John “Bill” Selig had a Celebration of Life party on March 7, 2015. He was honored by many. The Celebration was attended by his family and so many friends.
Bill was involved in Salisbury, MA town politics and served on various boards for many years. He had voiced his opinion and thoughts on many subjects including writing letters to President George Bush in 1992, Lt. Governor Paul Celluci, Federal and State Departments about the federally funded sewer project and the mismanagement of funds and Town’s shabby record keeping. He wrote many letters to the editor of the local paper.
He was an advocate for transparency in government, freedom of speech, and especially voting rights. He spoke on many occasions at public meetings, but the one “talk” that stands out the most was on July 8, 2013 at a Selectmen meeting.
After the selectmen at a prior meeting refused to allow the Salisbury residents to vote regarding having slot parlors in Salisbury, Bill attended the July 8, 2013 Selectmen meeting and spoke during Comments by Visitors and this is a summary of what he said:The fact is that you took our right to vote away from us where you could have given this vote to be made by the citizens.
He said he knew if it goes before the town meeting it will probably pass. You took the vote away from the whole town by not letting them participate in it and I don’t understand why you did it. I’m sure if the tables were turned you would feel the same way. I just don’t understand how a person that grew up in our generation – the generation that fought so hard for civil rights, equal rights and voting rights couldn’t see that in black and white in front them.and then the selectmen can either let the people make up their minds or all 5 selectmen will decide and just 3 selectmen can chose to take that vote away from the whole town.
Bill said “I think the [Newburyport] Daily News, if it had a different type of reporter – I think the headline might have and should have read: “Salisbury Selectmen deny citizens the right to vote! We have armed forces fighting and dying for voting rights on foreign soil while selectmen take away that very right on American soil. Something is very wrong here. Selectmen Don Beaulieu, Henry Richenburg and sadly, Freeman Condon denied the citizens of the Town of Salisbury a chance to speak for themselves. That’s what I have to say.”
You can see and hear in the video the applause and the Selectmen didn’t say a word. http://173.9.125.70/Cablecast/Public/Show. aspx?ChannelID=1&ShowID=3017
Bill stood up and spoke up for what was right, the truth, and social justice.
Bill passed away March 15, 2015. He will be remembered for his kind heart and quick wit. If you were a friend of Bill’s, you had a friend for life.