The Difference Between “Anti-Bully” and “Anti-Police”

A not-entirely-unanticipated new wrinkle in our campaign is that the Democratic candidates for York Township are accused of being “anti-police.”

I’m not anti-police, but have had to think through how to convince others of this fact.

Am I anti-police? No, but I am anti-bad police and anti-police brutality.

As a doula, it’s sometimes assumed by physicians that I am “anti-doctor.”
Am I anti-doctor? No, but I am anti-bad doctor, and anti-obstetric violence. (I could write much more about how many people are unnecessarily harmed — during the most vulnerable time of their life — by providers who practice at their own convenience, not those they serve. That’s a story for another day.)

I came across a Facebook memory today that reminded me that seven years ago, my kids’ schools punished them for not selling fundraising items and broke their hearts. It was completely unfair — not just for my own children but for those of other parents — and I saw red and contacted the press and got the situation publicized and rectified.
Am I anti-public schools? Am I anti-authority? No, but I am anti- “people in positions of power making selfish, bad, or thoughtless decisions that hurt children.”

I am angry now that our current York Township leadership are being well paid for …. well, nobody knows what exactly. At the same time, people in our township who don’t know the right people to call are suffering unnecessarily.
The edict of the Supervisor role is to “provide General Assistance to the indigent.” When the vast majority of residents have no idea that the Township exists or what it is supposed to do — the Township cannot possibly be providing “General” assistance!
Am I anti-government? Am I anti-township? No, but I am anti- “taking taxpayer money and not doing your job.”

It seems to me that holding an elected position, especially locally when serving your actual neighbors, is a high honor that should be treated as such. Public servants exist to serve their constituents — not do their jobs in such a way that there is practically no public oversight and so they can “fly under the radar” for decades, quietly collecting salaries.

I am running for office for the first time in my life. I’ve done a lot of hard things and this is one of the most difficult. Being attacked online, feeling vulnerable and worrying about my kids, knowing that strangers are combing through years of social media posts, trying to find things they can “gotcha!” me with — that feels awful.
What keeps me going is that the people of York Township deserve better. They deserve to have leadership who cares, who are visible, who are accessible, who are honest. That’s why I’m running. Please don’t mistake hating bullies for hating people in positions of authority who do their jobs right. They are the ones who can help save the world. Please vote for me and the rest of the York Township Democratic slate for transparency, accessibility, stewardship, diversity, inclusion, and sustainability.