Monday, November 14, 2011

Shhhh, it's a DRUG BUST

The Somerville News reports today that:

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Somerville Chief of Police Thomas Pasquarello invite residents in the Oxford Street neighborhood to a community meeting to discuss recent police activity. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 15, at 7:00 p.m. at the Public Safety Building, 220 Washington Street. Chief Pasquarello and other officers will address issues of concern for the neighborhood, and answer questions from residents. If you have questions on any police matter, please call the police information line at 617-625-1600.


In case you assume this has something to do with loud donut and coffee tailgate parties resulting in complaints about the police slacking off, you assume wrong. Between the lines of that community group hug invitation is the fact that "police activity," concerned a crystal meth lab located on one of Somerville's sleepy, peaceful streets, about a half block from City Hall.

So, yeah, I guess Mayor Joe wants to tiptoe carefully around this one, though it's hardly a secret, as the incident was fully reported on Wicked Local Somerville November 7.

But what the hell is up with Somerville "News"? How do they call themselves a news organization and use a euphemism ("police activity") in place of the description of a bust that included helicopters, federal agents, hazmat personnel, and "shouts of 'fire in the hole'"(according to the MASSCOPS website)? You gotta give those guys credit for putting their careers on the line to get the story, no? In fact, this fine piece of journalistic integrity came verbatim from a City Hall press release.

Which leads us right back to mealy mouthed Mayor Joe. Every time I think maybe he's not so bad (I've been told he's against Wal-Mart), he pulls some bonehead move. By publicizing this meeting without admitting the real reason for it, he is not only patronizing all of his constituents, but trying to weasel out of taking public responsibility for having no idea what was going on half a block from his office. There's also a little voice in my head that keeps squeaking "property values," another incentive to say, "shhhh," and move on.

So, I'm just here to yell DRUG BUST DRUG BUST DRUG BUST as loud as I can because I hate a coverup. And I really hate being patronized.

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