A chance to do the right thing

My name is Dave Kurdzionak, and I’ve lived in Stoneham most of my life, graduated Stoneham High School class of 1994, and own The Watchmaker in downtown, which my parents started in 1987. I haven’t followed town politics until very recently. I don’t pay much attention to budgets and bylaws, I don’t have a head for numbers and as a business owner I am hesitant to take a stand that might alienate any of my potential customers, so I usually thought that it’s best to keep my head down and let the politicians do their thing. Something happened at the most recent town meeting that has caused me to start paying attention, and despite some friends and colleagues advising me not to get involved, I feel it is doing a disservice to our community to remain silent.

A group of out of town school children protested on the front steps of town hall, brought by members of the Massachusetts Family Institute to influence voters as they entered to vote on the contentious pot shop issue.

The “MFI” is a political activist group whose purpose is to support candidates at the local level with the goal of getting the laws changed from within. One of their main goals is to support a constitutional amendment to stop gay marriages, which they describe on their website as “unnatural”. The MFI lists official partners on their website, several of which are designated “hate groups” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Stoneham had a hate group on the front steps of town hall. That, my friends and neighbors, is what I call unnatural.

An email to the board of selectmen at the time asking about MFI affiliation received immediate replies from all but one member. All board members that replied stated they were unaware of the group and do not support the MFI’s goals. Copies of the email to the board and the replies I received will be provided to anyone upon request. I cannot provide a copy of Caroline Colarusso’s response- I never received one. I kept digging, and discovered that Caroline is connected on social media to the MFI leaders: Andrew Beckwith, President of MFI, as well as Michael King who chaperoned the children at town meeting. Mr. King is the “Director of Community Alliances”. His job description includes “to engage with their local government leaders and inspire Biblical decisions to be made in regard to such foundation cultural institutions like marriage, life and religious liberty.” Being connected on social media doesn’t imply support, but ignoring the pleas of every constituent that has asked for a clarification on this issue forces this conclusion. The more I researched, the more I learned- Caroline received a “near perfect rating” by the MFI in the state race. In addition, a second group that endorsed Caroline in her bid for state representative and the MFI share the exact same PO box in Woburn.

We have someone asking for your votes and at the same time apparently working to take away hard fought civil rights. It comes down to this, do you want MFI to be one of 5 voices that make decisions that impact you and this town?

If you google “Caroline Colarusso LGBT”, you will find links all showing a pattern of this behavior. These aren’t wild, unfounded accusations, and this is not a partisan hit piece. All information I’ve obtained to come to these conclusions is available to anyone with access to google. I’m not writing to endorse the other candidates, I’m not an insider, and I’m not a good old boy. I’m just Dave. Stoneham has an opportunity to say loud and clear: We a great place for doctors working in Boston to buy a home. Where graduates of Boston’s finest universities can consider making their home. Stoneham shouldn’t be a backwater town where LGBT citizens and those of differing faiths are considered second class citizens in the eyes of a town leader.

Many people say that Caroline has the support of the elderly, but I think enough of our senior citizens that they may not be easily swayed by a smile and a coffee. Also, I would ask parents and high school students, many of whom marched recently in protest, to take notice of what’s happening. This is going to be their town, and if you think as I do that human rights take precedence over bigotry and ignorance, please speak up and out against anyone that would seek to undermine these rights.

So, here we are; the election is upon us. If we choose to support an MFI candidate who has goals of higher office and influence to push that agenda, then I suppose this isn’t the town I thought it was. But I have faith that reason, equality, and inclusiveness will prevail. All people should feel welcome in our great town and welcome at every business. Please vote on April 3rd for freedom and equality for everyone. It’s the American thing to do, and you can be proud of your vote.

Thank you
Dave Kurdzionak
Congress St