Letter from Linda Yau

Linda asked that I publish this letter as the newspapers thought it was too long. Thank you Linda.

To the Editor:
When Town Politics Gets Ugly by Linda Yau
I have lived in Willington for the last sixteen years. And up until the last four years, I was as guilty as anyone else in town. It's easy to get caught up in our fair town's bucolic surroundings. Wonderful people. Great schools. Low taxes. And what used to be responsible town government. It was all too easy to sit, feet up in your back yard, and ignore what was going on around you.

"Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo." - H. G. Wells (1866-1946)

But, just prior to Willington's 2003 municipal elections, I began to be repeatedly bombarded by some familiar faces in town spouting all kinds of venom about our then First Selectman, John Patton. The information was a little sketchy, in my opinion, having more to do with his wife, Diane Becker, than John's work in Willington. I heard a lot about "the Beckers own this, and the Beckers own that" and "just because they have money doesn't mean they get to run the town..." Everyone was so sure that the Patton/Becker team was behind some evil conspiracy to hog land and power in a town of 6,000 people. It all sounded to me like the upcoming election was personal. On the other hand, I saw a lot of heads nodding to this rhetoric, although I had not a clue that things were really about to change. The whisper campaign had begun. There was no stopping it now.

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Things did change. The upcoming elections saw John Patton and Jack Lewis give up their Town seats to Michael Eldredge and John Blessington. The town government had officially changed hands. Had people actually believed what they were hearing out on the streets? What did the townspeople think was wrong with John and Jack, if anything? Change for the sake of change.

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei

During the next two years, some big projects begun by the A Sentinel Party were finally coming to fruition, albeit, under the Eldredge watch. The Town library was being built and the plans were put into motion for the construction of Senior housing, after being fought over and for, for literally decades.

"There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life." - Frank Zappa

OK, fast forward two years to the 2005 elections. Someone in the Eldredge brain trust had come up with the idea of effectively eliminating the A Sentinel Party from ever being a "threat" to them or their politics again. In 2003, they had done an experiment where the Republicans were cross-endorsed for the Board of Selectmen and the Democrats were cross-endorsed for Region 19. It worked so well then that they did almost the whole slate in 2005. If you're not familiar with the concept of cross-endorsement, this means that each candidate would receive a vote each as a Republican and as a Democrat. This would make it virtually impossible for anyone, Sentinel or otherwise, to get enough votes to defeat any cross-endorsed candidate. You do the math. Cross-endorsement, by the way, is perfectly legal, but it does allow the unscrupulous to manipulate the voting system.

Manipulation of our voting system was not the original reason behind the concept of cross-endorsement. The intention was that it was a way to keep good government in place, as a kind of reward system. Because of collusion and misuse of this process, 41 states have since outlawed its practice.

"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action." - Auric Goldfinger, in "Goldfinger" by Ian L. Fleming (1908-1964)

As so we come to the 2007 elections, and it should not come as a shock to anyone that the people of Willington, those of us paying attention, that is,have had enough of the manipulation of the Republicans and Democrats in this town and that we realize that it's time to take action. Thus, Dave Charette,candidate for First Selectman, John Patton and Robert Lisiewski have filed suit in Federal Court to take down the practice of cross-endorsement in Willington.

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Of course, you don't file suit in Federal Court naming all cross-endorsed candidates, our Town Clerk, the Registrar of Voters, and Secretary of State Susan Bysewicz, without drawing a little fire. For Dave Charette, it has meant the sacrifice of some long-held relationships. He is, literally, suing his neighbor. Those being sued have also passionately screamed at him in public for his actions. Personally, I do not encourage litigation unless it is absolutely warranted, but this is one of those cases.

"People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid." - Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

Interestingly enough, the same people that cried "it's not fair!" in 2003 are still crying that now, this time complaining about the lawsuit. But what's fair? Is it fair to undermine the voting process of an entire town for the benefit of a few? And who exactly made the decision to go along with this scam? The fact is, every cross-endorsed candidate on Willington's ballot this year, each, at some point, made a conscious decision to blindly follow an ill-conceived, ill-informed lead. Although I will say that I understand there are some candidates who have valiantly refused not to be cross-endorsed, as a matter of principle. As it should be.

"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'." - unknown

The townspeople of Willington now have an opportunity, as candidates and as voting citizens to do the right thing. This is an opportunity for cross-endorsed candidates to step-up and think for themselves, putting the needs of the Town first. This, after all, is the essence of public service. As voting citizens, the rest of us also have an obligation to our town to think for ourselves, no matter who our friends are. We are, after all,OBLIGED, not "privileged" to vote. It is our civic duty, and one we should take seriously for our own benefit and that of our children and their future.

"Always do right- this will gratify some and astonish the rest." - Mark Twain (1835-1910)

However stunned they were to be sued in Federal court, the cross-endorsed Republican and Democratic candidates in Willington still have an opportunity to extricate themselves from this situation. There is still a way out. They could have changed their candidate status to one party line only, thus eliminating themselves from the suit, as promised by John Patton, quoted in his August 30 press release. I'm hoping these candidates will come to recognize the true meaning of public service and decide to do the right thing not only for themselves, but for the voters of Willington as well.

Nobody ever said public service was easy.

Editors Note: The request for a premiminary injunction to the combined Republican/Democrat slate mentioned by Linda was denied at the at the trial court and appellate court.