Possibly, if “Uncle Grumpy” were to conduct himself like a man and pose his questions to me rather than hide behind an alias and “call me out”, I might feel inclined to answer his questions. He appears to think he knows who is and isn’t a “fine, upstanding citizen”, maybe he needs to make an attempt to be one himself.

If I didn’t find it so ridiculously amusing that someone calling themselves “Uncle Grumpy” would expect a rational reply to his “calling out”, I might be annoyed. I would suggest, however, that “Uncle Grumpy” spend a little more time becoming informed by reading the newspapers from around the state and he wouldn’t need to be asking these questions or expect others to provide him with these facts. He would be what is called “informed”. Obviously, he finds it easier to sit behind his rather silly pseudonym and do nothing but attack and criticize.

These actions are so typical of some MAGIC supporters. The fact that they are unwilling to allow differing opinions without resorting to insults and name-calling plays a big part in the division in this town. Never before have I seen people so unwilling to allow each his own opinion. It is costing the town it’s unity, longtime friendships, and dividing families.

The fact that Avern Danforth chose to attack a letter I wrote, two weeks after the fact, giving the letter his interpretation, was very disturbing to me. I wrote that letter only because I felt our complaints about East Millinocket and Medway getting business and jobs while Millinocket wasn’t was being misinterpreted to mean we did not want to see East Millinocket and Medway get these businesses and jobs or to grow and prosper. This is not true. Our point is that we want to see the same results for Millinocket as the other towns are receiving, not less for anyone. As neighbors, we celebrate any progress the other towns are able to accomplish and pray they will continue to see more growth for their communities. Mr. Danforth implied insinuations that weren’t there. Time and time again rumors and misinformation have come from some MAGIC supporters who then try to point the finger at people who are unsupportive (not ANTI) of MAGIC as the source of these horrible stories. These actions are hideous and only further inflame the division in this town. While I am sure Mr. Danforth is sincere in his concerns that I may be spreading misinformation, I don’t feel it is necessary for him to misinterpret my letters and twist their content to appear as misinformation. I try to be as straight forward as possible and not hint or insinuate.

Editor's Note: Shortly after Uncle Grumpy's blog was announced on our forum, I went there. What I found was that the blog was set up for the expressed purpose of libeling my wife and I, as well as anyone else who dared to speak against MAGIC or to hold them accountable. After reading posts insinuating that we are in the KKK, more cusswords than most sailors would be comfortable with, and ones in which even the children of people who have criticized MAGIC were verbally attacked cruelly and crudely, and finding that Bruce McLean and Gail Fanjoy were cheering them on, I vowed never to go there again, and I haven't. There are no depths to which MAGIC and its supporters won't sink, but there are limits to the distance in which I will follow.