Writer Speculates 'Does Rebekah Like Newtown?'
To the Editor:
Many people have come to Newtown for its people, events, and character. Nestled between the urban cities of Danbury, Bridgeport, and Waterbury, it is perfectly centered for access to shopping, entertainment, and employment. The warm and open people of Newtown are known for hosting some of the most celebrated and attended events in the area, including Halloween on Main Street and the renowned Labor Day Parade. Newtown’s charming rural character is the perfect setting for families, education, and the fine art of a life well lived.
However, the very essence of our community is under attack by some who look to represent and lead us. Rebekah is among them.
Does Rebekah like Newtown? She has targeted, for transformation, three of our cherished institutions, promising irreversible changes to our community that will make us more like a troubled city than the town we love.
Police: The security of our community is paramount to keeping an environment where we are free to live and experience the best things Newtown has to offer. The Newtown Police, in partnership with community members, have long worked to a keep the safety of our community.
However, Rebekah supports the recent acts of the assembly which strip our officers of the protections they need to do their job. We have seen how this policy has resulted in anarchy, destruction, and rising crime rates in cities across the country. With reckless arrogance, she asserts that supporting the police is “avoiding the conversation on race.”
Community: The rural character of Newtown has been a perfect setting for families to raise their children and take part in the many events natural to our community.
However, Rebekah supports bills in the assembly that would end local zoning and transform Newtown into the urban sprawl found in the suburbs of New York City. The loss of our rural character would be permanent and dramatic. She believes it is the price Newtown should pay for its purported systemic racism.
Education: A fine educational system has drawn new residents to Newtown over the years. A strong focus on integrated curriculum, diverse offerings and an excellent teaching staff has produced students who have gone on to attend the best universities in the country.
However, Rebekah, as a member of the Board of Education, instead of nurturing the educational system she has been entrusted with, is looking to diminish it. She has pledged to change our schools history curriculum as a solution to America’s inherit racism. History does not change, only one’s perspective changes to achieve political ends. Our students’ quality of education should not be sacrificed at the altar of Rebekah’s virtue signaling.
Rebekah wants to change Newtown because Rebekah does not like Newtown. The Democrat controlled assembly which looks to change Connecticut will find support from a would-be Representative Harriman-Stites. The loving and prosperous people of Newtown should not be a party to detrimental change to the community we plan to leave our children and grandchildren by choosing Rebekah.
Kersti Ferguson
Taunton Hill Road, Newtown October 13, 2020
I am routinely bombarded with cookie-cutter Rebekah ads on youtube that contain empty soundbites like “Newtown deserves a representative that works for each and every one of us” with absolutely no context other than she approves her own one sentence message. tbh there is no better way to get me to not vote for someone.
Having different opinion should not lead to accusing a candidate of not liking Newtown nor not loving America, Rebekah discussing of new ideas and potential changes benefits us all by having an open dialogue.
Conservative ideologies are dying, for the better. Grow up and accept the fact that world doesn’t necessarily agree with your outdated views.
As the spouse of the Vice Chair of Newtown’s Republican Town Committee, this ‘writer’s speculation’ is anything but objective and must be taken at face value….in other words, pure political partisan mudslinging. (So much for transparency)…
What a truly disgusting letter. I’m surprised Kersti doesn’t run a vet clinic with all the dog whistles she sent out in this transparent attack. Maybe Kersti should do some self-reflecting on why she opposes so many efforts to combat racism and spend less time doing Mitch Bolinsky’s dirty work.
Shame on the Newtown Bee. They are blatantly going against their own standards by publishing this letter. First of all, this is clearly a letter endorsing a candidate, which, according to their guidelines must be no longer than 300 words. Second; back in September I wrote a letter to the editor about how elected officials ought to have character and shared the negative experience I had with one of our elected officials who was using his position to attempt to get special treatment. The Bee refuses to print it saying it was libel.
Apparently it’s only considered libel if it goes against the people they support.
This letter is nothing but mudslinging and conjecture, attempting to paint a wonderful human (who has already extended far more grace during this election season than I ever could) in a negative light.
Do better.
To Wingee – I am deeply offended by your suggestion that since my spouse is an NRTC “board member” that I am unable to formulate my own opinions and thoughts. Are you saying that you think women are incapable of independent thought? Perhaps you would benefit from knowing that I have my own career in marketing Luxury Properties in NYC and serve as one of the senior members of one of the most successful and respected companies in the industry. I am the sole owner of my home on Taunton Hill where I honor my obligations to both town and state by paying personal property and real estate taxes. As for your sarcastic comment on transparency, I choose to use my own name precisely because it is my name and when I have something to say, I sign my name to it.
My letter is born of deep concern for our amazing town. I chose Newtown as a place to settle and raise my family and my writing reflects my interpretation of statements made directly by candidate Harriman-Stites. She stood on the steps of Newtown and called herself a failure, said the schools that she serves are failing and by inference that we the townspeople are failures. I don’t accept that I or my fellow citizens are failures. We can do better and we will do better but not if we are led by someone who cannot see our overwhelming positives. Harriman-Stites is listed as a candidate and endorsed by the Working Families Party, a far right organization that openly calls for defunding the police and was instrumental in NYC mayor DeBlasio’s election. I find nothing appealing about DeBlasio’s leadership. She is also endorsed and supported by Senator Murphy who wants to remove police and resource officers from our schools. I have a child in school, strongly opposed defunding and removing resource officers from schools and am extremely doubtful that Harriman-Stites could effectively stand opposed to those actions after all the support she’s received from those organizations.
My letter is not a personal attack but rather a vehement disagreement in philosophy that goes so far as to raise the question of whether the candidate truly cares for our town or will simply do and say whatever is politically expedient. There’s plenty of evidence that the latter is more likely the truth.
Your letter was quite personal — perhaps you aren’t familiar with the definition of the word. You said Rebekah doesn’t like Newtown.
By word and deed, she loves the town.
The headline speaks for itself, as to the nature of your letter, its appalling.
If the suggestion that someone doesn’t like Newtown, just because they have ideas that are different from your own, isn’t a personal attack, I don’t know what is. The majority of people reading this think that you’re ideas are outdated, but not one of them has accused you of not liking the town that you say you love.
Kersti,
I agree, Rebekah wants to fundamentally change Newtown and not for the better. In addition, the BOE is already discussing a new race curriculum and the high school is full of propoganda and frequently tramples on parental rights.