During the October 2nd City Council meeting, the topic of the City of Watertown Meme page came up. I was surprised my opponent Sarah Compo Pierce would mention her one-year-old daughter in the way that she did during the meeting.
The comment occurred as the Council was discussing emails that all members of the Council received from businessman Mr. P.J. Simao. Ms. Compo Pierce and Mayor Smith spoke of the frequency and number of emails we all received from Mr. Simao and spent several minutes disparaging the businessman.
At one point, Ms. Compo Pierce stated about Mr. Simao, “Bringing my one-year-old daughter into the conversation, which in itself is disturbing.” What was disturbing about what he wrote? She never explained herself.
Mayor Smith followed up with, “I don’t know what type of person brings a one-year-old child into the emails."
Anyone listening to these statements would think Mr. Simao said something cruel about the young child.
But I was copied on that email. (This email was also listed among the 17 emails that Mayor Smith released recently, and I’m attaching it here.)
In this email, Mr. Simao called the City of Watertown meme page “bullying” and “harassment,” and continued, asking Ms. Compo Pierce, “Would you want your daughter to be treated this way by anonymous keyboard warriors as she’s growing up?” There is nothing wrong with asking that question. If she was so disturbed by it, why did she and Mayor Smith bring it up at the October 2nd meeting?
My opponent brought up her daughter again during last week’s work session when discussing how bad some city walks are when she is pushing her stroller. My opponent inserted her daughter early in the campaign when she was out collecting signatures for petitions back in March and posted photos of her out with her daughter. There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing that and Mr. Simao's email was not attacking her daughter.
Mr. Simao’s comment had nothing to do with a young child and everything to do with Ms. Compo Pierce’s and Mayor Smith’s unwillingness to expose the nasty, negative comments made by the nameless individuals behind the meme page. My opponent chose to deflect from answering any questions about whether she is involved with the page or if she knows who is behind the page. She had the perfect opportunity to deny any involvement with the bullying page, but she didn’t. She could have condemned the page but she chose to defend her friends on this page.
Ms. Compo Pierce chooses to protect her friends who are the admins and creators of the page because the page works for her. It attacks me daily, whether it’s about my looks, my hair, my appearance, my weight and now my teeth of all things. She has yet to denounce this page. Why? She believes the page will help her win an election and she wants to win at any cost, even if it means her friends on the anonymous meme page continue to demean, bully, harass and disparage me and others.
Imagine that—adults treating adults like this. And she is ok with it. Condoning the behavior, inappropriate language and harmful words on this page shows what poor role models these people are for our community and especially for children. Many of these people have children of their own - would they want their own children to learn this as acceptable behavior?
Many children in Watertown are victims of bullying and sadly, some have even committed suicide. Watertown deserves better than this. Watertown does not need a Mayor who protects a bunch of immature cyber bullies on an anonymous meme page who are out doing her dirty work in order for her to win. I have been out discussing my accomplishments and my goals if elected Mayor. My opponent chooses to let her meme friends attack me to deflect attention from her.
If anyone is bringing a one-year-old into the conversation, it is Ms. Compo Pierce herself. Very sad, but her behavior is also very telling of her character.