Keeping it classy, Somerville Times

[ron_newman]

from today's Somerville Times "News Talk" column:

The primary in Ward 6 is coming up and make a note it’s on Thursday the 17th, not the usual Tuesday. We heard that the Board of Aldermen bowed to pressure from one alderman to get it changed for the first time because of a religious holiday

OK, I don't know why the city didn't schedule the election for September 1 (like Medford) or September 8 (like Boston), but I do know why they didn't choose the next two Tuesdays. The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah ends at sunset on Tuesday, September 15. The Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur starts at sunset on Tuesday, September 22. Some folks around here don't appreciate your ignorant obliviousness, Somerville Times.

(Oh, and that's followed by: "Don’t let a small minority pick the wrong candidates for the final election in November.")

Comments

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

I do wonder what fraction of long-time (i.e., pre-gentrification) residents of Somerville are Jewish. I'm guessing it's close to zero.

[ron_newman]

And your guess would be wrong. My synagogue has been here since 1903.

Somerville's other Jewish congregation started in 1968.

The newspaper editors should know this.

[ron_newman]

Also, two of the current aldermen are Jewish (Mark Niedergang in Ward 5 and Rebekah Gewirtz in Ward 6). I believe two of the Ward 6 candidates are Jewish as well (based solely on their last names).

[lizforalderman.livejournal.com]

Given the follow-up comment, I think "ignorant obliviousness" might be giving them too much benefit of the doubt here.

I'm sad to say that this is not the first such comment I've heard in this race, and I'm sure Lieberman, Gewirtz, and Niedergang have stories too. I'd wager that a big contributor is honest misconceptions like the one expressed above, re Jews as gentrifiers.

[tikva.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I think a lot of people aren't getting that historically, expressions of anti-Semitism in politics don't generally jump right into blatant statements. They start with implications about our supposed agenda, our alleged attempts to change political outcomes from what "real" residents want, our presumed ties to gentrification and commercialization, etc., and they're always plausibly deniable. It's code, and it's not even new code - it's thousands of years old.

[sovay]

Well said.

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

Yes, and the racism expressed by the commenters on that website is also always couched in something like "All Lives Matter" or implications that mentioning injustices makes one "divisive"

[tikva.livejournal.com]

Oh man, don't get me started. :/

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

OK, I stand corrected, there's been significant Jewish presence for a good long while. But then, why haven't election dates taken notice of the High Holidays before? I suppose everyone could hop out of services and get to the polls before 8, so the conflict is not irreconcilable, but that sounds inconvenient.

(Though I'm reminded of the college organization I was in that had probably 1/3 Jewish members and they still managed to schedule an event on top of Rosh Hoshana.)

[ron_newman]

It probably has come up before, but only when Yom Kippur begins on a Tuesday evening in mid-September, which only happens occasionally. I do recall this being a reason that the 2012 state primary was moved to a Thursday.

[mjperson.livejournal.com]

I've lived in Somerville for 25 years. Am I a long-time pre-gentrification resident? When exactly was the date after which Somerville citizens were consigned to second class status?

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

I'd guess that the question isn't strictly date, but class. The old litmus tests would have been Do you have a Boston accent? Were you born in the inner parts of the metro area? Do you have a college degree? Do you read the Herald or the Globe? And one I've noticed is Do all your relatives live within easy visiting distance or are they scattered across the country?

Also, I'd definitely put any date cutoff for "newcomer" before the Davis Square station opened, which is what kicked off gentrification. And that was 30 years ago.

[keithn.livejournal.com]

I feel like there may be a considerable gulf between what the writer meant and how it was interpreted.

[oneagain.livejournal.com]

(Oh, and that's followed by: "Don’t let a small minority pick the wrong candidates for the final election in November.")

Yeah. I kind of doubt it.

[lanze108.livejournal.com]

Oh please. The Times staff never even used the word "minority" in that particular article. You're just making stuff up now. They aren't great writers, but implying they are antisemitic is libelous at best.

Here's the full article to get the facts straight:


By The Times Staff

Our endorsement for Ward 6 Alderman is Charles J. Chisholm. We urge voters in Ward 6 to read his literature, talk to him and visit his website to see his record of things done already as a former Alderman here in Somerville and, more importantly, what he stands for and what he believes an alderman should be.

Additionally, isn’t it a sad state of affairs when there are virtually no races this year here in the city and only one primary election (more than two running)? A special day was sanctioned by the Board of Aldermen to have the primary on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17. This is very unusual and to some of us here at The Times it’s like having a “special election” because most primaries for local elections are held on the first or second Tuesday of September. We suppose the aldermen wanted to throw a curve this year in the election process.

In Ward 6 the current retiring Alderman, Rebekah L. Gewirtz, is leaving office after serving ten years, and although we didn’t always see eye to eye we thank her for her service to the community.

We are happy that there is a primary and there is – as we see it – a stark difference between the four candidates. Hopefully, the voters of Ward 6 have reviewed the four candidates thoroughly, read their literature, and the candidates themselves came knocking on your doors, giving you the opportunity to ask them the questions most concerning to you.

With the proper viewing of the candidates’ stances on these issues, you will come out and help to select one of the two top vote getters for the final election in November, along with the rest of the city.

Ward 6 is interesting, especially this year, with the high prices of homes in the city, it is one area that is considered very high end, especially the closer you get to Davis Square. The city is changing in many ways and that’s always good for a community. Change is what makes us grow, with new residents that want to take part in the process and older residents who welcome them and see a new beautiful Somerville for all of us.

Endorsements are funny, especially in this race. The various candidates receive certain endorsements from special interest groups, such as unions or other politicians, and then there is the local media and their endorsements. We hope you, the residents of Ward 6, read through all the endorsements – including ours – and come to a logical conclusion of what is best for you.

By now it’s not that hard to figure out, but we are always on the side of the alderman who listens to constituents’ concerns and follows through on them, making sure that the ever increasing city workers do their jobs and do what we, as residents, want.

An alderman is the first person in the chain of our local government here in Somerville who is making sure that basic services are being offered to all, and that taxes are being watched and overseen.

These are some of the reasons why we chose Mr. Chisholm. He is a math professor, is educated and knows the issues and what is expected of the position. We think that Chisholm will not be a rubber stamp for the administration, but that he will objectively vote for the residents of Ward 6. We think Chisholm is well versed in our community, knows the issues, and is familiar with City Hall and its various departments. We found him to be thoughtful and open to listening and able to come to a conclusion, and be what Ward 6 has been missing in an alderman for us, the residents – all the residents, new and old.

We hope you go to the polls on Thursday, September 17 and vote for Charles J. Chisholm for Alderman in Ward 6.

Check out his web site at www.charlesjchisholm.com, where he shows all four candidates that were interviewed by SCATV. Watch and compare for yourself.

[ron_newman]

That's a different article from the one I linked to.

[lanze108.livejournal.com]

Well, if it's from News Talk, then I'd just attribute it to piss poor writing. They barely even edit that thing. I don't think anyone at the times is anti any minority. The city should have done the election on another Tuesday, but what is done is done.

[craigindaville.livejournal.com]

"I don't think anyone at the times is anti any minority."

LOLWUT?

You must be new here. Or one of the staff writers at that rag. They've been nasty, spiteful, name-calling, "yuppie/barney"-baiting ragemonkeys for years. They're anti everything/one that wasn't born in Somerville after 1970 (and even then only the "right kinda people" if you know what I mean wink wink).

[ron_newman]

I find their hard-news reporting to be reasonably fair, and I enjoy their coverage of local art and culture. But the News-Talk column is frequently obnoxious and backward-looking.

[craigindaville.livejournal.com]

Generally agree. Except for the part where the Norton Group is somehow magically voted "Best Real Estate Agency in Somerville" in their paper every year. Seems like that might be a little biased.

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

They've been nasty, spiteful, name-calling, "yuppie/barney"-baiting ragemonkeys for years.

OK, that tells you who the Times is written for, and most likely, who subscribes to it. Looking at the whole item

The primary in Ward 6 is coming up and make a note it’s on Thursday the 17th, not the usual Tuesday. We heard that the Board of Aldermen bowed to pressure from one alderman to get it changed for the first time because of a religious holiday. Don’t forget to vote in the only primary in the city this year, in Ward 6. Don’t let a small minority pick the wrong candidates for the final election in November. Your vote counts.

it sounds like the race in the Davis Sq. area is hot and there's some sort of fight over pro/anti-gentrification issues. If the Times is anti-gentrification as are their readers, they're going to want to push their readers to vote in that primary ... and the "small minority" refers to a fear that gentrifiers will dominate that election.

[ron_newman]

In Ward 6, gentrification is something that has already happened (and quite a while ago). That's more of a live issue in Union Square and other parts of the city.

The Times doesn't have subscribers. You pick it up for free either from red street boxes or in local stores.

Newton has their preliminary election Sept 17

[mamabunny72.livejournal.com]

I was in Newton yesterday for an appointment and saw signs reminding voters to vote in a preliminary election on Sept 17 as well.

RE: Newton has their preliminary election Sept 17

[ron_newman]

The Secretary of the Commonwealth published this list of local preliminary election dates. Besides Somerville and Newton, today is also election day in Amesbury, Malden, Watertown, and Weymouth (or parts thereof).

Quincy picked a different Thursday - September 24.