Political dirty tricks on the eve of ElvisFest

When I ran for the Ypsilanti School Board, I was forced to deal with my share of negative campaigning and the spreading of misinformation about who I was and what I stood for. Unfortunately, now that the current election season is in full swing, I am seeing the same thing happen, only this time with the mayoral race. I think this type of negativity is uncalled for, and I have little patience for those who engage in it. Last week I received a letter from the Ypsilanti Campaign for Equality (YCFE), an organization that I donated a great deal of my own personal time and effort to. Apparently, two of it's co-chairs decided on their own to endorse one mayoral candidate, and then decided that their endorsement would be more effective if it were issued under the auspices of the organization. Then they went further than a mere endorsement. They deliberately misled members of the organization by stating that another candidate was not a supporter of the YCFE. I object to this type of campaigning and to the intentional spreading of misleading information for political purposes. Following is my open letter to our community: As a strong supporter of the Ypsilanti Campaign for Equality, I was dismayed by a mailing issued by two of the organization's co-chairs that endorsed one mayoral candidate and spread misleading information about another. Steve Pierce was and is a strong supporter of the YCFE. In fact, the YCFE's web presence was due to his generous donation of Internet hosting. He also proudly displayed a lawn sign and was openly supportive of our cause. I am also concerned that the endorsement did not involve any attempt to poll supporters of the YCFE or speak with the candidates prior to issuing it. It was poor form for one of the co-chairs to issue the endorsement while failing to mention that she is closely connected with the endorsee's campaign committee, a key fact that should have been disclosed. The YCFE has been a powerful force in Ypsilanti as a defender of civil rights and as an organization that has brought our community together, making it stronger. Its strength and credibility flow from the generosity and hard work displayed by its supporters and contributors. I object to its co-chairs' use of the organization's name, its letterhead, and its goodwill as a soapbox to express their own personal political opinions. I think supporters of the YCFE deserve better, as do the citizens of Ypsilanti. Our city faces tough fiscal times. This election is an outstanding opportunity to achieve a truly progressive change in city leadership. I urge supporters of the YCFE to learn more about Steve Pierce, about his actual and real support of our cause, and to consider his candidacy for the mayoral race based upon the facts and his record. When this election is over, I want to be able to stand behind whoever wins knowing that the winner was elected legitimately on the basis of an accurate evaluation by voters. When facing our city's challenges, I believe we really are all in this together, and we must maintain our ability to work together constructively and productively after the election is finished. We are quite lucky this year to be in a position where nobody can question the candidates' commitment and heartfelt dedication to our city. In the fervor to support the various candidates, I hope we don't squander the achievements and progress that have brought us so far as a community.