I’ve lived in two neighboring towns my whole life, and right now, I’m in the one I grew up in. Lately, the town’s been doing some stuff I don’t get. First off, I barely go on social media anymore, especially Facebook, because it’s such a negative space, and I don’t need that in my life. But now and then, I’ll check in to see what’s happening.
Recently, I saw some posts about the fire department wanting a central dispatch system, like a regional setup where one person handles dispatch 24/7, year-round. This isn’t really about that issue, but I get why they want it and agree with the idea. I used to be a firefighter, though not in this town, but the other one I lived in, so I understand their perspective. Anyway, the town council voted it down, saying it’s not worth the money. Again, not trying to dive into that issue here, but of course, Facebook blew up with people complaining, asking why the council didn’t approve it, saying the town needs it, and so on.
What really caught my attention, though, is how people are going after the councilors who voted against it. They’re saying these councilors should be removed, criticizing them, picking apart everything they say—even stuff they mutter under their breath during meetings. Some of these council meetings are online, so people watch them and tear these councilors apart. Now, I’ll admit, some of them say things they probably shouldn’t, but that’s not the point here.
The thing is, people have been complaining about at least one of these councilors for as long as I can remember—like, since the 1980s. Some of these councilors have been around forever. They did change the rules a while back so councilors can only serve two consecutive terms before they have to step away for a year or something, but this one guy always seems to bounce back and forth between the town council and the school committee. Honestly, I respect anyone who puts themselves out there like that—I wouldn’t do it. I’ve always said I’d rather be the one throwing stones than the one getting hit by them.
But here’s what I don’t get: if people dislike this guy so much and think he’s not doing a good job, why do they keep re-electing him? There have been decades of complaints about him, yet he keeps getting reelected. Do people just forget how much they didn’t like him the last time? If you don’t want him there, don’t vote for him. Problem solved. But then again, I know people will find someone else to complain about. That’s kind of how Facebook works—it brings out the worst in people, which is why I avoid it most of the time. People love to complain, name-call, and stir the pot. If you don’t like it, vote for change. Simple as that.
