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© 2021 The Somerville Times. All rights reserved.
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
By Joe Lynch
Former Ward 5 Democratic City Committee Chair
Should we abolish the Somerville Police Department? The answer to this question should be next to every candidate’s name on this year’s Somerville ballot.
The slogan “defund the police” means many things. But the repeated message from the Democratic Socialists of America-Boston (DSA), candidates for office in Somerville is clear: the outright abolition of the Somerville Police Department.
The political organization Our Revolution Somerville (ORS) has many members who are also members of DSA-Boston. In a recent questionnaire for the candidates seeking the ORS endorsement, every DSA candidate affirmed their commitment to abolishing our police department. They committed to a 65 percent, or more, cut in the police budget. Most candidates have since removed this commitment from their campaign literature. Don’t be fooled. They have never refuted their stated efforts to use the Somerville City Council to abolish our police department.
In June of 2020, the existing City Council cut the police department by 13 percent in response to immense pressure from activists. Since then police staff have been working forced overtime shifts to perform our community’s needed safety duties. Yet, the DSA activists, including the Somerville DSA candidates for ward and at-large councilors, think this cut did not go far enough. When their demands were not met they demanded that the City Council reject the entire city budget in protest. It is grossly irresponsible and reckless to expect the City Council to reject a budget that includes not only policing, but DPW, the Fire Department, the Somerville Public School system and every city department and function. Talk about the far right Republican strategy of “starve the beast.” Because their unrealistic, irresponsible and reckless demand was not realized, the DSA activists now want to prevent the appointment of Somerville’s next Chief of Police. This attitude is exactly why we currently don’t have a permanent chief. If the police are to exist, then the city should hire the most forward thinking, progressive and reform minded chief possible. Refusing to allow the city to move forward on this hiring process guarantees that reform will not happen. Preventing the hiring of a new police chief only makes sense if the goal is to abolish the Somerville Police Department.
National and statewide polling clearly indicates a growing lack of support for defunding the police. And an absolute rejection for abolition. A recent USA Today poll shows that only 28 percent of Black people and 34 percent of Democrats support defunding local police departments. Even fewer support abolition.
I think this speaks volumes about this DSA initiative. The abolition/defund till it’s gone DSA policy is punitive and driven by ideology instead of reality.
The 2021 Somerville municipal election is not about supporting police. It is about supporting and protecting the many people in our community who need the police: people of color, gay/queer and straight, young and old, rich and less affluent, caregivers and their kids, businesses, and the many victims of hate and violent crimes. The DSA candidates have proven through their actions and words that they have no regard for the people they claim to represent. What does matter to the DSA candidates is winning Somerville, the Council and the Mayor’s office, to further the “abolish the police movement” that they have appointed themselves the leaders of while excluding everyone else, including the many people who want true change in Somerville policing.
When you vote this year, please let the DSA candidates know that they cannot use our city as a battlefield for their divisive agenda.
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I agree with this article.
Someplace must have frozen over.
This is an incredibly dishonest honest article that has no citations because it’s assertions can’t be supported by facts.
It is simply not true that all of the DSA candidates have committed to a 65% cut to the police budget.
None of them have promised to abolish the police department over the course of their 2 year term. There is a difference between stating support for police abolition (which involves adding to the community by reducing our bloated police budget) and promising to abolish the police. For example, a hypothetical candidate may support making housing free for all, but that does mean they have the power or intention to do so as a councilor.
All of the actual DSA candidates have been explicit about using our resources to guarantee residents have their basic needs met rather than further padding the budget of a department that specializes in violence. None of them have abolishing SPD in their policy goals and you cannot quote any of them as intending to do so because they have never made such comments.
Last year’s police budget was NOT cut by 13%. The actual cut was 7.7% and the budget was INCREASED this year.
Ironically our pro-police anti-working class city council made several resolutions for additional funding for more helpful jobs like translation and mental health counseling that could have easily been funded by reducing our police budget without cutting salaries or layoffs. The mayor is under no obligation to comply with the council’s resolutions which is why resolutions for such critical services is insufficient.
Joe Lynch also claims “DSA activists now want to prevent the appointment of Somerville’s next Chief of Police. This attitude is exactly why we currently don’t have a permanent chief,” providing no evidence because the evidence doesn’t exist. Even if you did have evidence of such intent, how can DSA be responsible for the lack of a permanent police chief when they don’t hold a majority on the council?
You are a liar and should be ashamed of yourself Joe.
SPD is anti-Black as we witnessed a few years ago when they protested the installation of a Black Lives Matter flag at city hall. Our officers are also homophobic as they proved when they defended far right wing bigots and assaulted our LGBT neighbors at the 2019 Straight Pride parade.
Anyone who promises to provide additional funding to such an expensive and harmful institution will not be getting my vote this November.
The comments system on used by The Somerville Times unfortunately blocks comments that have links in them, but if you Google any of my claims you can find sources you’ll find these listed below.
The 2020 7.7% police budget cut on Patch – City Council Makes Additional Cuts To Somerville Police Budget by Alex Newman
The 2021 increase to the police budget by looking at the June 23rd and June 24th city council meeting videos.
The SPD’s anti-Black Lives Matter protest in the Boston Herald – Police unions plan protest in Somerville over banner by O’Ryan Johnson
The Straight Pride Parade in the Somerville Journal – Controversy continues over police at Straight Pride Parade by Julia Taliesin
Mr. Davis,
I commend your ability to twist the truth and make terrible accusations of the Somerville Police Department. I have found over the past few years that the DSA and it’s hyper sensitive followers have used this ability to mold a false reality that would make Tolkien feel inadequate. Ever since you and your people invaded Somerville the city has seen more divisiveness lack of community than I have seen in over five decades of living here. You spew hate towards anybody that doesn’t think EXACTLY like you and do so under the guise of creating a “Somerville for All”. It’s funny because the results of your social experiment would create a city that caters to an extremely small group of self-described outsiders and cut out those that have lived in the city for generations and the low income groups you used as props to create the DSA platform. I had the unfortunate chance to speak with a particular candidate if they had ever gone into the Mystic or Clarendon Hill Projects and asked the residents what they thought about the DSA agenda. Her answer was that she has not because she didn’t believe she could CONVINCE them by November. This was the perfect answer to sum up the tactics of your beloved DSA and its Champagne Socialism. Their intent is not to listen to what the majority of the city wants and work those needs into what they believe in. Their intent is only to use black, brown and low income residents as props on a Stalinist chess board where they will stop at nothing to achieve their agenda and shut down any dissension by way of shaming, doxing, and cancellation. Willie Burnley and Will MBah have become the Somerville DSA’s token black kids and a smoke screen to hide all of the strings being pulled by Jefferson and Ben, two white men that believe in supporting the progression of blacks unless they run against them. All and all the DSA is a joke and does not back up anything they spew out of their commie holes. Jefferson and his sheep have wreaked havoc on this city for too long and they need to be stopped
McGrath added: “While we support the core goal of the BLM movement — equal treatment under the law — we find the banner’s message disrespectful of police officers and potentially encouraging to individuals who pervert that message through the indiscriminate murder of our counterparts from around the country.”
thank you for publishing this, Somerville socialists must be stopped
I for one like having the Somerville police.
DSA alignment is essentially a non-starter for me. I will vote against a candidate based on that alone. The DSA/ORS’s highly ideological, extreme positions don’t represent my interests at all (professional, highly educated, home owner, car driver, left-leaning centrist).
I wish there were more centrist candidates. Unfortunately, anybody competent and centrist enough to be a steward for Somerville’s success while representing the interests of *all* residents has better things to do than run for office in Somerville.
Where I am the only non-socialist in the race, I’m your best choice for a Greater and Safer Somerville! Write-in “William Tauro” for Mayor of Somerville on November 2nd! Take Somerville Back!! TEAMTAUROforMAYOR2021
The comment above by Mr. Tauro is spam of his attempt to come back from a failed preliminary mayoral campaign. I’m not sure what is a bigger joke in Somerville at this point, him or his supporters. Moderators why did you approve that comment?
‘Ol Bill must be a member of the DSA. We can not tolerate any opinions but those of the true socialists/communists! Cancel anyone who dares disagree! Moderators needs to be questioned why William’s post made it thru! Don’t they know all posts must be pre-approved the People’s committee on Truth and Justice…. you know the elitists at the DSA.
You commies are so predictable. Let me look into my crystal ball….. I see things in this city going even further down hill than they’re headed now once you all get full control (you’re close). Then you’ll start fighting amongst each other for power (you always do)…. then people will start realizing your pipe dreams are just that and start to rebel…. the new police force (social workers) will try to control the social unrest…. they won’t be able to….then people will finally have enough (sadly I’ll probably be in the ground by the time people wake up here) and then for all the Marxists in power….tall lamp posts, short rope … some assembly required. Read history. The future is written there.