Dear Editor:
A friend recently told me that she takes a social media break during elections. After seeing some of the vitriol being posted by Chelsea folks and out-of-towners, I can understand why.
It’s amazing to me (as well as saddening) that people who don’t live in the community would be spending any amount of time trying to influence Chelsea School District voters through false Facebook groups and identities, and then trolling candidate Facebook pages with unkind and untrue comments and posts.
But worse, I’m seeing local folks take similar actions. Mean-spirited falsehoods do no good for any candidate. Not only are they attempts to tarnish the good-hearted people that are willing to give so much to our community, but the negativeness also casts a shadow on the candidates that they are supporting—-and on our community.
We’ve got less than a month remaining until election day on Nov. 8. I have a feeling that those who get some sort of thrill out of being negative and mean-spirited aren’t going to quit.
So, it’s up to you, Chelsea area voters, to ignore the social media vitriol and do your own research by visiting each of the candidates’ websites (and watch the Chamber’s Candidate Forum that was held Oct. 6), to better understand the choices that await you on your ballot.
Shawn Personke
Chelsea Resident
