More Shameful, Unfounded Accusations,
And More Proof That We Need Change in Addison
By Susan M. Halpern
Former Addison Councilmember (1992-1999)
I thought I’d seen it all from the incumbents and their supporters. Today they sunk to a new low. The “facts-don’t-matter” tabloid now accuses the three challengers and/or their supporters of placing poop on an Addison resident’s doormat. And, a little dab on an incumbent’s sign.
It is patently absurd. Needless to say, there is not one shred of evidence to support these ridiculous, wild, unfounded accusations. Not a shred. Not a scintilla. Zero. Their claims are 100% without support. But that didn’t stop them from making them, did it? They are now actually using poop – literally poop – to try to influence the election.
These “facts-don’t-matter” folks continue to be remarkably unconstrained by reality, by facts, or by truth. Again and again they have misled Addison’s voters. It is beyond shameful. But today is a new low.
Let’s agree on the obvious: no one should wake up to poop on their doormat. It’s disgusting, it’s inappropriate, and it’s mean-spirited. It’s a violation of one’s property, and the victim has every right to be upset and angry. I’ve been there. As a councilmember, my property was vandalized on a number of occasions, and I never had any doubt that it was directly related to my service on council. I feel the victim’s pain.
But here’s the thing. The victim’s first shot out of the box was to send a rather hostile email to one of the three non-incumbent challengers. Why would the victim do that? And, how convenient that at about the same time, the “facts-don’t-matter” drivel was published via email.
It’s not hard to infer that the victim was encouraged to assume that it must have been “them.” How disgraceful that these incumbents and their supporters would stoop to such tactics.
The referenced email exchange evolved into a very civil and respectful dialog. Most importantly, the victim was candid in stating that they had no idea who did this. They were then provided with a copy of the accusatory “facts matter” email, to which they responded:
“No one knows who vandalized my property. So what is stated below is inaccurate. Sorry.”
And there it is in black and white: the accusations are indeed wild, unsubstantiated and without any basis whatsoever. Effectively, the victim was victimized a second time by being thrust into the falsely-cast, ridiculous accusations contained in the “facts matter” email. Truly, there is no level beneath which these “facts-really-don’t-seem-to-matter” folks won’t stoop. And that speaks volumes.
I assume that since the emails were copied to the Addison police that the police were contacted and are investigating. I hope they find the person or persons responsible, and I fully support all efforts to prosecute whoever was involved.
What I don’t support is wild, unfounded accusations being made in an effort to improperly influence the election. The incumbents have to be desperate to sink to such levels. And the “facts-don’t-matter” faux newsletter folks have made my point yet again: the facts and the truth and reality just don’t matter to these people.
Addison and its residents deserve far better than to be constantly barraged with these inappropriate tactics.