Massachusetts was once known for peace and tranquility, quaint homes, and, of course, tea parties no princess would be welcomed at. But the colonists who first set foot on North American soil at Plymouth Rock could never have foreseen what the state has become. Once a bastion of tranquility, Massachusetts is fading faster than Biden’s presidential reelection hopes.
One would never connect the Bay State with prostitution and sex scandals. New England states are considered upstanding and elite, without the memes associated with Florida man and the insanity of California. But recently, three people were arrested for operating brothels in Watertown, Cambridge, and Dedham, Massachusetts. The brothels catered to an elite clientele, including executives, lawyers, and doctors. Currently, only 28 of the brothels’ clientele are being charged.
The brothels enticed Asian women to come to Massachusetts to be prostitutes, and business has been booming since 2020.
The owners of the brothels advertised their services on two websites, claiming they had nude Asian models available for professional photography. Appointments to “take pictures” of the models ranged from $350 to $600 an hour, cash only. After filling out a form, clients select their preferred services from a menu of options.
If the brothel owners had waited just a few more years, their arrests would never have happened. Massachusetts began weighing the legalization of the world’s oldest profession in the spring of this year. As of the fall, the legislation is still being debated. If passed, Massachusetts would be the second state to legalize prostitution, with Nevada being the first.
The legislation would most likely be turned over to voters for further consideration, but this week, the voter rolls in Massachusetts are poised to be a little bigger. Boston is considering measures allowing “non-citizens” to vote in local elections.
Councilor Kendra Lara emphasizes the importance of including all residents in local decision-making, even those who may not have a direct voice through voting. She acknowledges the contributions of people who have worked, sacrificed, and invested in their neighborhoods, asserting that everyone should have a say in daily life decisions.
Fraud is, of course, a valid concern among critics of the proposal. Elections Commissioner Eneida Tavares said that the preferred method of updating the voter rolls to include non-citizens would be to add the names to the existing database. But in Massachusetts, potential voter fraud from non-citizens isn’t the only election integrity issue.
One elected official cut out the middleman and committed the fraud herself to ensure her victory. In November, Fidelina Santiago, the councilor-elect for Lawrence District A, fell under suspicion of voter fraud when she was caught on a home video surveillance camera removing ballots from a mailbox in her district. When the resident went to cast his vote on election day, he was informed that his mail-in ballot had already been received. The resident, who had never requested or returned a mail-in ballot, went home and checked his video camera, catching Santiago red-handed.
Santiago defeated challenger Vladimir Acevedo by only 152 votes. Despite Santiago’s indictment on 16 counts of voter fraud, she will be sworn into office. Acevedo maintains the election was stolen.
In an ironic social media post this fall, Santiago wrote, “Your voice matters, and your vote can make a difference. Let’s come together, exercise our civic duty, and ensure that our voices are heard.”
But are all voices heard in Massachusetts? Apparently not, especially if the voice was white and wishing coworkers a Merry Christmas.
Democrat Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, the city’s first Asian Woman to hold the office, planned a Christmas party specifically for “electeds of color,” excluding white officials from the festivities. Unfortunately for Wu, someone in her office accidentally sent the invitation to all elected officials.
But Democrats were quick to defend the Christmas commotion, stating that the invitation marked an event held by the Electeds of Color group and was not created explicitly by Wu. A spokesperson for Wu explained that the event changed locations every year. Furthermore, the spokesperson contends, the party was just one of many planned throughout the week. Presumably, white elected officials were invited to one of them.
Massachusetts is considered to be the most leftist state in the union, with Democrats forming the largest portion of the state’s legislature and representing the state on the congressional level. But if Massachusetts continues its freefall, it might be excluded from future New England Christmas parties.
