THE GROWING…..NEW SILENT MAJORITY…
I remember back during the campaign when those who lived in “Old Guard” territory would take this writer aside and say they had to “play the game”…and place the signs in their yards…even though they were not going to vote that way….
I remember the Candidates Dodd and Clottey….going door to door…on their own…sans “Broom Boys”…… meeting backers and former backers of the “Boys” from the previous election ……readers of the CIC-MacMillan paper ……. and/ or….the Futures paper…. who were “on the fence” or perceived to be thoroughly “entrenched” OG voters…who surprisingly gave some time and a real listen to these 2 new campaigners and asked for a guarantee in many circumstances that things would be different…and they ….the candidates would be independent of both sides…Being given that assurance on their doorsteps……. many of those voters……more than we could have imagined…said they were going to take a chance….and indeed they did!
I remember when the residents of Sea Ranch Club…all three buildings…decided to break away from their well- known past election voting pattern……buck the status quo…and produce what became the real reason for the win of this new majority …thus….making it a reality…based on their trust that these candidates would enact change on the dais…promote fiscal responsibility and finally make this an inclusive town…for the Old Guard..the New Guard and everything in between…Unfortunately that trust was broken in record “payback” time…leaving the SRC residents in disbelief…and for a time right after the election….they were anything but quiet about what transpired from those coveted votes………….although now……that outrage has been replaced by a simmering…steaming silence…so watch out…
Those voters who remember…what was to be…what was promised….last year at this time……have now become…the growing ..new silent majority…
They are afraid to speak up…. to voice their disgust or publicly disagree with those who are now in charge…for fear they too will meet with the same shouts of “liar”…”traitor”……or much worse… No doubt they have seen what happens to those who do dare to question….speak up……or write about what is happening in this town…….the consequences of putting the “spot light” squarely where it belongs…
So they are now “playing the game”……even obligatorily showing up to parties……and events…..so as not to meet up with any sort of “interrogation” aftermath for nonattendance………it’s easier this way…they say…until…the next election…where with their vote…once more their silence will be heard loud and clear……with much different results!….
In the meantime…they will carry on…read what they can stomach…quietly let this writer know where they really stand…and wait…..
They have done it before…sadly…they have done it before…
more to come…
Tags: Local Politics, Scoops
