Let He Who Has No Sin Cast the First Stone

It's amazing. With the city's biggest economic move in generations, the casino deal, up in flames at the Statehouse due to a machismo contest between Governor Patrick and Speaker DeLeo, you would think that huge story and the many ripples and ramifications of that deal going south would be the story you'd expect on the cover of the Sunday Herald News - the most important piece of real estate on its most important day.

If not the casino, then maybe the story would be the fact that young, qualified college graduates can't get jobs in their own city, the hundreds of heroin traps, hundreds of crack cocaine dens, capital infrastructure failing around us, transportation projects that can't get finished, voter turn-out at less than 30%, trash and graffiti assaulting everyone's quality of life, or apathy everywhere. You would think these topics would be worthy of the attention, energy, and focus from our local newspaper. Instead, it's "gotcha" journalism, "gotcha" politics in a huge story and picture about City Councilor Brian Bigelow allegedly getting caught in a downtown prostitution sting. Whether Mr. Bigelow is innocent or guilty we will ultimately find out. However, he has certainly lost his presumption of innocence.

Innocent until proven guilty simply doesn't exist anymore in this tabloid culture, and if you are a public figure, it's much, much worse. The negative attention Mr. Bigelow is getting right now is torturous; it will wear down and beat you up in so many ways. People will look at him differently. He will feel the public scorn intensely. All of the good work that he's done in so many capacities will no longer be talked about. Instead, this man is going to be talked about, gossiped about, whispered about, as the city councilor with a big picture on the front page of the Herald getting arrested in a prostitution sting. The TV news trucks will surround his house, and he will become public fodder for all who have nothing better to do. He'll go through all of this pain, suffering, and scorn well before he ever has his day in court and has an opportunity to tell his side of the story. And that is wrong. For those who judge, shame on you.

After decades of community service and commitment, promoting positive energy, his family's impact as a positive influence in our schools for generations, Mr. Bigelow, because of one alleged mistake, has his head being called for in the comments section of our local newspaper. They are demanding that he lose all three of his jobs and positions: city council, Diman's school committee, and employment at the Bristol County House of Corrections. With all the good that he's done in one night, with just one side of the story told, people want him to lose everything he has earned and worked so hard for. Where do people get off villifying and judging one man on one of his worst nights? I wonder if the gossips and critics would take an examination of their own lives before they are so quick to judge and belittle others.

A lifetime of solid citizenry, generosity, and dedication is all irrelevent to some now. I prefer to look at the body of work of the man, on his best days, on his worst days, on his positive and negative effect on people and his community. I prefer to look at the total picture, to have faith in the rights given to us by the Constitution that you're innocent until proven guilty and allowed due process.

I will not judge Mr. Bigelow entirely on this incident. He will get my benefit of the doubt. I feel strongly that he and his family deserve that much from me - and all of us - for everything that they've done. Everybody today is so quick to throw people, relationships, and their peers away like yesterday's trash. What happened with Mr. Bigelow this weekend, I'm sure, has been extremely difficult to deal with, and, to me, he has already paid a very steep price.