Margaret Donnelly: Johnson is not candidate to bring community together

To The Daily Sun,

Dawn Johnson is a danger to Laconia.

Dawn Johnson’s weak performance at the recent mayoral debate gave us just a glimpse of who she is. She’s someone who has a history of being misinformed — and even worse, spreading that misinformation. She is someone who has no answers, no plans and no strategies to address the needs of this wonderful city. She attacks the decisions and work of others, complains about problems, but has no clue how she intends to solve those very problems. But even more, she’s a danger to the health and growth of our city.

First, Dawn shared an anti-Semitic article from a neo-Nazi website on her Facebook page, and when it was flagged and removed for its inappropriate, hate-based racist content, she posted it to Twitter. When the community reacted to her actions, she apologized not to the Jewish community for the hurt she caused, but only for “not understanding” the source of the content. Her carelessness and support of this racist material causes me to question her fitness not only as mayor, but as a school board member and a state representative.

She has also spread other misinformed and biased posts on Facebook, including articles such as “COVID Vaccine is Female Sterilization” and “Researchers Warn Some COVID-19 Vaccines Could Increase the Risk of HIV infection.” Instead of using facts, science and sound reasoning as a basis of action, she takes any piece of information and spreads it if it fits her personal agenda. As mayor, I believe Dawn will continue this dangerous and reckless behavior to the detriment to our community.

This kind of misinformation, hate and ignorance will only hurt our chances to bring the community together, and it will make businesses reluctant to come to Laconia. Her temperament and biases will deter her from working effectively with anyone, regardless of party, to get the work of the city accomplished to the betterment of all. Her performance in the New Hampshire House is just a preview of how ineffective she would be as Laconia mayor. In the last House session, Dawn only sponsored seven bills, one of which, HB 439, would have removed the authority of city councils to enact a variety of local ordinances and rely on the state to do so. It has been called “one of the most serious attacks on local control this year.”

Is this someone we want making decisions and shaping the future of our community? No. Dawn Johnson is a danger to Laconia. We want someone who will listen to all sides, check facts, and use sound reasoning to make decisions for our city. Mayor Andrew Hosmer has done that — and will continue to work for the betterment of our city. Dawn Johnson will just push her own agenda, rely on misinformation that supports her personal agenda, and sow division in our city. She will undo the economic health and economic progress that we’ve seen in the last few years. She is unfit to be mayor of our city.

Margaret Donnelly

Laconia