Dave Richards for February 19th….…………
--We’ll start with a quick reminder to you and a hearty congratulations to King Jace XXVI, Dominique Doiron, his Queen Lori Thuot, and Princesses Tabitha Westerhuis and Ashley Robitaille, the Royal Court for this Saturday’s Woonsocket Mardi Gras Ball to prepare for a Great Party.
Great food, Great music, Great memories!
Thanks to the Northern Rhode Island Council of the Arts for continuing this yearly event and great tradition! We’ll see you at the Mardi Gras!
--Last week I commented on my hopes that the race for the presidential endorsement by the major political parties might be getting a bit more serious-minded. No sooner had these thoughts been put to paper and then to print did I receive unsolicited emails from Democrats and Republicans alike which were rude and pushy. One was even accusatory. It claimed I was standing by and doing nothing while President Trump personally marked her for defeat at the hands of her Republican opponent.
Firstly, I don’t contribute to political campaigns. In my position, it just is too complicated a matter. So the question gets to be, “how did these people get my email address?” I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.
Secondly, if I were asking a stranger for financial help, would I send an email with these words (all CAPS) in the Subject Line?.....“FINAL NOTICE”
The message in that email didn’t impress me much, either. I’ve redacted response email addresses and “click to donate” buttons. Otherwise, these words are copied directly from the email sent to me……..
"This is your final notice to activate your membership to show Speaker Pelosi and our women candidates in tough races support by contributing to our Spread the Love Fund. We haven’t seen your donation come through yet.
Speaker Pelosi is counting on you to help her defend her majority this year.
we’re running out of time.
Our deadline for the Spread the Love Fund is at MIDNIGHT.
End quote. I spared you the long list of politically-charged accusations against the president which ended the email.”
Not to be outdone by the Democrats, I received this email purporting to be from Republican Whip Steve Scalise…………..again, I quote.
“Sorry to be so blunt, but I’m disappointed. I emailed you last week. I emailed you over the weekend. I emailed you yesterday. We’re short of our mid-month goal and House Democrats raised a ground shaking $137,6OO,OOO this cycle AND just broke another fundraising record...
Sorry to be so blunt, but I’m disappointed, Friend.
I emailed you last week. I emailed you over the weekend. I emailed you yesterday.
I’m asking you personally to contribute before midnight -- if you help in the next 2 hours, I’ll even guarantee that it’s 5OO% matched: Believe me, I wouldn’t be coming to you for a FOURTH AND FINAL time unless it was absolutely critical.”
End Quote. As you can see, both sides are acting like they are at war. Besides politeness, I can’t help but feel that honesty is also a casualty of this ‘war’. And it is in this attitude I find fault on both sides.
We are not at war. We are in the peaceful process of selecting a temporary occupant of a very powerful government office. We should not be acting like little children at play, pretending the fate of all the world hangs on the success or failure of our mission.
Only grown-ups can vote in this election. That is because it is presumed that grown-ups will, unlike children at play, treat a situation with the seriousness and respect for reality it truly deserves, and not, like children at play, make believe that we must win at all costs, just for the thrill and entertainment of it.
Is there any question why the presidential candidates themselves sometimes act like children at play when party operatives act just that way?
--On a far more serious subject, today is the 38th anniversary of the murder of Doreen Picard and the brutal beating of Susan Laferte in the laundry room of their home on Front Street in Woonsocket. Few of us who were alive and in Woonsocket at that time will forget the emotions and frustration resulting from this horrible crime.
I think about this dark time in our city now and then and I wonder. This kind of event always makes people wonder, and I’m no different. The “what-ifs”, and the threats over the telephone. I know members Doreen’s family say they were threatened and I believe it because even I was threatened over news coverage our station broadcast….and also what we refused to broadcast.
This case divided the Woonsocket Police Department into two factions at a time we needed them most. It was not a good time to be on the force for anyone. The WPD is no longer divided. I have to believe that if this murder took place today that a lot of bad things which happened after the murder wouldn’t happen now. I hold on to that one bit of positivity very tightly.
There is much more I could say, but I won’t. Re-living it won’t help anyone. I do, however, want to say this, hoping it may help. If Susan or Nicole or the rest of Doreen’s family read these words, I pray you have found peace in your hearts and I want you to know that I have not forgotten the terrible injustices you have suffered.
--That's what I think. What do you think? Comments to: dave@onworldwide.com or postal mail to Dave Richards, WOON Radio, 985 Park Avenue, Woonsocket, RI 02895-6332. Thanks for reading.
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