Letter to the Editor: Time Out for Jane

The following Letter to the Editor was sent in by Todd Palmer of East Vincent Township:

I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt, which I had done with Jane Peronteau– candidate for East Vincent Township Supervisor– whom I only know by reputation. That was until I visited my mailbox on two separate occasions this week.

Jane Peronteau has taken the race for East Vincent Township Supervisor to a new low. Perhaps our local race is only a microcosm for what is happening across our country or maybe her campaign mailers truly reflect her personality. Whatever the reason or reasons, it reflects badly on her, her handlers, her political party and our township.

Saul Rivkin is a good man. He has volunteered his time and has done a great job as chair of the Historic Commission. He has a platform and a vision for East Vincent - one compelling community with a rural identity. Like Saul, it’s sophisticated and direct, what you see is what you get. It’s solid, honest and inclusive.

Jane’s platform is less clear. She wants to keep taxes low and will do all that’s necessary to keep us all safe and happy. She never says how.

Apparently the first thing to do to keep us all safe and happy is to dispatch Saul. When I read her mailers, they remind me of a small child covering her ears and yelling wildly so that she doesn’t have to hear the truth. It’s loud, it’s shrill and it’s mean. Her mailer is a tantrum and Jane needs a time out.

We all need a time out. We need to walk away from this kind of campaigning and remember that those running for office are our neighbors. We know them, we work with them and our kids play together. Most of us teach our children values by how we act. Our children watch everything we do and they take it all in.

Disturbingly, because of the content, Jane’s campaign mailer came addressed to my family. As a kid, I can’t remember anything addressed to my family wasn’t fair game for me to read and discuss. Mail is a big thing– it gets delivered and it’s official.

So now that man who always comes to my lacrosse games is a criminal?

What are we coming to? What price are we willing to pay for this calumny and slander. It cheapens and hurts all of us. What’s more it makes East Vincent look bad. We embarrass ourselves by demeaning, discounting and lying about our own potential leaders.

What’s really scary is that we are creating a “norm,” (an undiscussed way of behaving) that says that this kind of behavior is OK. We tacitly accept that campaigns are negative, politicians are ridiculed and government is useless. It’s divisive and hurts our democracy.

In contrast, Saul Rivikin has run a positive campaign in which he has put forth real ideas to improve East Vincent. Whether or not you like his idea of a village concept for Jones versus a mega mall, it’s an idea that should be debated instead of allowing a developer to come into our township and call the shots. The mature discussion of ideas is normal and natural in evolved societies and leads to the best ideas surviving. It’s the way East Vincent Township should do business.

Choosing debasement over debate is not only bad policy it is self-destructive. If you win by debasing your opponent, how do you heal afterwards? How do you work with these residents ever again?

In my mind, Jane has focused exclusively on casting her opponent in a negative light. It is like she forgot to tell voters anything positive about herself. She might have described what she actually would have done if she were entrusted with the office of East Vincent Township Supervisor but it’s probably too late to take the high road.

Meanwhile Saul Rivkin is already on it.

As an 18 year resident of this township, I suggest that neighbors and voters give Jane Peronteau a second chance by having her sit this one out and think it over. We need her energy - we need the collaboration of all of our residents - but we don’t need the anger and the hostility of her campaign approach.

Sincerely,

Todd Palmer
East Vincent Township