same question, why does a candidate feel the need to announce what their sexual preference is.
So I hope you get your speech back soon. Good Luck!!!!
@MaryMary, please tell us all how the PAC is being cagey? Any examples? If anyone is being cagey it is these two candidates who did not give equal time to the other side.
Ainsley . MADDY WAS AT THE DFN PROTEST!!
It does the Nontantum PAC a disservice to twist the facts. Just like insisting that Bryan Barash voted to end Columbus day, let’s look at another baseless claim that’s been thrown around by Ainsley:
The juxtaposition suggests that the expletive-laden tweet was directed at the NPD. Why then was it posted on June 2, six months earlier? Facts matter. So does context. John Oliver made a similar suggestion in his recent campaign email titled “Where I stand”. I am not hostile to Oliver or anyone in the race. I want to believe they’re all good people. However, I was deeply disturbed by this negative and misleading message and smear campaign.
Ainsley, you are posting under an anonymous handle, just like me. You could be married to anyone, you could be related to anyone. But the problem with being anonymous is that using those family relationships as proof that you can’t be racist or homophobic is like me using my cookie moniker to say I’m a famous dessert chef and a professional hand model. Always possible, but who really knows?
We only know you by your posts, just like folks know me by mine.
As for Nathan, I doubt the cat has his tongue, he probably is deciding if it is worth the trouble engaging in this particular back and forth. It rarely is.
Have a blessed evening.
Looking forward to next Wednesday. I empathize with the Save Nonantum folks, but they have injected a ton of vitriol and dishonesty into this campaign. Over Christopher Columbus? Pick another day to celebrate your wonderful heritage.
@Adam….Good try, the incident when Ranalli told citizens not to speak nicely to the police because if we did we should stay the F home was not in June 2, where you get your information I have no idea. It was on January 6, the day after the incident where the man with the knife over the indulge
candy store was killed. So you are off by about 7 months. So yes Adam, “facts matter.” And even if it was as you say June 2, no matter when it was said, what candidate tells the community to not be nice to the police or we can go F ourselves?
And my claim about Barash in favor of changing Columbus Day was far from being baseless. He plastered it all over Facebook, Twitter, etc. he may not of voted for it on paper but he did verbally.
@fignewtonville I AM POSTING UNDER A FAKE NAME and please do not compare me to yourself, I do not have to post under a fake name like you. I am very well known in this city and do you really think I give a rat’s ass what you or any of these other Newton Liberals think of me or what I have to say?
I DO NOT HIDE MY FEELINGS AND THEY KNOW THAT FULL WELL AT CITY HALL. I have tangled with them on several issues over the years. From the words of your buddy Adam, “get your facts straight” before you accuse someone of using an alias. Because you do not have the balls to use your own name is your problem. If this city scares you, shame on you.
Yikes, Ainsley, get a grip!
@John White the PAC has come out and said that Christopher Columbus is not one of the issues they were focusing on. If people are going to rip the PAC apart at least get your facts straight.
Ainsley, my dear, you seem agitated. It is an online forum. A local election. No one is attacking you. You are shouting.
So are you saying Ainsley is your real name? Is that enough to identify who you are? Certainly not to me! And I’d bet to 99% of other readers. Even the “real names” are sometimes fake around here. But hey, you are the almighty Ainsley, challenger of city hall, known to all! Or you are just an internet troll. Who can tell? Who really cares?
(“on the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog”, said the famous New Yorker cartoon. Smart dog, that.)
To follow that theme, I’m engaging with you because you are doing the functional equivalent of taking crapping on my front porch. Lots of conservatives post here. Even post here with shouty sentences. Most of them are great to engage with, and we all get shouty at times. But c’mon now. It would be great if you could tone down the rhetoric a bit. You can get your points across without all that “nonsense”.
As to your last point, Ainsley, bless your heart, how do you even know I HAVE balls?
A comment I made earlier was removed by the mods as being inappropriate. Fair enough. The comments now are far worse than what I said. Can the mods end this now please.
TheWholeTruth:
I thought my last line was funny. Because on the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog. Or if you are male or female.
Man, tough crowd.
As for Ainsley’s temper tantrum, leave it up in my view. Sounds like he just needs to blow off some steam.
Or sounds like she just needs to blow off some steam. Ainsley could be anyone. He/she contains multitudes.
Have a great evening all. This election will be over on Tuesday, the city will go on, the sun will rise, the sun will set, and we will all have lunch. (outside, properly distanced).
Comments on this thread are now being closed. The ‘conversation’ seems to have hit the point of no return