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

[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.