In the interest of fair and equal time regarding the upcoming elections here in town, I am offering this email I received yesterday after a visit from one of the candidates for selectman. As stated previously, the publishing of a candidates views on this page does not constitute an endorsement of that candidate. It is offered here only for the benefit of our readers to gain more information, and insight into the candidates running for office.
"Wally, I just wanted to thank you for your warm hospitality today. It was great having some time to get to know you a bit better and to do so in such a comfortable setting. I absolutely love your house and like I said the wall color is very soothing.
If you have any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions please don’t hesitate. Regardless of what happens in April, we need to start “moving the ball” or we will all suffer regardless of what ideologies we cling to. One thing I’ve learned in my door to door engagements with residents these past few weeks is that they’re all concerned with the lack of progress over the years and they are concerned about our future.
Frankly, I’m concerned that we are going to continue down the path of waiting and hoping things will get better instead of actually making them better. This is the reason I decided to jump in as I believe we are running against a clock and the leadership over the past 6 years that I’ve been here just doesn’t see it.
Anyway, you heard all of that from me today so I won’t belabor it. I do appreciate your time and do sincerely hope that you and Mary will at least give fair consideration to the possibility of supporting me. In the end, you have to do what you are most comfortable with once you get behind that curtain (so to speak), but I believe that based upon what I have witnessed these past 6 years, there is no-one else running right now that has the level of energy, commitment, or drive to see this through as I do.
I went to Walker Pond Road and McGilpin Road and was very impressed with the number of folks who welcomed me into their homes and engaged me in frank discussion. One indicated his surprise that I would go to a location where some are not enamored with me. My response was simple; an elected official represents everyone, not a selected group, and as such has a responsibility to engage everyone – critics and supporters. One may advocate from one end of the political spectrum or the other, but one must govern from the middle.
Anyway, you need not feel obligated to respond, but please know that I truly appreciated your very genuine hospitality today.
Regards,
Thomas R. Creamer
359 Leadmine Road
Fiskdale, MA 01518
Cell: 774-696-0903
Fax: 615-634-0903"
I would be truly afraid if he showed up at my door. I have seen how he treats people that don't agree with him - the pictures, the cartoons, the hate. And now because he removes all the negative from his blog because he is running and said he will treat all equally? He seriously wants people to believe that? His true character has already been shown. He will just keep attacking using alias name on his blog. Maybe that kind of abuse was tolerated and "forgiven" in his household, but certainly not mine. His spots won't change!
ReplyDeleteI sit here with a sickening feeling, a pit in my stomach as I read these kind, professional, considerate sentences flowing from this man’s pen. This man has created such turmoil and madness in each of the paths he has traveled on in Sturbridge. Whether it be verbally assaulting people in the woods, when they became frightened by his pack of unleashed dogs, or verbally accosting a fellow planning board member many times to the point of issuing disingenuous public apologies, to superimposing Swastika on photographs of people’s homes, to drafting violent cartoons and putting them on his blog, to cut and splicing videos in attempts to make good people look bad, to stating lies and adding innuendo to make honest people seem like deceitful felons, to following women in his car and boxing them in an area and not allowing them to escape, to using words, such as despicable and disgusting, to describe those who disagree with him. Three years of hateful blog entries, fear-provoking movies, unsettling cartoons, slanderous writings and missing more planning board meetings than he attended, and now that he is running for selectmen, his pen is flowing with kindness. This is scary, remember the Germans elected Hitler! I’m truly feeling sick.
ReplyDeleteLack of progress, get a clue! If he'd attend a Planning Board meeting once in awhile (he sits on the Planning Board but his attendence is worst than spotty!), he'd see that this town is moving forward in a positive direction and getting things accomplished. The Board of Selectmen have accomplished a great deal in the past six years. Yes, the National economy is in the tank, but is this Board of Selectmen's fault??? I see great things being accomplished during very difficult financial times. Sturbridge is in better shape than the vast majority of towns in Massachusetts. This man does nothing but harrass and point fingers. Nothing but look at the negative, rather than notice the positive. Don't buy into his lies and nonsense voters. We have way too much to lose!
ReplyDeleteEhardt and Creamer both stand on the issues together. One takes a Hitler approach the other an evangelist approach, but together they will build something that won't be good to witness.
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of offending those who continue to demonize me with lies, misinformation, and innuendo let me offer the following, which will be my only comments on this subject in this venue.
ReplyDeleteFirst, to be clear, the email that Mr. Hersee posted was a personal exchange between him and I meant merely to convey my thanks for his hospitality in inviting me in for discussion during my door-to-door campaign. He chose to print it without any consult from me, though as I indicated to him in a follow-up correspondence once it had been posted, I had no issue with him doing so. I stand behind what I write and convey.
As for the absurd accusations leveled here I thought about responding to them individually but realized that to do so would lend credibility to lies, misinformation, and distortion.
Not one accusation leveled against me here is supported by any credible or verifiable material and were such the case, actions would have been undertaken to legally address such. The printing of factual and truthful information by me or others with integrity, no matter how distasteful, does not constitute lies, nor does it constitute character assassination, nor does it constitute liable. It constitutes merely the truth and sadly the truth can be ugly.
As for the state of economic affairs, the Sturbridge economy deteriorated at an amazing rate years before our national economy tanked. To think otherwise is to be somewhat removed from reality.
It is unfortunate that the truth is so threatening to some individuals. It is also unfortunate that rigorous self-honesty is a gift not shared by all. No individual is without his or her share of regrets, but those who recognize such are made all the more stronger by their discovery.
One is nothing short of amazed by the high level of intellectual dishonesty that some face each day with. To continue to live and spread lies in the face of all evidence to the contrary, speaks to a serious lack of character and inner fortitude in facing oneself.
The lies, vicious personal attacks, and anonymous threats still practiced today by a small group of people were all part of the landscape well before my arrival; the difference is, that I chose not to lie down and play dead when those dissatisfied with my willingness to speak the truth began focusing their attention on me. I have personally witnessed the sacrifice of too many to allow misrepresentation or selective representation to go unabated.
I will meet anyone half-way on any issue; I will not however capitulate to deceit, selfishness, or self-centeredness. Those who continue to perpetuate lies and misinformation about me, do so because compromise – for them at least - requires complete capitulation of an opposing view. When that doesn’t work they will resort to denigrating people with terms such as “low wage casino workers”, “outsiders”, “poor and stupid” or “strangers in our neighborhoods”. They will be attacked with anonymous posts, letters, and lies. Then of course they will attack their families who are not part of the public debate as has been done here all the way to the WalMart era.
As long as one allows a lack of intellectual honesty and courage to guide one’s thought process, true community, and true solutions will always remain somewhat elusive.
Unfortunately, some seem to prefer it that way. I'll have nothing more to say.
I don't normally like to "comment" on my own blog. It has a tendency to come back and bite one on the ass, but I will always comment if I feel it is necessary.
ReplyDeleteI feel it is necessary at this time.
The negative comments on this post were spawned by actions, and behaviors witnessed over the past few years. I can understand ones desire to remain anonymous based on that history.
The fact that Mr. Creamer came forward, and addressed the issues, and allegations, and signed his name is important to keep in mind. Another may have let the issues go, ignored them, or left a more favorable comment anonymously.
He did not.
It is important to take the positive actions as seriously as we have taken the negative ones. As much as it is necessary to always respond to the negative behaviors one may perform, we must, by the same token, always respond to the positive ones as well.
Trust is the issue at hand here, not what one will do, or won't do if elected. One has to build trust, or re-build trust lost.
As with everything else I write about on this blog, I recommend that we watch all the candidates, and see if they are truly up to par. Can they be trusted? Are they inept at one thing, but could be very good at another?
History is important, but so is the present. Keep both in mind. Your decision will determine our future.
The reason people don't sign their names is that they fear mr. c. will slander them on his blog or in the press. The town elections are even affected by his rhetoric. He his a mean spirited person who seeks fame at the expense of others. His actions are well documented and he cannot deny that they exist. Watch out!Sturbridge!
ReplyDeleteWally, I certainly hope you didn't fall for TRC's smooth talk. You are kind to talk about the present, but I hope you don't feel as though we should all forget the past. There are villians who's actions can never be forgotton, Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Fidel Castro and TRC lines right up with the type of warfare that these villians started up with. The whacko in Alabama this week, was once someone who people thought was a just a bit odd. The past actions of this man show his lack of judgement and for this reason alone he should not be considered fit for the selectman position.
ReplyDeleteI don't think he fell for anything. He's too shrewd. He writes well and doesn't miss a trick. He has a way about how he writes that does make me want to think more about things.
ReplyDeleteI think last night's debate showed that Sturbridge is blessed with four candidates with the intellectual capacity to honestly, respectfully and passionately debate. I will admit that it was nice to see that Mr. Creamer was scared to confront the question asked by Mr. Garieri. On the TV it actually looked like he nervously huddled in his chair. Why was he afraid to confront Mr. Goodwin in a public debate forum on one of the most contentious questions asked?
ReplyDeleteI would like to say how "refreshing" it is to have a person with the knowledge and fairness displayed during last evening's debate hoping to represent all townspeople as selectman. Although I have only met Mr. Creamer on one occasion, I join him in signing my name and not hiding behind an "anonymous" mask. Please, if you have anything worth saying don't be ashamed to own up to it! Mary Duff
ReplyDeleteThis is why America is great. We can have a difference of opinion, even when there are large differences. We can publicly state how we feel about a candidate, their platform, and either support, or rally against them. We should feel unthreatened if we truly believe in our system, and have the facts to back up our statements. Of course, there will ALWAYS be those that feel otherwise, and will do anything to cloud the picture, even the candidates themselves.
ReplyDeleteI like to think of it in this wa: one country, one mind, one vote.
“To continue to live and spread lies in the face of all evidence to the contrary, speaks to a serious lack of character and inner fortitude in facing oneself.’ Tom Creamer said this but he was talking about himself. He is the one telling lies and spreading hate on his blog. I often thought of him as Hitler like and I see other people do too. I have never seen anything like him before, he can ridicule someone then turn around and be as nice as pie and act like he didn’t do a thing. In the mean time he is spreading false rumors about people. I don’t get it and I don’t get him. Hopefully Sturbridge will send this monster packing at the election.
ReplyDeleteWell good for you. Why not run for Selectwoman? Put yourself out there and disagree with him. Then you'll know what its like to be his verbal punching bag.
ReplyDeleteIf all it takes for your support is for someone to sign their name to a public statement, you don't ask for much.
Maybe this cartoon from Mr. Creamers blog is enough to not want to sign your name to anything that disagrees with him.
ReplyDeletehttp://bp0.blogger.com/_mAQbIwdJgTg/R2xyhWuFAaI/AAAAAAAAAJA/KhPauhx_KWE/S241/courtroom.gif
I just came from the recycling center in Sturbridge, where I was handed a list of Ted Goodwin's accomplishments during his time on the board of selectmen. He has gotten alot done for this town. It's an impressive list.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see a similar list by Tom Creamer for what he accomplished while serving on the Planning Board. That would help me to know who to vote for. Gimas has no background in town politics as far as I know, so she has no experience.
Gimas has been a productive member of FINCOM and was impressive at the debate.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Gimas is an excellent candidate. I think Goodwin and Gimas are the way to go. Otherwise we have a special interest group in control of our town. Balance is important and Gimas and Goodwin will give us the important balance. The other two are candidates come to the table driven by a special intersest group, which two selectmen already represent. Even if you agree with the special interest group, it's not a good thing to be guided by an unbalanced board of selectmen.
ReplyDeleteLet's see a list of accomplishments from each candidate who has served on town committees they served on.
ReplyDeleteI think Ehrhard showed at the last town meeting it would be a mistake to elect him. The guy doesn't know when to shut up, and tries to ram his ideas down your throat.
“Violence is essential in any courtroom” by Tom Creamer is that the cartoon you refer too? He showed his true colors with that one.
ReplyDeleteI hesitate to even bring up this subject because it brings more attention to it but…
ReplyDeleteTom Creamer said in his post that when he was going door to door a person
“indicated his surprise that I would go to a location where some are not enamored with me.” Tom fails to tell the people why some neighborhoods might not be so “enamored with me”. This is a man who accuses whole neighborhoods of being in a “conspiracy and codes of silence” He invades neighborhoods and takes pictures of property, homes, structures , roads, vehicles and alters the photos and posts them on his website.
Tom writes in his blog statements such as
How much money, if any, was provided to the Walker Pond Lake Association last year or the year before? If they did receive funds, one has to question the validity of such. It is clear based upon information that has surfaced despite the "lack of cooperation" from attendees at the illegal fireworks festivities, that a significant amount of money was raised to host a rather impressive pyrotechnics display.
Now, there are those who may be prone to suggest that I am singling out one particular lake association group over all others. This is absolutely correct.”
Tom gives no information “that has surfaced” just innuendo half truths and lies about an incident he knows nothing about. Tom makes himself the police, judge and jury and wonders why people are at least skeptical of his motives.
If Mr. Creamer truly believes what people are saying is false then why did he remove the bloody cartoon, the videos, the cartoons, the pictures and all of the hateful postings? Is it coincidental that ALL of that was removed from his blog right after his run for selectmen? I challenge Mr. Creamer to PUT IT ALL BACK on his blog since he didn't see anything wrong with it. Let's see who the coward is now!
ReplyDelete