I received a press release from “Yes for Newburyport” yesterday evening, and instead of thinking, “Yes, good go’n folks, smart political move,” my reaction was one of being really, really, pisssed.

Now, I’m not sure why my reaction was one of being really, really pissed, so I got the frogs out to take a look at the email/press release.

In the previous post I commented on how useless the frogs have been up to this point on this issue, so you see here, I’m really, really desperate.

First, George Cushing, from Frog Pond at the Bartlet Mall, the political consultant to the Newburyport Blog, took a look at the email and then he was joined by the “Twins,” and eventually by frog activist, Georgiana Tadpole.

George Cushing taking a look
at the email/press release on my computer.

The feeling I had was one of being manipulated and rail-roaded into voting for an override for our schools that, to say the least, I am deeply ambivalent about. (Is that tactful or what.)

The opening quote on the email/press release is from Sheriff Frank Cousins (who I like a lot):

“In the correctional system I see first hand what happens to kids when education is not a priority…”

I have a feeling that Sheriff Cousins didn’t mean it the way it sounded to me which was, “Unless you vote for the override, Newburyport, MA will probably turn out a bunch of criminals.”

A little heavy handed, which is definitely not Mr. Cousins’ style (at least not in my experience).

And then there is a long list of “important” people, who I could have told anyone, would support an override in Newburyport, MA for a whole number of reasons.

They have formed an advisory board.

” “Forming the advisory board lends a level of credibly to the grass-roots organization that will help maintain the group’s momentum long after the May 22nd special election,” said Paul Acquaviva, YES for Newburyport’s chairman.”

Oh.

(I suppose that’s a little catty of me. But gosh darn it, that email/press release brought out the very, very “catty” in me.)

It did say at the very end:

“…the committee has also identified the need to create a broader strategy to address long-term financial issues.” That part works for me.

I guess what doesn’t work for me, is that there is no sense of community in that press release. It has the cumulative effect of a “pep-rally” combined with an “all out war effort.”

I want to be able to live side by side with my neighbor, build bridges, not flip them the bird.

I want this to somehow be a “win-win” situation, where “reasonable people can disagree.” And obviously, I was feeling slightly cantankerous by the time I got through reading that darned press release. (For goodness sakes I hauled out the frogs to take a look at the email/press release, and that’s a little scrunchy, believe you me, when I’m relying that heavily on the frogs!)

Mary Eaton
Newburyport