Some thoughts on self-depersonalization and the value of thinking for oneself.

A veteran Croton letter writer responds to some critical comments in The Gazette about a Voice of Croton candidate, and related matters.

by Paul Steinberg

Editor’s Note: This piece was originally published as a Letter to the Editor in the July 10-16 edition of The Gazette. It is reproduced here with the permission of the author.

Human history is one of hierarchy: we did as we were told by our betters. This was an evolutionary advantageous behavior, but times changed and individual agency and freedom of thought became important. Today we like to think that we make decisions based on reasoning, not because the elites tell us what to believe or how to vote.

Old habits die hard, as seen recently in our school board election and now in our upcoming village election. In response to statements made by Stacey Nachtaler (a candidate for village trustee), Ali R. Jaffery has written a letter in this paper (The Gazette, week of June 26/July2). Mr. Jaffery does not discuss Ms. Nachtaler’s policies nor those of the incumbent village board. Instead he disputes the purity of her Democratic Party membership, calls her an “anonymous-sounding candidate” (whatever that means), and denounces her for running against her “teammates.” Mr. Jaffery doesn’t like the name “Voice of Croton” which he says is “rather self-important.” Even the VoC platform is viewed by Mr. Jaffery as “throwing darts at their neighbors.”

In fairness to Mr. Jaffery, he does not cite any incumbent policies which he agrees with. Mr. Jaffery sees himself not as an individual capable of discernment and reason but rather as a partisan tool who dutifully does as he is told.

Such self-depersonalization is his right. What should bother us as a society is that blind tribalism has real effects on our village. I don’t agree with all of the VoC positions; in fact I recently wrote a letter in support of Mr. Pugh’s position on eliminating the village Tax Assessor (The Gazette, week of June 5/11). And I think that both the trustee incumbents and the challengers are partially right and partially wrong on the development of housing in the village.

I don’t care what name a political party has. I don’t think that “Nachtaler” is anonymous-sounding, but it does not matter to me what her name is: I care about the content of her platform.

Sports analogies are fine, but like all analogies they have their limits. A political party is not a high school team, and the local Democratic Party boss is not Coach. That said, it will hearten Mr. Jaffery to know that Mr. Pugh has been hard at work to make sure that the party boss can kick out Ms. Nachtaler.

Mr. Pugh’s boss (Senator Harckham) rammed a bill (S7111A) through the legislature in what constitutes lightning-fast speed by Albany standards. Once the Governor signs the bill (which should be any day now), Mr. Jaffery will be able to file a complaint with Chairwoman Suzanne Berger. There will be two days notice given to Ms. Nachtaler, and a kangaroo court hearing will determine that Ms. Nachtaler “is not in sympathy with the principles of” the Democratic Party. Once that is done, Mr. Jaffery can bring a legal proceeding against Ms. Nachtaler and a Supreme Court Justice “shall direct the enrollment of such voter [Ms. Nachtaler] to be cancelled” so long as “such determination is just.” Given that Supreme Court judges are elected on party lines and given that Westchester is a deep blue county, it should be no problem for Ms. Nachtaler (or anyone else the party bosses dislike) to be drummed out of the Democratic Party; the “shall” and “just” standard is a low bar which won’t be an impediment.

The irony of Mr. Jaffery complaining about the name “Voice of Croton” being a “bold branding choice” the same month that his beloved “Democratic” party is behaving in a manner which is anything but democratic… well, I doubt he even thinks about it. But for the time being Ms. Nachtaler is a Democrat.

If Mr. Jaffery knows Croton history he will recall that before Mr. Pugh became one of the party elites, it was Mr. Pugh and Mr. Davis who primaried members of their own “team” and did so by “throwing darts” at them—i.e., they put forward a different vision from the candidate chosen by the party bosses. Mr. Davis won his primary, won his race, and brought a fresh perspective which the Croton Board of Trustees badly needed.

History also shows that Croton United was formed by a group which included many registered Democrats, and ran candidates who were registered Democrats. In fact Croton United could not have existed without the many Croton residents who felt their voices were not being heard within their own party.

You might agree with Ms. Nachtaler. You might disagree with her. But judge her on her positions, and consider the possibility that Brian Pugh and the incumbent trustees may not be omniscient.

It is still early. I hope that come November when it is 4th and goal in the bottom of the ninth with just a birdie to the scrimmage line, perhaps Mr. Jaffery will consider what is best for Croton and make his own decisions.

Paul Steinberg is a Croton resident and frequent writer of letters on diverse subjects.

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