Voters often ask me as I'm knocking on doors, “What distinguishes you from your opponents?” It's a reasonable question -- we're all Democrats, we’ve all served at one time or another on the Newton City Council, and we’re all men. But there are important distinctions that you should be aware of, so you can make a fully informed decision about who you choose to represent you on Beacon Hill. |
Voters often ask me as I'm knocking on doors, “What distinguishes you from your opponents?” It's a reasonable question -- we're all Democrats, we’ve all served at one time or another on the Newton City Council, and we’re all men. But there are important distinctions that you should be aware of, so you can make a fully informed decision about who you choose to represent you on Beacon Hill. |
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ANTISEMITISM Standing up firmly and unequivocally against antisemitism is a core value for me. Two years ago an anonymous group claiming to fight the “colonization of Palestine” created a map purporting to “reveal the local entities and networks that enact devastation, so we can dismantle them. Every entity has an address, every network can be disrupted.” Pinpointed on the map were organizations such as Jewish Teen Foundation of Greater Boston, Facing History and Ourselves, the Hillel Council of New England, and Gann Academy. Dalia Hochman, the head of school at Gann Academy, said “In our 25 years we’ve never had this type of threat.” Robert Trestan, the head of the New England chapter of the Anti-Defamation League, said “The map serves as a Jewish hit list.” In June 2022, the Newton City Council released a letter denouncing the Mapping Project as antisemitic. My opponent in this race, Bill Humphrey, was the only one -- out of 24 councilors -- not to sign the letter. It was such a glaring omission, the Boston Globe even reported on it. I don’t know why he didn’t sign the letter. All I know is when he had a chance to unequivocally denounce a clearly antisemitic initiative that risked the safety of Jewish individuals and organizations, he chose not to do so. The job of a state legislator is passing laws and policies, but it is also standing up against hate and intolerance in a forceful and visible way, so that our constituents feel heard and protected. I will never waver from standing up to hate and bigotry -- whether it is towards Jews, as in the case of the Mapping Project -- or in the many other ways it manifests: racism, sexism, anti-LGBTQ bigotry, Islamophobia, and more. I stand with Vice President Harris who said on the last night of the Democratic National Convention, we strive for “an America where we care for one another, look out for one another and recognize that we have so much more in common than what separates us.” |
ANTISEMITISM Standing up firmly and unequivocally against antisemitism is a core value for me. Two years ago an anonymous group claiming to fight the “colonization of Palestine” created a map purporting to “reveal the local entities and networks that enact devastation, so we can dismantle them. Every entity has an address, every network can be disrupted.” Pinpointed on the map were organizations such as Jewish Teen Foundation of Greater Boston, Facing History and Ourselves, the Hillel Council of New England, and Gann Academy. Dalia Hochman, the head of school at Gann Academy, said “In our 25 years we’ve never had this type of threat.” Robert Trestan, the head of the New England chapter of the Anti-Defamation League, said “The map serves as a Jewish hit list.” In June 2022, the Newton City Council released a letter denouncing the Mapping Project as antisemitic. My opponent in this race, Bill Humphrey, was the only one -- out of 24 councilors -- not to sign the letter. It was such a glaring omission, the Boston Globe even reported on it. I don’t know why he didn’t sign the letter. All I know is when he had a chance to unequivocally denounce a clearly antisemitic initiative that risked the safety of Jewish individuals and organizations, he chose not to do so. The job of a state legislator is passing laws and policies, but it is also standing up against hate and intolerance in a forceful and visible way, so that our constituents feel heard and protected. I will never waver from standing up to hate and bigotry -- whether it is towards Jews, as in the case of the Mapping Project -- or in the many other ways it manifests: racism, sexism, anti-LGBTQ bigotry, Islamophobia, and more. I stand with Vice President Harris who said on the last night of the Democratic National Convention, we strive for “an America where we care for one another, look out for one another and recognize that we have so much more in common than what separates us.” |
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ANTI-POLICE RHETORIC Another difference between myself and my opponent is the language he used to denigrate police officers. In 2018 Bill posted to Twitter, “ACAB,” which stands for “All Cops Are Bastards.” He kept the tweet up for six years, only taking it down during this election. I don’t know why he put up that tweet. Our police are the first responders that show up to protect residents of Newton and Brookline from threats like robberies, break-ins, assaults and hate crimes … but also mental health crises and domestic disputes. It is a difficult job, and our officers need elected officials who respect them and treat them as the professionals they are. This doesn’t mean we cannot look for ways to reform and modernize policing, because of course we should always be looking to deliver public services in the safest, most effective way possible. But we do not get there by denigrating those we have entrusted with keeping people safe. LEGALIZING TEACHER STRIKES Another area of difference is regarding teacher strikes. At this time, it is not legal under Massachusetts law for public sector workers such as firefighters, police officers or teachers to go on strike. The reasoning behind this is that these workers are providing a vital public service, which cannot be easily replaced during a strike. Governor Healey, Lt. Governor Driscoll, the House Speaker and Senate President all support keeping the law as is. I align myself with them. When the Newton Teachers Association went on strike last January, we saw what a vital public service teachers provide, when children were not able to go to school, parents were not able to work, and especially students with disabilities did not receive the services they rely on for mental and physical well-being. Particularly when we have so many children still suffering lasting impacts from the isolation of the pandemic in the form of learning loss and mental health challenges, I think we should maintain the current law so as to prevent such an event from ever happening again, whether in Newton or Brookline or elsewhere in Massachusetts. My position should not be interpreted as minimizing the value our teachers and teaching staff provide. Rather, it’s the opposite: it is precisely because they are so important that I believe we need to keep them in school during the school year, while ensuring our schools have the funding and support they need to provide fair and generous compensation to all of our public school teachers and education staff. In contrast, Bill Humphrey supports changing the law in order to make it legal for teachers to go on strike, which could have the impact of upending students’ education across Massachusetts on a regular basis. |
ANTI-POLICE RHETORIC Another difference between myself and my opponent is the language he used to denigrate police officers. In 2018 Bill posted to Twitter, “ACAB,” which stands for “All Cops Are Bastards.” He kept the tweet up for six years, only taking it down during this election. I don’t know why he put up that tweet. Our police are the first responders that show up to protect residents of Newton and Brookline from threats like robberies, break-ins, assaults and hate crimes … but also mental health crises and domestic disputes. It is a difficult job, and our officers need elected officials who respect them and treat them as the professionals they are. This doesn’t mean we cannot look for ways to reform and modernize policing, because of course we should always be looking to deliver public services in the safest, most effective way possible. But we do not get there by denigrating those we have entrusted with keeping people safe. LEGALIZING TEACHER STRIKES Another area of difference is regarding teacher strikes. At this time, it is not legal under Massachusetts law for public sector workers such as firefighters, police officers or teachers to go on strike. The reasoning behind this is that these workers are providing a vital public service, which cannot be easily replaced during a strike. Governor Healey, Lt. Governor Driscoll, the House Speaker and Senate President all support keeping the law as is. I align myself with them. When the Newton Teachers Association went on strike last January, we saw what a vital public service teachers provide, when children were not able to go to school, parents were not able to work, and especially students with disabilities did not receive the services they rely on for mental and physical well-being. Particularly when we have so many children still suffering lasting impacts from the isolation of the pandemic in the form of learning loss and mental health challenges, I think we should maintain the current law so as to prevent such an event from ever happening again, whether in Newton or Brookline or elsewhere in Massachusetts. My position should not be interpreted as minimizing the value our teachers and teaching staff provide. Rather, it’s the opposite: it is precisely because they are so important that I believe we need to keep them in school during the school year, while ensuring our schools have the funding and support they need to provide fair and generous compensation to all of our public school teachers and education staff. In contrast, Bill Humphrey supports changing the law in order to make it legal for teachers to go on strike, which could have the impact of upending students’ education across Massachusetts on a regular basis. |
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS The last major distinction I will point out relates to our professional backgrounds. I have been a primary physician at Brigham and Women’s and Mass General Hospitals for nearly 25 years. If elected, I will be the only medical doctor in the entire legislature. Why does that matter? The state regulates health care. The Steward Health Care debacle lays bare what happens when private equity has too much influence over our healthcare system, and I am committed to addressing the root causes of the problem (such as too-low Medicaid reimbursement levels) so that people are always prioritized over profits. SUMMARY If elected, I will be a voice you can trust when it comes to standing up against hate and bigotry. I will respect and not demonize the hardworking first responders that keep us safe. And I will use my unique perspective and voice as a primary care physician to fight for health care that prioritizes people over profits, climate policies that get us off fossil fuels, a modern functioning transportation system, well-funded schools and childcare, responsible gun laws, protections for reproductive freedoms, and provide excellent constituent services to make sure your government works for you. |
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS The last major distinction I will point out relates to our professional backgrounds. I have been a primary physician at Brigham and Women’s and Mass General Hospitals for nearly 25 years. If elected, I will be the only medical doctor in the entire legislature. Why does that matter? The state regulates health care. The Steward Health Care debacle lays bare what happens when private equity has too much influence over our healthcare system, and I am committed to addressing the root causes of the problem (such as too-low Medicaid reimbursement levels) so that people are always prioritized over profits. SUMMARY If elected, I will be a voice you can trust when it comes to standing up against hate and bigotry. I will respect and not demonize the hardworking first responders that keep us safe. And I will use my unique perspective and voice as a primary care physician to fight for health care that prioritizes people over profits, climate policies that get us off fossil fuels, a modern functioning transportation system, well-funded schools and childcare, responsible gun laws, protections for reproductive freedoms, and provide excellent constituent services to make sure your government works for you. |
ENDORSEMENTS I am so grateful for these new endorsements from these Newton and Brookline community leaders: - Terry Yoffie
- Karen Bray
- Faith Michaels (of Faithful Flowers)
- Barbara Gaffin
- John Dukakis
- Jack Corrigan
- David Martin and Anne Bader-Martin
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ENDORSEMENTS I am so grateful for these new endorsements from these Newton and Brookline community leaders: - Terry Yoffie
- Karen Bray
- Faith Michaels (of Faithful Flowers)
- Barbara Gaffin
- John Dukakis
- Jack Corrigan
- David Martin and Anne Bader-Martin
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VOTING The time has come! Voting in-person is here: you can vote in person at 10 AM at Brookline Town Hall and at 11 AM at Newton City Hall. This is our chance to finish strong and win this thing! Of course, you can still send in your mail-in ballot, if you prefer, or vote at your regular polls on Sept 3rd. See here for more details on days and times for early voting this coming week. |
VOTING The time has come! Voting in-person is here: you can vote in person at 10 AM at Brookline Town Hall and at 11 AM at Newton City Hall. This is our chance to finish strong and win this thing! Of course, you can still send in your mail-in ballot, if you prefer, or vote at your regular polls on Sept 3rd. See here for more details on days and times for early voting this coming week. |
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