Right-to-Know: March 2008 Archives
March 31st, 2008
Editor, The Citizen: At Thursday's Selectmen's meeting our Chairperson Karel Crawford chose the start of the meeting to "speak as a private citizen" and belittle and denigrate a local citizen activist group that publicly sought her ouster at the recent elections. She commented against some items published on a public website about letters in the public domain that were, in her view, belittling to another citizen, a citizen that obviously supports the current Select board. Apparently, these insulted citizens chose to get in the ear of the Selectmen who then chose very inappropriately to speak on their behalf and denigrate others.
Karel Crawford has every right to speak as a private citizen, but in the proper forum. When you are the Chair of the Selectmen committee and you are taking the floor at a Selectmen meeting it is not the proper forum and you are being disingenuous. Calling this group and all that support it "intimidating" and "slanderous" are serious charges and makes me wonder what is next, an oath asking "have you now or have you ever been a member of the Moultonborough Citizen's Alliance"? Do you seriously believe some will not see this as an opportunity for you to strike back at your opposition? How is it that one citizen (that agrees and supports you) can obviously get your ear while those that don't are put down and dismissed?
Shame on you Karel Crawford for traveling the low road and showing the public just how unfair and intolerant you can be. I expect our leadership to be above this and represent all of us, even those we don't agree with or didn't get your vote. You should publicly apologize for this outburst in the interest of true democracy. A sad day indeed in Moultonborough.
Paul Punturieri
Moultonborough
