This blog has heard comments, (mostly made by public officials, who have been exposed on this site) that this site is nothing but ad hominum attacks on the powers that be. We have heard it said by our own police officers that this site will not publish anything positive.
NONE of the above is true!!!
Here is what we stand for;
The Atkinson Reporter is an open conversation about town government. This site was designed and founded to promote OPEN, TRANSPARENT, HONEST GOVERNMENT IN THE TOWN OF ATKINSON!!! And to expose those who violate these basic ideals.
Anyone may submit articles or comments to this site, to date, only comments that have amounted to unfounded, or slanderous ad hominum attacks have been rejected from publication. Given a certain town officials propensity for threatening and filing frivolous lawsuits in efforts to shut down dissent, we have no wish to add to the long list of those sued by him for slander, and everyone knows whom we are talking about.
The purpose of this site is to discuss EVENTS, that happen in town, and the conduct, and job performance of our public officials in relations to those events. This is the site for opinion journalism in Atkinson. Although we encourage people to either post under their own name, or a psuedonym, we understand the need to post anonymously, given the unique nature of the threat to critics in Atkinson, that has been amply demonstrated by our selectmen and police chief.
We want to engender open, public debate, about the goings on in our town, so that the public is truly informed about what they can not see in selectmen's meetings. As we said previously this is the site for commentary. To see the actual public documents that back up the discussion here you need to visit; www.atkinsontaxpayers.org This site is a document repository for any and all public documents! One place where you can go and get the whole story, in it's entirety.
So, please feel free to post and comment about any and all happenings in town. If there is a subject you would like to see written about, please submit it as a comment to an existing article, with the words article submission at the top of the entry.
Thank you, and we hope that you enjoy the upcoming political season. Check here early and often for the latest updates.
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ATKINSON's Vietnam HONOR ROLL as VOTED and PASSED by 2005 Town Meeting and re-approved at Special Town Meeting Sept. 12
EDITORIAL-
A voice of compassion, an example of fairness and reasonable government.
One who believes in the strength and comfort you, your children and your family can draw from good government leadership.
A person who knows Atkinson is our home -- our most important possession that must be preserved and protected through fair taxes and sound community planning and where our children must be safe to grow to become a new generation of leaders.
One who knows that the citizens of Atkinson are all neighbors with her leadership to be dedicated and responsive to all.
One who believes that when those from Atkinson have served our nation and honors are deserved, those honors must be given.
In Valerie Tobin, we now have a leader we know we can entrust with these responsibilities because they are part of her character.
It is our honor to endorse Valerie for election to Atkinson’s Board of Selectmen.
Just a note for those who wish to count the deer.
In January 08 this blog had 16,000 hits and 1,500 unique visitors (for the month).
In 2007 this blog had over 100,000 hits and 5,750 unique visitors (for the year).
In 2007 this blog had over 100,000 hits and 5,750 unique visitors (for the year).
EDITORIAL-
"I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense . . ." [TP, 1776]
We take no small measure of umbrage at such a hostile official act against this BLOG’s patron. Therefore, a timely Editorial comment is both appropriate and necessary.
Discussion of Atkinson’s financial direction, from any viewpoint, is fundamental and encouraged and we will always attempt to limit and correct errors.
However, Righteous indignation towards purported error of such inconsequential nature is not appropriate.
The ENTIRE car deal is problematic. If it was caused by poor judgement, improper exercise of authority, neglect or mistake or even specious reasoning, this will never trump the facts that the entire questionable transaction started and ended within a very small circle of confidants.
We find the entire circumstances surrounding the disposition of the police Cruiser highly irregular at the least and the "explanations" somewhat trifling and exhaustive of our intellect.
Mr. Consentino: It’s time to go. Being Chief of Atkinson’s Police Department is NOT a birthright. That is a fabled legend of yesteryear.
Historically in Atkinson, police chief appointments were made "under the hand of the selectmen" for terms of one year at a time, as was also the case in the beginning of Mr. Consentino’s assorted and discontinuous stream of appointments to this position.
Your only remaining credential established on a claim of indispensability has faded.
So time is neigh. Plan a graceful exit, Clean out your desk, Accept the gratitude and tearful sentiments from some. We plan no editorial recriminations. It is time. Thank you for your service, We wish you a long and happy retirement. Bon Voyage.
LETTER
"To All Atkinson Residents,
I am writing to ask for your help. A member of the Atkinson Police Department needs our help. I am here to ask for your help in Corporal John Lapham's fight for his life. As you are aware, John has been diagnosed with Leukemia. He has been once again hospitalized with an infection that is threatening his life. He is one of the bravest people that I have ever met. He has never asked of anything from the residents of the town. Now is our chance to step up and help both him and his family out. As everyone is aware John has been out of work for a few months. His family has been busy helping John to get better. He needs our help, and I am hoping that this town can step up to the plate and help. From the moment that I met John, I have admired him. He does alot, but never asks for anything in return. He has helped so many people in this town. I for one am one of those people. Please help him.
There is a fund set-up in his name at TDBanknorth in Plaistow. Any amount will help John, while he is out of work. It would be great if this town could help ease a burden off his wife.
Thank You
Also if anyone would like to send a card, please address it to:
John Lapham
c/o Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Ctr.
Inpatient mail
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
United States
Please show Corporal John Lapham, that this community can stand up and show our support to those in need. I for one, miss John and can not wait until he can get better and return to work. Please show him that we support him. "
15 comments:
I was the poster that wrote a while back about the problem of many posts here that seemed to be on the intellectual level of grade school kids. I was surprised that the people here actually turned the post into an article, with the tile of something like "The enemy is us", and it demonstrated an intent to try to raise the quality of the discussion featured here.
Don't misunderstand; I think this forum is ESSENTIAL in a town where there have been repeated instances of what many believe is the abuse of power, and with some in power that have little problem using bullying and intimidation to get their way. The saddest fact, and one of the biggest problems, is that many selectmen have sat back and allowed this to happen. My issue was that I don't want public officials to be able to dismiss the problems that are raised here by pointing to unfair, silly, or unsupported rumor that proports to be fact.
Another issue is that poor posts will keep bright informed people from wanting to stay and participate in the discussion here. Most of this blog is so one-sided that it often comes off as cartoon propaganda, even though I believe most of the concerns are real, and many or most of the allegations are true. We must also acknowledge, at the same time, that public service is often a thankless job, and give credit where credit is due. This is not an issue of good guys/bad guys. The issues are more complex than that, and it would serve us all if that complexity could be reflected more accurately here.
What I wish would happen is that information be presented with less editorializing and fewer accusations; let the facts speak for themselves. Provide historical context, offer the evidence, and let people get angry enough to want to get involved. With personal attacks, all you're going to be doing here is preaching to the choir; what we need to do is to reach out and involve more citizens in the effort to restore a working and open government to our town. The level of quality of the content here will decide how many people decide to learn, and return, again. Then we will see the change we all know is necessary.
Dear Publius
I read the Mission statement and couldn't agree more. However, might I suggest that there may also be room here for some positive statements. We have many people who have served the Town for many years in exemplary fashion. Many are volunteers. Others could probably be making much more money in the private sector. I'd like to see some recognition for these fine people. Especially considering the "trials" many must go through in dealing with those who regularly grace the pages of this site.
Observerous
Dear Anon,
THank you for trying to raise the level of discourse here. However, as for the editoriializing, that is what this site is for.
If you just want the unvarnished facts, go to atkinsontaxpayers.org and read the public documents posted there.
If you wish to comment on those documents, this is the place to do it.
We do try to be fair. We publish articles and comments from BOTH sides of the debate as long as they are germane to the subject and not simply hate and invective filled rants.
We DO try to be fair, for example on 9/10/07 we published an article submission from Mr. Acciard entitled Selectman Sapia is right! However, we do get very few submissions or comments agreeing with Mr. Sapia's or Mr. Consentino's actions. Read into that what you will, but free and open speech, without the fear of reprisals from abusive public officials is what we hope to offer here.
After reading your mission statement, I couldn't disagree more. This blog is a hanging platform for whom ever they decide to write about each week.
I would like to see the blog act more in line with what the claims of the mission statement promise to be.
If this site was "open" why do all comments and postings have to be approved by the moderator? seems like more of a spot for people to complain and regulate the responses. Rather than posting anonymously try actually getting involved with the town and speaking at meetings, planning boards, etc.
To the last two Anons:
Look at what happens to those who speak up at town meetings and criticize the selectmen or the chief! We post anonymously so that we dont have to go through what Mrs. Grant, Mr. Acciard, Mr. Kaye, or too many others to count have gone through before our very eyes, in meetings!
Oh, and how funny is it to criticize us for posting anonymously while you are doing it yourself, hypocrit!
I have heard Fred Childs claim that this blog refuses to publish the other side of the stories they print, and they refuse to post anything positive.
I asked him if he ever tried to post anything to it, and he replied No, he never reads it.
My response is, well then hos do you know they wont publish it, if you dont try?
Publius,
I didn't say there should be NO editorializing; I said there should be LESS editorializing, meaning that what's stated here should be supported by FACT and as much documentation as possible.
Vitriolic tirades,rants, and personal attacks diminish this blog. Let's be careful and not misquote each others' arguments.
To Anon on Dec. 11, @ 8:17am
Due to Chief Consentino's demonstrated track record of suing anyone and everyone who publicly criticizes him, for slander, Libel, and Defamation, We wish to moderate comments so that nothing slanderous is automatically posted here.
This is a site for debate, and discussion, not slander.
By the way, it is not slander if it is true!
The Mission Statement should state that the purpose of the Atkinson blog is FOR ATKINSON RESIDENTS to comment on, discuss, agree or disagree with issues or happenings in our town.
Our blog is, in effect, our on-going cyberspace Deliberative Session/Town Meeting.
Just as participation in our Deliberative Sessions and Town Meeting is restricted to Atkinson residents,(except for non-residents given special permission by the Moderator to address the body), so also should posting on our blog be restricted to:
-- Atkinson residents,
-- former Atkinson residents,
-- non-resident relatives of Atkinsonians
-- non-resident town employees.
I say this not to be exclusionary, but only to prevent a re-occurence of what happened prior to and after our Special Town meeting. You'll recall-- a Danville resident, (using our blog, the Danville blog and the Carriage Town News) repeatedly intruded himself into our lives to tell Atkinson residents how we should think or vote on the water issue. After we ignored him and passed the article in a landslide, in a huff and tantrum, he used the same outlets to repeatedly criticize how we voted.
Contrary to what this Danville resident thinks, we in Atkinson are intelligent people and quite capable of thinking for ourselves. We don't need any out-sider telling us how to think or vote.
Like many Atkinson residents, I found his repeated intrusions into our voting process offensive and insulting to our intelligence.
We don't presume to tell the people in Danville or abutting towns how to think or vote. We are entitled to the same courtesy of non-intruding.
In international relations, it is considered a serious violation of a nation's sovereignty for another country to interfere in the internal affairs/elections/voting process of another country.
Examples:
1. There was rioting and killings in the streets of Lebanon when Syria intruded intself into Lebanon's internal affairs and election process by killing off the main Lebanonese candidate and then running pro-Syria candidates in his place.
2. When Osama bin Ladin endorsed Kerry for president, urging American voters to support Kerry against Bush. Osama's attempting to influence our elections was the kiss of death to Kerry's presidential ambitions.
3. In our nation's early days, the U.S. adopted the Monroe Doctrine which warned other nations to stay out of our American hemisphere and don't interfere in our internal affairs -- saying in effect, that the U.S. is the master of its own house and won't tolerate the interference of outside nations.
We are now approaching the pre-Deliberative Session/Town Meeting season. Soon Warrant articles will be submitted.
Hopefully, our town sovereignty will be respected this time and we won't be again repeatedly told by this non-resident how to think or vote on Atkinson issues.
I would also recommend the Atkinson Reporter rename itself to something like:
Atkinson Virtual Town Meeting
or Atkinson Virtual Town Hall
or something to that effect. Atkinson Reporter is more journalist in my opinion. Nothing wrong with it but I think this blog functions more like real town hall discussions we would have ------if we had free speech in town, but we don't so we have to post here anonymously thanks to the long and documented harrassment and intimidation tactics from our chief of police. And he of course slanders this blog.
Of COURSE he slanders this blog!
He slanders ANYONE who is critical of him, and the people on this blog, have surely been critical of him!
It takes a really big man to stand there and complain about others having to hide in the shadows of cyberspace, and if they were honest they would speak to him man to man, when we see what talking to him man to man gets you...
Followed, Threatened, Screamed at on camera, sent threatening letters, police power used to harrass and intimidate.
I wonder if he would be as brave without the badge?
I agree with the sentiments expressed by Anonymous Dec. 19, 3:04 a.m.
This Danville character that keeps butting into Atkinson's business on blogs and in the Carriage Towne News--you have to wonder why he is so fixated on our town. He needs to get a life of his own that doesn't involve his nose constantly in Atkinson's affairs.
I especially liked Anonymous' reference to international affairs and countries not butting into each other's internal affairs.
But I think this guy is too ego-centric and has too-inflated an opinion of himself to get the point that Atkinson's business and internal affairs are for Atkinson's residents.
People are talking about the censorship in this blog.
To Anon @ 12:32am
If there were any censorship, that would be an issue of concern, however, out of over 4000 articles and comments, only 16 comments have been rejected, and those for the most part because they were hate filled, slanderous rants that neither advanced the debate, nor had any place on this blog.
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