Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

October 7, 2023

What is the main message of The Crucible?

Filed under: 2023 election,Cambridge — Tags: , , , , , , — Robert Winters @ 10:00 am

What is the main message of The Crucible?

“One of the main messages of the play is to show that trying to preserve one’s reputation can end up harming others. But, in keeping one’s honor and integrity, a person can stay true to themselves, and can put an end to fear that might cause hysteria.”Robert Winters

Over this last week or so, I have been subjected to more accusations, innuendo, and suggestions of “inappropriate comments” than I have ever known, and some individuals and political organizations have even gone so far as to do harm to the reputations of other municipal election candidates with whom I have some affiliation or even candidates about whom I have said positive things. I am astonished that this kind of feeding frenzy has come to Cambridge, but I have little doubt that it is politically motivated by candidates concerned about their own electability (or their reelection) as well as by at least one political organization fearful of losing ground in the upcoming municipal election.

Some people have suggested that I issue some sort of public apology for things I have written and even for “liking” things I found humorous. I make no apologies for things that I may find funny – and I don’t think that anyone should ever apologize for their personal sense of humor. I consider Dave Chappelle to be perhaps the most brilliant comedian of the last several decades – even though I am aware that some people are offended by some of what he says.

I am certain that some people are offended by some of my commentary about elected officials, activists, and others. If you feel that I have been unfair at times, you might even be correct, but that’s the nature of personal expression, and I certainly hope that free speech does not become a casualty of this current hysteria. Indeed, some of the people hurling criticism at me, including one of the current candidates, have “tweeted” views far more offensive than anything I have ever written. I will leave it others to provide details.

One particular “tweet” that has been used to do harm to my reputation was one relating to a blogger who uses (or used at one time) the handle “LibsofTikTok”. That blogger posted something on Twitter about something taking place in a library somewhere else in the country, and my great “offense” was to rather naively note (based on a published update from the Cambridge Public Library that arrived around that time) that there was a similar event in Cambridge. I simply made that purely informational note. That’s it. No agenda, no endorsement, nothing. I did not “retweet” anything – at least not that I am aware of, yet this otherwise forgettable note has now been used by politically motivated people to brand me in ways that are unfair and untrue. So… if anyone was actually offended by my naive act, you have my unequivocal and sincere apology.

Now, will there be any apologies forthcoming from “A Better Cambridge” or their endorsed candidates who have been unfairly exploiting this kerfuffle for their own purely political reasons? Will the other City Council candidate who expressed actual anti-Catholic bigotry (and lots more) be issuing apologies? – Robert Winters

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