Bellicose Bumpkin

Some pro-casino people have been engaging in illegal and threatening activities to try to intimidate casino opponents.

• Signs are being stolen off of private property. The frequency of the thefts suggest an organized campaign. In one alarming case a car drove onto the lawn to run over a sign – just feet away from where the resident’s children often play.
• CFO members have been called and harrassed at their homes and busineses – in some cases in the middle of the night.
• A woman had her car spat on when a man saw the “No Casino” bumper sticker.
• Incendiary and inaccurate news reports seeking to discredit the opposition.

Most of these incidents are not being carried out by the organized pro-casino movement in town. The exception would be the news reports.

Note to Wampanoag Tribal Spokesman Scott Ferson: You make me ashamed to be a Democrat. Your smear campaign against CasinoFacts.org on behalf your corporate overlords shows a complete disregard for fairplay and decency. Note to Glenn Marshall: If you sanction Scott’s public statements – shame on you. Note to all: CFO is not affiliated with the Democratic party or any other group.

Tribal Elder Amelia Bingham and other shunned Wampanoags showed up at their own pow-wow literally surrounded by a phalanx of armed police. For those who don’t know, Ms. Bingham was effectively kicked out of her own tribe for asking to see the Tribe’s finances and get an explanation of any deals the Tribe had with the casino developers. This woman is the living embodiment of integrity and tenacity.

After daring to show up at her own pow-wow, Scott Ferson tried to discredit CasinoFacts.org by accusing CFO as being behind her protest. I’d be flattered if Scott believes we have such power over the Wampanoag people. He doesn’t. It’s just part of his ongoing attempt to threaten, bully, and discredit the opposition. Scott – if you can’t sell the casino on it’s merits then you have a serious PR problem on your hands. Selling it by trying to discredit a grassroots citizens group with $80 worth of an internet site is a cheap shot.

This isn’t his first swing at us. When the idea of doing a silent casino protest at the Wampanoag pow-wow was brought up at a CFO meeting, we rejected the idea as being disrepectful to the tribe. The “suggestion” was made by a person who turned out to be pro-casino. Scott took this event and ran with it – attacking CasinoFacts.org for plans that never existed. All this after a CFO member told Glenn Marshall personally that we had no plans to disrupt or protest at the pow-wow.

CasinoFacts.org is a grassroots group of Middleboro residents who are trying to preserve their town’s character. We are fighting a huge multinational corporation with limitless resources at their disposal. It is a true David versus Goliath story. Casino advocates like Ferson – lacking a compelling argument to sway the public, have resorted to cheap attacks against the opposition. They’re not arguing for the casino – they’re arguing against opponents. Mr. Ferson – the Democratic party I know would work on behalf of the small citizen group that is trying to protect their homes and families. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

Keep on swinging at us Ferson. It just makes us more determined. Your cheap attacks make us sure that we should not be involved with people who would use such tactics. You represent a giant international corporation that is only interested in making a buck and has no concern for Middleboro. We are the people of Middleboro. Our motives are pure. Our message is about issues not about attacking people. And yes I realize that this very blog is attacking you. It’s just that I’ve turned the other cheek so many times I was getting dizzy from spinning around.. and had to stop for a minute.

As I said earlier. You have a serious PR problem on your hands. Your tactics and motives are transparent to everyone and we’re going to beat you. Let’s see how your next potential corporate overlord feels about your “stellar” performance here in Middleboro. I don’t think you’re earning your money if you’re having such trouble with a “vocal minority” whose resources consist of little more than conviction and an $80 web site. I’d love to see how you’re going to spin the “Middleboro job” on your resume. Maybe you can find a way to blame CasinoFacts.org for your poor job performance.

Maybe next time you’ll try to treat people with respect and dignity and let them make an informed decision on their town without threats, bullying, misinformation, and personal attacks. Try it. It just might work next time.

Sleep well tonight Scott. I know I will.

PS to the man who spit on the women’s car. Thank you. Her father was ambivalent about the casino. He is now working very hard on our behalf.