Politics and paranoid people — A common mixture for fun!

by James Norton

You know, I am just as paranoid as the next guy. Forget that I’m bipolar and manic for a second and there’s no doubt to me why I have always felt at home in local politics. Mix a little bit of bravado, a certain sense of entitlement, a healthy dose of paranoia and just a dash (some people have more than others) of bullshit – and you have the perfect candidate for office in Somerville. This also permeates down through the food chain to spouses and children of politicians, the politician’s staff and then on down through the peripherally supportive all the way to the bottom – yes, the infamous hangers-on – or those whom I have lovingly dubbed in the past as the “Pod People”.

Being involved with a newspaper is a funny thing sometimes. It is most definitely a good thing, but I’d like to draw a similarity. It’s as if you have become Tony Soprano and people laugh at your silly jokes and sterile attempts at wittiness just to avoid being “whacked” in Tony’s case, or just ripped on in the Newstalk or some other place in the paper if you’re in our shoes. The people who worry most about these things (unless they’re really that ignorant) are the same idiots who have their spouses and mothers call on their behalf (I promised not to bring up any details unless provoked, so I will be good for now) – or they try to get a third party “message” to you so they can deny they ever said anything to you – threat or not – instead of being a standup person and telling you to your face. Do they threaten, yes – do they live in a fantasy world, hell yes. Exercise that option all night long for yourself if it will make you feel as important as you were six months ago – whatever gets you through the night.

People are touchy. Politicians and all the people in the food chain associated with them are just as touchy. Get a grip – sometimes what is said is just that – a comment, a statement, an opinion. Don’t like it? Go buy your own paper, live under a rock, but please – get thicker skin or get to know your local pharmacologist better.

In the newspaper business, all we have to do is just mention briefly that someone moved back into the city, and all hell breaks loose. Make a statement about our disgust at a local board or politician (let’s not even go into the real damaging stuff that could be spouted by us) and now we have created a bitter enemy.

My god – it’s like being in grade school all over again. Within twenty-four hours of this issue hitting the streets, the phones will be blazing with questions, threats, insults – the best one recently was the visit (can’t do this over the phone) of someone coming in to tell the publishers of this paper that “we got the message.”

In the 80’s it was Hulk-A-Mania running wild – now it’s Paranoimia running rampant – complete with their own Max Headroom whispering to them when the Haldol runs low in the bloodstream. By the way, did I just date myself or what?

There’s no message of good to convey with this article, and for that I am sorry – it’s just me trying to vent a little – trying to make sense of the silliness. Hopefully I get the chance to make someone laugh by pointing out to some people that the more you provoke someone in the real world, the more they will strike back at you if given the chance. If we all learned to be able to get along with each other, even when we don’t agree on an issue, then constructive progress CAN be made without giving up the farm or selling your soul to get it in the first place. This city faces some tough years ahead financially – difficult decisions have to be made and they will be ones that will affect us all. Prolonged fighting politically will only make it worse. Learn to work together and see the bigger picture and try for compromise – that’s all that we as voters can ask for.

And finally – for those of you offended by what is written in this article or elsewhere in the publication – the truth hurts sometimes – and sometimes it’s funny too. Get a grip, call your therapist to up your dosage, have your wife or your kid call to threaten us – or better yet – go get a lawyer and waste your time and money. Learn to deal with life has to offer, and be able to live with and without the things we strive for everyday. It’s just my opinion – take it or leave it.