If you delete something... a blog entry, a comment, etc. - does that mean it never happened?
I bring this up because some posts have disappeared from Middleboro Selectman Adam Bond's blog, Coffee Talk. One referred to his recent public outrage about the Mashpee Wamapanoag's letter to the Governor requesting they commence casino compact negotiations while leaving Middleboro out in the cold, and another was a weird sort of personal (aka public) "everything's ok now, but don't let it happen again or I'll scratch your eyes out" letter to Tribal chief Sean Hendricks.
Both posts seem to have vanished.
Fortunately, Media Nation blogged about the first, and I blogged the second for posterity.
Belicose Bumpkin, Carl's Quotes and Carverchick blogged about it, too.
So why take down the posts on his own blog?
Is Bond trying to rewrite history - or just his own history?
This all comes on the heels of hearing that Bond's latest radio program has been offering a kinder gentler form of Bondage.
I respect the fact that blogs are an individual form of expression, and you can do whatever you want with them, including removing your own posts when it suits you.
That being said, I personally think it's a cop out. If someone says it, it's been said. You can't erase it in real life. So deal with it. Stand by it.
The blogosphere ain't for sissies.
To me, the removal of those posts on Adam's blogs is an admission that they were as goofy and as weird as most of us thought they were. Like many of them have been.
Now it's being suggested that Bond is attempting to change his image. If so, this is in keeping with his modus operandi: Condemn the people who criticize your actions. Intimidate them if necessary. Erase any words that might come back to haunt you. And proclaim it's all in the name of "unity".
But, no matter how much Bond, or anyone else, tries to rewrite the history of these casino chronicles, no matter how many memories fade, or feelings mellow, or spin is spun, and regardless of how many folks will eventually swallow his call for 'unity' - anyone in search of the actual truth can always visit good old Gladys Kravitz and see for themselves what really happened, and decide for themselves if this "image change" is for real, or just more lipstick on a Yorkie.
But hey, you know that's why I'm here.
Posts
15 comments:
Being more cynical than you, I wonder if Mr. Bond was asked to remove those posts by those he sold his soul to one year ago. By agreeing to unconditionally support the Tribe/Investors, he has backed himself into a corner. And that decision will adversely affect the rest of his public career.
Bond can write and delete whatever he wants. Thankfully, we have bloggers like you who continue to chronicle his public words and actions.
We all make mistakes and we all pay a price for them. Unfortunately for Mr. Bond, nothing written on the internet ever fully disappears.
Bond can write and delete whatever he wants.
And fortunately we have some who have figured out that if you hit Ctl and A and Ctl and C, you can then SAVE the entire post by then going to your personal folder and hitting Ctl and V.
Now it's been saved and not forgotten. Just like Bondo's other stupid comments that have been saved. Keep pumping them out, Adam.
Mr. Bond apparently convinced himself that you can tell lies, post hatefilled comments and as long as you delete them, it never happened, like his holocaust comment. I hadn't noticed the deletion but appreciate that you brought it to my attention. What would we do without you, Gladys?
More than anything, I would love to see the town working together and the animosity dissolve, but it just seems that, when things quiet down and there is a potential, the Bonds toss some kind of grenade.
It seemed to me that Mr. Bond could have resolved the entire matter without posting public comments that were subsequently deleted. Quiet leadership was needed, not the pounding of one's chest and the jungle call to arms.
I believe that the same outcome could have been gained, but it wouldn't have allowed Mr. Bond to call attention to himself. Sad!
Things like this can be the undoing for the casino and those who support it.
"A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a wise man restains his tongue."
He should have restrained himself and just made a phone call. No one would have known the wiser.
I have never deleted a blog...even when it offended some. I have never deleted a comment on my blog, even when that offended some too.
Most of us who blog think before we hit the post button and we don't ever regret that we did. Sure, there have been moments of riding the fence about posting a certain blog, or a comment, but I have always stood by what I say and stand by what I choose to post or not post in the comment section of my blog. I don't look back and I don't remove something because someone else didn't like it. Neither does Gladys, which is why I have such respect for her. She stands by what she says and does, always.
The ironic thing about Adam deleting his letter blogs is that I honestly didn't find anything wrong with what he said....but I am certain the investors did. He knows the true power of the blogsphere and used it to stand up for his Town and forced the Tribe to honor their agreement. He showed the Tribe's true colors. He then made nice on his blog which was a total cop out in my eyes, but the bottom line is he did the right thing to begin with and never should have removed them because they showed how messed up this whole thing really is. It belittles what he did in the first place - defending Middleboro - and makes people question his motives and integrity, which is quite obvious from the comments here. But, it is his blog and it is his choice.
...and we do have memories like elephants...we don't forget even when it is deleted. Thanks once again Gladys for documenting the true story of the Casino Chronicles.
Wise comment, cdplakeville. He could have allowed Sean to just make a public comment about the oversight and request a letter from the bored [sic]. A wise leader would have followed that course instead of conducting a public food fight.
The town will never heal until Bond is OUT OF OFFICE. Does he come up for re-election in April?? The opposition needs to start planning now. Last election the incumbents got less than 50% of the vote. An organized effort should have no problem defeating Mr. Bond.
Unfortunately, we have yet another year to endure Bond. I believe this April Steven Spattaro is up for re-election.
One commentor pointed out that one of the Selectmen will be up for re-election in the spring. I don't think it's too soon to start planning for that now.
To upset the apple cart and get at least one new Selectman who is not avidly pro casino, we need to all get behind ONE candidate. Although I understand that last time one woman ran with the express intent of getting people to focus on the issues (which she is very effective at and I applaud her efforts), her candidacy and Ted Eayrs' split the vote enough to keep Greg Stevens from winning. This time we need to break the monopoly and set our sights on winning a seat. It's just not healthy to have a BOS made up only of people who represent one special interest. Although I understand that whoever gets elected must show support to the tribe once in office, that person is still free to challenge the status quo on many peripheral issues surrounding the casino. It's time for anti-casino people to seek representation to make sure that IF the casino is built, everything will meet the strictest standards to the letter of the law. No BS, no secret meetings, no lock hold on Board votes, No Adam Bond. We can accomplish this. We MUST accomplish this. We need some checks and balances within the BOS itself.
It is my understanding that Mr. Spataro has indicated that he won't run for re-election. Since he's frequently late, absent, inattentive, unprepared or text-messaging, it seems a trivial loss.
It certainly created a professional appearance in a televised meeting to sit there and text-message.
There is information that Brian Giovanoni, CRAC chairman, might fill that vacancy. What a deal!
Hardly a victory...
Anon 9:30 Wrote:
"There is information that Brian Giovanoni, CRAC chairman, might fill that vacancy. What a deal!"
Just what we need, another YES man for Adam Bond and the casino backers. BG has done more to divide this town than almost anybody, except AB. Someone needs to step up and give the "Blovious Marshmallow Man" a run for his money.
I agree, a united front with a single candidate would be the only way to beat the incumbents, who didn't even get 50% of the vote last time. Unfortunately, I think O'Shaugnessy will be the spoiler. The Pro side needs one.
anon 6:58 You're right about O'Shaughnessy. He didn't know the issues and shows no leadership but pulled just enough votes to prevent any other new candidate from being elected. Hence, Mrs. Duphily, who is an extraordinarily nice lady and very talented, but doesn't belong on the BOS. It was clear that she had NEVER watched a meeting before being elected, had never read the meeting minutes that are available online and has no understanding of how town government runs. Mimi, Hon, we love you, but you don't belong on the Board!
Glad, no relieved, to see there are some out there that can see through Bond and are not naive enough to believe that, NOW? he is trying to unite the town he tore apart. And if he is trying to unite, believe me it's for his own agenda, (higher asperations?), not the towns and it's residents. Big city upbringing, big city law school, big city living and law practice, and now living in a rural out of the way place like Middleboro with no family ties here,(reasons why some come back here to live), and setting up a law business here! (if not a family business, highly educated persons work in Boston, live here for the rural life), oh no, the equation doesn't fit!!
No one will convince me of his sincerity now when I saw how he talked so arrogantly not to just the residents of this town but also to the other selectmen that sat with him on the board. No, you don't really change your true identity, you only appear to change your personaltiy to fit your needs. He is very good at this. Much practice, I'm sure.
Judy
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