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Watertown Council Discusses
Advocating BCBS Severance Over ADL
By Andy Turpin
WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)—On Aug. 12, the Town Council of
Watertown resolved during to draft a letter, attached to a
resolution, requesting the attendance of a Blue Cross Blue
Shield representative at their next meeting to discuss
severing town employee coverage under Blue Cross Blue Shield
of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) because of its affiliation with
the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
Town councilor Stephen Corbett recounted to those in
attendance the Town Council’s nationally publicized
severance with the ADL’s No Place for Hate (NPFH) program
last summer over its refusal to acknowledge the Armenian
Genocide.
“It was approximately one year ago that this Town Council
took the bold step to sever from the ADL-NPFH program,” he
said.
The resolution, titled “Requesting Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Massachusetts to Sever Ties with the Anti-Defamation
League’s No Place For Hate Program,” states: “Whereas: the
Council believes that taxpayer funds which are directed
towards Blue Cross Blue Shield should not be spent on a
program affiliated with an organization that diminishes the
factuality of, and works against recognition of, a widely
acknowledged genocide. Now Therefore Be It Resolved: The
City Known as the Town of Watertown hereby asks BCBSMA to
expeditiously sever all ties with ‘No Place for Hate’ and
similar ADL programs; and that the Council shall send to
BCBSMA’s chief executives and members of Board of Directors
a letter, with this Resolution, that asks for such severance
and requests a prompt and positive response; and the council
shall take due notice of, make public, and discuss BCBSMA’s
response.”
Corbett said of the resolution , “This is not meant as any
kind of threat or ultimatum to drop all support for BCBS.
That would be unrealistic.”
However, he continued, “The ANCA has officially requested
the national BCBS office to stop funding the ADL-NPFH
program—though so far the only response has been, ‘We’re
thinking about it.’”
Council president Clive L. Younger said he’d like a BCBS
representative to be present to state his/her case and
position before making a final decision on the matter,
perhaps with the founding of a council subcommittee to
investigate the matter further.
Councilor Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney responded, stating, “We
have never done that in the past and I myself have written a
letter to BCBS noting all the national organizations,
including the Sons of Italy in America, and European
countries that stand together against the position of the
ADL and the NPFH program. The vote should be taken this
evening and does not call for a subcommittee.”
Younger responded, “I respectfully disagree. I believe as an
American that a person has a right to be heard. I’d like to
at least hear what their [BCBS] intensions are… I do not
like to make decisions in ignorance and I think the
Armenian-American community in Watertown has seen in more
than one meeting me support them in the past.”
Corbett explained of the resolution’s purpose that, “What
we’re doing as a town council is going on record demanding
from BCBS a response. Because to my knowledge and
conversations, leaders of the Armenian community have
approached the president of BCBS numerous times with no
response.”
Councilor Mark Sideris then presented a compromise. “I
advocate that rather than creating a subcommittee, we draft
a letter, attached to the resolution, requesting the
attendance of Mr. Mead or a BCBS representative to this
council next meeting,” he said.
District A councilor Angeline B. Kounelis stated in
agreement with Younger and in clarification of the
resolution that “We [as a council] always give both parties
the chance to speak…This resolution would only be to bring
this conversation forward to the public and would not give
authority to any change.”
District D councilor John J. Lawn, Jr. added, “Acknowledging
the Armenian Genocide is a matter of basic justice. I think
the Council should make clear in the letter its position on
the Armenian Genocide.”
Younger noted, “We will make unequivocal reference to the
position the Council has taken in the past. You know that I
have been there for the Armenian community and I will
continue to be as long as I’m alive.”
The motion to draft the aforementioned letter to be attached
to the BCBS resolution was approved unanimously by the Town
Council.
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