May 20 is just an ordinary day for most people, but not for Ms Melanie Levesque. It’s her birthday and I’m giving everyone early notice so they can plan ahead just like I have. No, I am not giving her a brand new pair of roller skates or a brand new key. I have something better in mind, but let’s take a moment to discuss minds, shall we?
Many great philosophers and theologians have encouraged specific ways of dealing with disagreeable people. Somewhere in the Bible, “gently instruct” is mentioned, but even great secular minds have preferred seeing such people’s origin of disagreement as rooted in misunderstanding rather than malice. Although I admit to not always taking that stance, it doesn’t negate the fact that there were and are minds greater than my own that are worthy of consideration. As Melanie turns 68, think back to half a century ago when she was completing her NTU indoctrination at the alma mater of her future governor.
Since “Gov-Ed,” as Chis Salcedo calls it, has misguided her, an appropriate gift would be something that would steer her back to sanity when it comes to today’s Gov-Ed. I will give Melanie the benefit of the doubt that her disdain for Free Staters and school budget trimmers is misplaced. That is why her birthday present, albeit early, is an autographed copy of The Croydon Budget Battle. Remember the words “donor town” from all the contentious school funding talk over the years? When it comes to products of intellectual property, one could view Croydon as a donor town (to Brookline).
I know I’m “announcing it with trumpets,” which is as non-Biblical as George Costanza’s efforts to make it known that he paid for that big salad, but I bought the book with my own money. My reason for this “violation” is preemptive, as Melanie will likely accuse the Underwoods of harassment. However, the autograph is such that a polite and meaningful discussion about the book’s talking points is welcome, and Ian’s email address is included.
Brookliners really dropped the ball by failing to recruit a volunteer to run for the SAU 41 COOP Budget Committee during local election filing time, and it’s unknown(to me) if someone stepped up later to be a “write-in.” Melanie got elected to that seat without having to campaign. Now that she’s in that office, any alert Brookline property owner could argue that it’s just as dangerous as her occupying Kevin’s seat in the Senate or Wheeler’s seat in the Executive Council. Readers should know by now that the school budget is the greedy monster that consumes about 70% of a town’s operating budget, and contrary to what Rosenwald and her ilk want people to think, there’s only so much that Concord can do for Brookline (or YOUR town/city).
Often told as a kid that God helps those who help themselves, I wanted to know if that was also mentioned in the Bible. However, a quick internet search revealed that Ben Franklin is credited with saying it exactly 200 years before Melanie’s time. Helping ourselves means recruiting at least one paper candidate for every office, everywhere, from Dr O’Sullivan’s newly acquired school seat in Epsom at the end of its term to all the Donchess Donkeys(particularly Aldermen Dowd, Klee, Lopez, Kelly and Moron) this coming November.
Whether or not you want to send Melanie warm birthday wishes, you can still remind her that she has resumed her status as a “public servant” and is expected to “serve with honor,” as Senator Giuda’s brother Brandon would say. A good compass for serving with honor would be the polar opposite of whatever the teachers’ union wants.
