Really, Mr. Hewett? Have you no sense of decency, sir? — Joseph Welch

In his Sept. 17 letter, “Bristol voters, know your candidates,” Pete Hewett attacked the Bristol Democratic Town Committee, its chairperson, Eric Haslehurst, and Rep. Susan Donovan. Such slander and fearmongering should have gone out with the late Sen. Joe McCarthy.

I have known Rep. Donovan for 30 years. She is a trustworthy, intelligent, hardworking public servant who first worked as an educator in our schools and for the past four years has worked for all of us at the State House. Rep. Donovan has already made it clear in this paper that she is not anti-police and it is an act of desperation that Mr. Hewett continues to try to push this viewpoint. She has my vote.

In the same letter, Mr. Hewett referred to the Bristol Democratic Town Committee and its chairperson as a group of “progressive socialist democrats” and took a cheap shot at their support for Laufton Ascencao’s campaign.

Let’s get the facts straight about the Laufton Ascencao debacle. Members of his own party blew the whistle on Mr. Ascencao. This was painful and took a lot of integrity.

In the special election following Mr. Ascencao’s resignation, Rep. June Speakman ran and won a strong and honest campaign. Mr. Hewett’s warning to be wary of supporting the 2020 Democratic slate is not only offensive to the Bristol Democratic Town Committee and the candidates, but insults the intelligence of Bristol voters.

Of course voters should take the time to know your candidates, but learn what they really stand for.

In his efforts to smear the Democratic Town Committee, Mr. Hewett refers to their support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) work for racial justice and casts aspersions by claiming BLM is a Marxist organization responsible for riots. I am not sure where he gets this from. BLM does not support violence or rioting as a method for bringing about the change they seek. In fact, it is contrary to their goals.

What is this nonsense about Progressive Socialists?  Mr. Hewett uses the terms as pejoratives, but according to Wikipedia “Progressivism is a political philosophy in support of social reform. ... In the 21st century, a movement that identifies as progressive is ‘a social or political movement that aims to represent the interests of ordinary people through political change and the support of government actions.’ ”

As I understand it, socialism is an ideology that has become greatly perverted and misunderstood. Several Democratic European and Scandinavian countries have adopted elements of socialism while maintaining some private ownership.

Even in the U.S. we have adopted elements of socialism through our Unemployment Security, Social Security and Medicare systems. Sixty-nine percent of Americans support “Medicare for all,” in which everyone would have access to affordable healthcare. 

No matter the label you put on it, what a difference Medicare for All would have made during this pandemic.

Nancy Hood
Bristol