To the editor,
Because there are no candidates in the Democratic primary for House Representatives in District 11 this year, win the Republican primary and you are guaranteed victory in the general election. I was interested to see that a Mr. O’Day was running for a seat and I have been looking for a letter of introduction and beliefs from the candidate in the paper, perhaps it was published and I missed it.
What I have seen are letters of support from family and friends and I am disappointed in the tone and content of these letters in their criticism of our current Rep Sue Emerson. They reflect the national nastiness trickling down to the local level. I agree with Sue Emerson’s response to these attacks that today’s Republican Party is not the party of Ronald Reagan. To me, it is reminiscent of the nationalistic parties of the late 1930s in Europe; having eliminated opposition, they turned within to root out those members not “pure” enough in their party beliefs and allegiance.
With no toleration for any moderation in the Rindge delegation, who will hear and consider the needs of all the constituents, not just the true believers? It is ironic that Sue said she has been a Republican since working in the 1950s for Eisenhower, an American hero called a communist by the same mentality we see here today. The seeds of today’s recipe of character attack and strict adherence to party doctrine, not the common good, were sown by William Loeb and Mel Thompson in the 1970s. Their tactic was to attack any Democrat and moderate Republican and brand them with the capital “L” of Liberal. Today, Progressive and Moderate are the new labels of shame for the extreme right. Sadly, it is not the party of Walter Peterson either.
On primary day I will cast only one vote, that for Sue Emerson. My defining moment for Sue was her early, vocal and rigorous support of the efforts to oppose the NED pipeline. I asked at a couple of public meetings “Where are our local reps?”, because they were not there. Mr. Sterling supported the pipeline and Mr. Hunt was for it before he was against it at the end. I hope that all who were against the pipeline, who feared for the safety of our natural resources, who felt eminent domain was an abuse of power for corporate gain, who feared getting stuck with the bill; remember who spoke up. Yes, Sue missed House votes due to medical issues, but she stayed engaged and fought for all the pipeline towns. Where were the other guys? I know Mr. Hunt’s pipeline positions; if Mr. O’Day was against it, his voice was not heard.
Sue Emerson has fought tirelessly in Concord for those in our society seldom heard over the loud voices of cynicism. We need to send her back as our representative in Concord.
David Drouin
Rindge