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I earnestly, sincerely, SERIOUSLY need your help, friends and followers. So behold today's thread, which I am calling "Please share this in order to help me try to fix my racist town." Keep reading...
I live in Williamstown, Massachusetts, a town of about 7,000 people in the very northwest corner of the state. The north border of town touches Vermont and the west border of town touches upstate New York.
The town is not diverse and it is assuredly not inclusive. Here is JUST A SAMPLER of recent things that have gone on.
A whole bunch of bullying and racism in the police department, including a picture of Hitler that was put up, repeated uses of the N-word, and worse. Much of it allegedly perpetrated by the chief. https://williamsrecord.com/2020/08/lawsuit-brought-by-wpd-sergeant-alleges-sexual-assault-racial-harassment-by-williamstown-police-chief-and-unnamed-officers/
A Williamstown police office was put on the misconduct watchlist by the county DA. https://williamsrecord.com/2020/10/wpd-officer-on-berkshire-das-misconduct-watch-list/
The various allegedly offending police officers are all still on payroll of the town, with no discipline given.
The town manager who has the power to address the issue -- but didn't, and still hasn't -- is still employed by the town.
The select board (our version of a town council) has done nothing to remove the town manager or the various police officers.
Meanwhile, the select board is actually speaking out to tell us to SUPPORT THE POLICE. https://www.iberkshires.com/story/63343/Williamstown-Select-Board-Pleads-for-Patience-Asks-for-Respect-for-Police.html
And wouldn't ya know, a bunch of white people in town ARE ACTUALLY DOING IT. Nevermind the less empowered citizens who are actually being harmed. https://www.iberkshires.com/story/63389/DIRE-Committee-Concerned-About-Enough-Is-Enough-Messaging-in-Williamstown.html
But that's just the police stuff. Here 's another fun (not) tidbit.
Recently, a member of our community who is minoritized along gender and race/ethnicity axes received a death threat.
The select board had a meeting last night and kicked off with 30 minutes spent discussing an f***ing bike path.
At his wit's end, my badass husband waited patiently until the meeting's opportunity for public Q&A on the bike paths to point out the absurdity of putting time and energy into bike paths while black and brown people in our community are being threatened, harassed, and harmed.
To bring the conversation back to stuff that matters, he asked "What is the town's stance on pictures of Hitler along the bike path." <mic drop>
The select board immediately ignored him and started to move on. Then, one member interrupted to say "Wait, we're not going to respond to that RIDICULOUSNESS?"
Select board, it is indeed ridiculous that you put us in the position of having to ask questions like this. If you actually took action to address racism in the community, we wouldn't need to.
Then I tuned out of the meeting because I couldn't handle it anymore. But apparently, later on, the select board members... did yoga? As a way to heal the community?
You think I am making this up but this is what was reported to me. The video of the meeting will soon be out and then we will know. And I am all, WHAT KIND OF WHITE NONSENSE IS THIS.
The way to heal the community to be to START TO ADDRESS THE ACTUAL PROBLEMS.
So anyway, it appears that I live in a place where the powers that be and most of the residents just done give a sh**. This is why I want your help. I think they will react differently if/when the world turns an eye towards Williamstown. CAN YOU PLEASE RETWEET THIS??
And now that I have seen the whole meeting, let me again emphasize that (a) the yoga happened, and (b) I get the sense that the select board really seems to care about their own feelings, and (c) still, LITERALLY NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. their sympathy aside.
