To the editor:
As a former resident of Lawrence who, to this day, owns property in the city, I feel compelled to respond to the unintelligible, ignorant and baseless accusations and judgments being made about Lenny Degnan. In the aftermath of the mayoral election, the naysayers and pundits have launched a relentless and unfair attack on Mayor Lantigua's choice for chief of staff.
The polarized post-election voters have branded Degnan a "carpetbagger." They despise him because he "abandoned" Lawrence. For this reason, the naysayers have spewed their venom at Degnan from all possible angles. They argue that someone who willfully moved out of Lawrence cannot possibly care about the city. It seems almost futile to attack this logic because such logic— if we even wish to call it that — is not supported by a single ounce of reason or forethought.
What I find comical yet disconcerting is that many of the pundits who support the notion that "No Outsiders Need Apply" for municipal jobs are the same folks who backed former Lawrence Mayor Patricia Dowling when she ran for office in 1998. Let us not forget that Dowling left Lawrence for a lengthy period of time, only to return when she saw the opportunity to run for mayor. At the end of her term, Dowling spared little time in moving out of Lawrence.
The hypocrisy of this overzealous band of Lawrence boosters extends even further, for these are the same individuals to boast Robert Frost and Leonard Bernstein as being Lawrencians — albeit neither man remained in Lawrence during his career or ever returned to city after attaining fame.
What the naysayers fail to comprehend is that life takes individuals in unexpected directions. People leave their hometowns for a host of reasons. To question one's affinity for his hometown on the sole basis of relocation is, simply put, appalling. It's insulting to me and to the many other natives of Lawrence who now reside elsewhere.
As a casual observer of the municipal election, I must admit that my preference for mayor was not Willie Lantigua. There is little in my mind that he brings to the mayor's office.
The same cannot be said about his choice for chief of staff. The facts are indisputable. Degnan is a former Lawrence city councilor, former mayor, and former key advisor to Mayor Mary Claire Kennedy. He's a local businessman who employs Lawrence residents. What the naysayers cannot ignore is that Degnan has practical public administration and business experience. He may have left Lawrence, but he certainly remains capable of serving the city.
The attacks on Degnan as being a carpetbagger are more about personalities and political preference than anything else. But the attackers will never make such an admission. They prefer to couch their feelings in a senseless argument over residency that amounts to nothing more than an empty barrel of fluff.
Like Degnan, my address may no longer bear a Lawrence zip code, but my love for Lawrence and pride in the city remains steadfast. Unfortunately, a desire to work in public service is often met with skepticism from the very public one wishes to serve. Such a dubious response is disheartening. Let's not fault Degnan for the private reasons he chose to leave Lawrence or attack him for his desire to serve his hometown. Rather, let's put politics and emotions aside and credit Degnan for his willingness to serve Lawrence at such a pivotal point in its history and in the face of such antagonism.
Shawn M. MacMaster
Melrose
