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To the Editor:
Regarding the Rochester Town Board and its "porno scandal," as a lifelong Democrat I was stunned, and remain stunned, at the town board's handling, and now its spin doctoring, of the entire Manuela Mihailescu situation.
A "linked to adult website" witch hunt? ― what will be the next charge brought against a political opponent or town committee applicant? "A communist"? "An atheist"? "Writer of a naughty novel"?
Since when do we as a town act on unsubstantiated "sex" rumors to smear people? We, the Democrats, were the Karl Roves here! As any first-year journalism student knows (and any sensitive leaders in a volatile political climate should understand): when handed sex gossip meant only to smear a person the wise choice is to simply ignore the rumor. Throw it out. Do not first attack the target of the gossip (this is a small town so any attack is public ― and the town board knew that). That's right, ignoring a salacious lifestyle rumor is what "any fair and reasonable person would do."
The Democrats on the town board have tied themselves into a very foolish, politically inept knot. I suggest we all ― Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, etc. ― all take a break from snooping and "Googling" each other. Give it a rest. Gossip plus the internet is a very dangerous Pandora's Box, and if our political discourse and genuine disagreements are reduced to tracing and trading rumors about each other then any hope for town-wide consensus on difficult issues is lost.
An apology to Ms. Mihailescu would be appropriate, as well as an apology to the town for this entire embarrassment. My goodness: grow up.
Neil Cohen
Accord
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