Did you ever see that map drawn up by some New Yorker that was on the front page of the New Yorker Magazine that shows the United States from a New York City resident’s viewpoint? Most of the map is dominated by New York City and beyond the Hudson the rest of the country seems to hardly exist other than we see that far off to the west there is some body of water a little larger than the Hudson River called the Pacific Ocean. I think of that when I read the Boston media where everything outside of the immediate metropolitan area seems like areas still occupied by members of King Phillip’s Wampanoag Indian tribe .
Did you ever think that Martha Coakley lost her race for governor because many Massachusetts residents doubted her citizenship after they heard she was born west of the Connecticut River? How many from this area have been to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art or know it exists and where it is? I once had a case as a young attorney in superior court out in Berkshire County, or was it Franklin County, and some of the lawyers waiting for their cases to be called ribbed me about being a big city lawyer coming out to the country.
It may surprise many of you but beyond our narrow confines there is a thriving Commonwealth full of other cities and towns. One such place is Fall River. Now this time of year is a busy season where we go send out our cards and got out to stores to buy gifts for others. But in Fall River today its citizens are going out to vote. Yes, within 10 days of Christmas they are having an election.
Mentioning Christmas I must say I received a card the other day that truly set forth the modern-day spirit and understanding of its meaning. It read: “May the Light from Rudolph’s Nose Guide you through your Days of Shopping. Wishing you a Joyful Bell Ringing Gift Giving Day.” It was quite heartwarming.
But back to Fall River. I suppose you have no idea why it would be having an election which interrupts the shopping. Let me tell you. It is a recall election. Some believe the present mayor Will Flanigan is not the right person for the office so they have petitioned to have him thrown out. Here’s an article that gives a fuller explanation of the vote today.
It says: “The two-part ballot is a bit confusing. Voters who wish to remove Flanagan must vote for his recall on the first half and then vote for one of the other seven candidates on the ballot. But, due to a judge’s interpretation of the convoluted recall law, a successful vote to recall Flanagan could still end up with Flanagan remaining in power. Flanagan’s name will appear at the top of the second half of the ballot listed as incumbent for re-election.”
Here’s a list of the candidates” “Running in the election are Mayor Will Flanagan — the object of the recall — Bristol County District Attorney Samuel Sutter, City Councilor Michael Miozza, Paul Anderson, Ron Cabral, former City Councilor David Dennis, Louis Alves Melim and Seekonk Town Administrator Shawn Cadime”
Now to get a full idea of what has been happening in Fall River a scant 50 miles from Boston you must read this article. I’ll set out a little taste of it which is a comment from a former police officer posted on a site called #threwupinFallRiver: “So we now live in a city, where Mayor’s can go around intimidating people with guns into filing false police reports and #AndNothingHappens. Someone can try to hurt my pregnant wife and small son, and #NothingHappens. But if John Creeden post an unflattering #FacebookPicture of the Mayor’s #AllegedFloozy, they send in the #.……FRPDBrass. This city is an #Absolute.……Joke.”
One complaint by the citizens seeking a recall is that the police department is out of control, being protected by the major, and backing him in the election. Perhaps if the Boston media paid more attention to what was happening in the other cities in Massachusetts the people there would not be involved in such messes.