Support Resolution R-FY25-007 -  A petition created by a Concerned Bridgewater Citizen

We, the undersigned residents of Bridgewater, MA, strongly support Resolution R-FY25-007: A Resolution Affirming Bridgewater as a Welcoming Community for All. This resolution was introduced at the Town Council meeting on February 18, 2025, and we believe it reflects the will and beliefs of our community. Please note: The writer of this petition has intentionally copied the format and some of the wording of the opposing petition in hopes of showing some of the parallels and the differences between them while addressing some of the issues simultaneously. 

Bridgewater is a welcoming community — but like any community in this great nation we can (and always should) strive to be better neighbors, friends, and human beings. A resolution such as this one reminds us of our promise and holds us accountable to this commitment and to our community. While it is true that it does not add any new rights or protections for anyone, that is not the point of this statement. The point (like the Pledge of Allegiance when we recite it), is to proudly reaffirm our commitment to the noble cause of caring, loving, and defending our fellow man. This is one of the core principles our Nation was founded on, and upholding it is our duty.

The support to oppose this resolution sets a dangerous precedent for future policies, and is frankly alarming for a number of reasons. One: it is alarming that we are willing to spend our time fighting against a resolution that reaffirms our commitment to being a welcoming and safe place (a resolution that has been introduced and passed for years now), than we are willing to focus on improving the lives of our community. And by opposing something simple and kind with such loud, aggressive, vitriol, what kind of message are we sending? It makes us sound like we are against the very thing we claim to be for.

Two: it is alarming the speed and ease with which some residents have taken the word of a faceless, social media account as fact, and acted on it. This puts our community and town at risk in general, and should be cause for concern. How will we make informed decisions for Bridgewater if we are ill-informed? If we are willing to trust a random twitter account, managed by a person(s) outside of our town, what else can we be manipulated into believing, and by whom? The implications are worrisome.   

We do agree that we would like our Town Council to focus on issues that were specifically named, such as:

• Investment in infrastructure improvements to enhance roads, water, public spaces, and town services
• Support for local businesses 
• Responsible economic development that ensures and encourages a strong and thriving community
• Public safety initiatives that protect and serve all residents

Prioritizing any and all of these issues is important, but we do not have to remove the resolution in order to address them — it is possible to do and have both.

Resolution R-FY25-007 is a written commitment, a promise that we will always endeavor to be the best versions of ourselves we can be. We strongly urge and encourage the Town Council to vote YES on passing this resolution! The removal of it based on the fears whipped up by the inaccurate words of a social media account will harm the integrity and reputation of our town. In the end, it will improve nothing for Bridgewater residents.

To those who wish for the removal of this resolution, we ask that you reconsider. Like you, we love our town and want only the best for everyone in it. Let's work together on the real issues you mentioned and get results instead of fighting about a resolution that you ultimately agree with us about. Think of what we can accomplish together if we collaborate and combine these energies and channel them into working for a better future for all Bridgewater residents.

Regardless of the outcome of this petition or the fate of the resolution, we are taking a stand for our community and everyone in it. It is the right thing to do and it is the American thing to do — we hope you will join us.