Letters to the Editor

We Must Stand Against Ignorance

Dear Editor,

It is with much dismay that I came to Town Hall last Thursday to be greeted by an angry group of protesters without masks led by Diana Ploss, a member of Our Fellow America First Patriots and supporter of alt right groups.  She and her followers occupied two corners of the four way stop intersection with a larger group of anti-racism protesters near their site.  Diana Ploss may be remembered as the conservative WSMN radio talk show host and staunch backer of T in the White House, who lost her job a mere two days after posting a video of herself spewing racist comments at a group of predominantly Hispanic workers right outside her now-former workplace in Nashua, N.H.  After receiving over 12,000 petition signatures, WSMN fired Ploss stating “We at WSMN value freedom of speech, freedom of expression and assembly,” and “We will not tolerate discrimination, racism or hatred.” 

Ploss and her followers have decided to make Winthrop their home every Thursday from 2 – 4 p.m. at the Town Hall intersection after leaving a protest against Gov. Charlie Bakers at his home in Swampscott.  This protest seems to be  against the Covid-19 restrictions enacted to keep Massachusetts residents safe and healthy; a concept alien to the alt-right. 

I am asking for a statement and show of support against this group by our town officials and residents.  We must display a major show of support for the brave students, town residents and visitors who displayed signs, gave chants and clearly projected the message ‘Hate Has No Home Here’ while wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines.  We ask that you show up on Thursday to clearly send the message that we reject racism and all of its ugly ramifications.  Bring a sign and spread the word to citizens of Winthrop who clearly want to unify, not divide.  Silence is complicity.  We can do more, we will do more.

Sylvia & Maxwell Whiting

On the Demonstration

Dear Editor,

Many residents witnessed Diana Ploss of Our Fellow America First Patriots at Metcalf Square (Town Hall) on Thursday, Sept. 3.  She and her colleagues came, without masks and did not social distance, to spread their message of fear, division and hate.  Winthrop Police intervention was needed to contain the Ploss group from  physical engagement with the Winthrop Black Lives Matter group.

Ploss is the former far right radio talk host of WSMN, Nashua, NH , who video taped herself shouting at a group of primarily Hispanic landscapers telling them to speak English.

I am suggesting not to show up for any Ploss Thursdays.   She and her group continue to come to Metcalf Square.  Do not provide the audience Ploss and her group so crave.

Some of us thought that presenting 3-4 times the number of peaceful counter demonstrators bearing Hate Has No Home Here would send a message to Ploss to stay out of Winthrop.  However, it appears she will be back.

It is my opinion to ignore any future Ploss staging to fan her flames of hate, racism, and division.  Absence and silence can be deafening.  Winthrop Police are needed elsewhere to serve and protect.

If you have concerns about human rights in town call 617-846-1852;1034 or email contact person Denise Quist at dquist@town.winthrop.ma.us

Donna Segreti Reilly

No On Mail in Voting

Dear Editor,

Mail in voting is a really bad idea. It opens the door for massive and easy ballot tampering. In spite of specious reassurances that mail in voting is simple and accurate the facts are far different.

-Franklin, Ma discovers 3000 uncounted votes that the Town Clerk locked in her vault this past week. Town Clerk resigns.

-Plymouth, MA: 800 ballots were mishandled in May

-Paterson, NJ: 3190 election ballots were rejected, about 19% of the mail-in ballots for the May 12 election in Paterson

-Virginia: Half a million incorrect absentee ballot applications sent out In 2018

-Nevada: Election Officials announce that 63,000 names in its voter registration records were found to be “inactive” 2019

-California reports it is trying to remove over 5 million inactive voters from its records.

-NY primary in June 2020 resulted in massive problems and it took months to count ballots. According to NY Democrat Suraj Patel, 30% of the mail-in votes were likely rejected.

-People are even reporting their pets or deceased relatives are receiving ballots

-Multiple criminal convictions for voter fraud including a man in NH just being arrested for voting twice in the same election; one time as a man and one time as a woman!

Now they are trying to desensitize us to the fact that we may not have results for weeks or months after Election Day! This is unacceptable! Election Day voting has worked pretty good for hundreds of years, and we know on election night who the winners and losers are. 

We are all now accustomed safely dealing with any presumed Covid concerns. Let’s not pull this country farther apart by feuding over election logistics, ballot handling shenanigans and questionable election outcomes. No mail in voting assures free and fair elections!

Respectfully,

Paul Caruccio- Chairman WRTC