Some say that politics makes the best theater. If that is so, most Beacon Hill voters have a front row seat in a drama William Shakespeare might have wanted to write.

The characters are three smart, strategic and beautiful women: Sonia Chang-Diaz, Samiyah Diaz and Dianne Wilkerson.

The story line is simple: These women are fighting over the chance to be the Democratic candidate in November in the Second Suffolk Senate district, which includes parts of the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Chinatown, South End, Roxbury, Mattapan and Mission Hill. Who will it be?

The characters could become as confusing as those in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” You probably have noticed that there are two Diazes, and their first names are uncommon and begin with “S.” Some say they suspect that Chang-Diaz, the last one to enter the race, did so to confuse potential Diaz voters and give Wilkerson a better chance. Chang-Diaz says the suspicion is false.

Adding to the intrigue is that one of the characters has what passes in this day and age as an elite heritage: Chang-Diaz, 28, is the daughter of a NASA astronaut.

But Wilkerson, 51, has her own dramatic credentials: She was the first and only African American woman to win a seat in the state Senate. She is admired for her skill at running a hearing. Observers agree that she is articulate, hard working and has championed many causes Democrats hold dear. She garnered 16 out of 21 votes, which earned her the Ward 5 Democratic Committee’s endorsement, and she has also been endorsed by the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus and other grateful organizations.

Any good play has a character whose troubles are brought on by his or her own flaws. Wilkerson is a star in this regard, with financial and ethical problems reaching back several years.
Among other transgressions, she has failed to file federal income tax returns and has been fined for improperly using campaign funds,.

Most recently, through neglect, arrogance, inattention, skullduggery or a simple mistake, Wilkerson turned in fewer than the 300 valid signatures required to get on the ballot.

So Wilkerson now has to run a cumbersome write-in campaign, which is best done with stickers. This misstep was the last straw for Chang-Diaz. “My frustration and disappointment [with Wilkerson] has been a gradual process,” she said. “The latest glitch with the signatures was the tipping point. I had helped gather signatures. I know how much work it is. It felt like a disrespect to the voters.”

So Chang-Diaz, who has been an aide to former Senator Cheryl Jacques and affiliated with many Democratic organizations, is running a write-in/sticker campaign too.

But before Chang-Diaz decided to run, a crafty character had entered on stage right. Law student Samiyah Diaz, 28, the Republican candidate who duly collected her signatures for that primary ballot, has declared that she will also run a sticker campaign on the Democratic side. She said she is doing it because she does not want to automatically hand Wilkerson the nomination, and she feels she needs to prove she can work across party lines.

With no Republican opposition, Diaz will automatically appear on the November general election ballot. Diaz said she, like the district, is liberal on social issues. She believes, however, that she is more fiscally conservative than the other candidates and that makes her a better Republican than a Democrat.

“I would take the office as a Republican should I win in November,” she said. “But it is really important for Democrats to know that I’m on their side.”

Local Republicans have little problem with Diaz’s decision to run the write-in campaign as a Democrat. “In this district, to get elected you have to reach out to the Democrats and Independents,” said Ellen Rooney, chair of the Ward 5 Republican Committee. “From that point of view she’s doing the right thing.”

Democrats are puzzled. “It’s deceptive,” said Robert Whitney of Phillips Street, who is the Ward 5 Democratic Committee chair. “It’s actually very disingenuous. By appearing in the primary, it appears that she’s supporting the Democratic platform and the other candidates.”

Whitney said he would have trouble trusting that she will remain liberal on social issues. “She might change her mind like Mitt Romney has done for other offices she might want to seek,” he said.

In a dramatic device worthy of the close-knit or closely related characters in “Hamlet,” Diaz and Wilkerson are close, at least geographically. They were neighbors for a time, and Wilkerson’s spokespeople say that Dianne’s campaign office is on the ground floor of the Douglass Park building in which Diaz lives. Perhaps this is another example, like Northern Ireland and Ireland, or the Shiites and the Sunnis, that those who are closest to one another fight the bloodiest battles.

And Wilkerson claims it is getting bloody. She says her opponents are accusing her of having the wrong values. She admits to her wrongdoings but says voters have been able to balance those flaws with her record of achievement and support for real values, such as bringing justice and fairness to people in all walks of life.

One wonders what will actually happen on September 19, when voters go to the polls for the primary election.

Will Wilkerson—or for that matter, the other two candidates—be able to follow the fairly straightforward rules for preparing stickers? Wilkerson said the victor will be the candidate who is the most organized, and she is that candidate.

Will the other two candidates be able to muster enough volunteers to pass out the stickers to likely supporters as they enter the polls? If voters choose to write in the candidates, will they spell the names accurately enough for election officials to determine their intent, which is the standard the courts have set for such cases? If the race is a close one, how long will the lawsuits last until every voter’s intent has been determined?

And finally, will the drama turn out to be a comedy or a tragedy or something in between?

Vandals destroyed artwork, threw hymnals, books and plants, and destroyed a pulpit bible at Old West Church on Cambridge Street on Wednesday, August 9.

“We don’t know what happened,” said the Reverend Laurel Scott. The destruction was discovered on Thursday morning by an organist who had come into the church to practice. As the organist sat down at the organ he looked down and noticed the mess in the sanctuary below. “It was total chaos,” said Scott. “He called the police.”

According to Scott, valuable historic paintings were slashed, including a huge painting of Jesus Christ on the cross. She said heavy planters were thrown, book cases were upturned and hymnals, bibles and pew cushions were tossed around the sanctuary.

The biggest loss, said Scott, who has yet to determine the monetary damages, is the pulpit bible. “It was torn in two and thrown down off the high pulpit,” she said.

Scott suspects that someone was let into the church to use the bathroom and never left, because there was no sign of a break-in. She said she has had no disputes or threats from anyone and that nothing like this has happened in the five years she has been at the church.

“My concern is mainly for the individual who committed this crime,” said Scott. “They are clearly very frustrated and angry at someone or something. They had to use a lot of force to dislodge some of these things.”

The police found some clothing in the downstairs women’s bathroom, said Scott. According to Area A-1, the F.B.I. was called in to determine whether or not it was a hate crime, but the case has been passed to the community disorders unit.

“It is a high profile case,” said Sergeant Tom Lema.

The Old West Church building is a National Landmark and was built in 1737. It was re-named the Old West Church in 1962. At the same time the church entered into a preservation easement with Historic New England, which protects the architectural details of the building. “As a legal agreement, it is one of the oldest of its type on a religious property,” said Susanna Crampton, public relations officer for Historic New England. The cost of the damage inflicted on Wednesday is not covered by the easement, said Crampton.

Some are convicted sex offenders, others are self-reported, but they all moved into the neighborhood last month and few Hillers realize it.

The Erich Lindemann Mental Health Center at 25 Staniford Street absorbed this fiscal year an 18-bed ward from the South End’s Solomon Carter Fuller Hospital, adding several “mentally ill patients with problematic sexual behaviors” to its roster of three Level 3 and one Level 1 sex offenders, according to Area A-1 Police Commander Bernard O’Rourke.

The in-patients will live on Beacon Hill for 18 months, as Solomon Carter Fuller Hospital undergoes renovations to house its own patients, as well as those originally living in the Lindemann Center. The merger will create “an environment that is a lot more efficient, effective and attractive,” according to Cliff Robinson, director for the Metro Boston Area Office of the Department of Mental Health.

Meanwhile, the Lindemann Center, built in 1972 and named for the mid-20th century Harvard psychiatrist Erich Lindemann, will continue to serve its original 60-bed ward, 40 to 45 of whom are “forensic patients” sent by the courts for 20-day mental health evaluations when there is a “question of competence to stand trial or ability to understand what they did,” Robinson said. The remaining “continuing care” patients are offenders sent from the courts for extended, six-month evaluations, and mentally ill patients with problematic sexual behaviors, known as MIPSBs.

In addition, the Lindemann Center has a 60-bed homeless shelter, which also increased in size to accommodate the homeless from Solomon Carter Fuller Hospital’s Albany Lodge, as well as a 14-person residential program, and an outpatient clinic.

The building, constructed with jagged grey concrete in the Brutalist style, is infamous for its half-finished twists and turns and stairway to nowhere. “We have a running joke,” Robinson said. “If you can find this place and the room you need, then there’s nothing wrong with you.” An aerial view of the building’s roof reveals a map of Massachusetts, minus Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket due to a lack of funds.

The Lindemann Center shares the structure with the State Department of Mental Health, which coordinates over 2,000 patients living and receiving treatment in Boston’s residential communities. In contrast, the metro Boston clinics only have a combined total of 185 in-patient beds. “The vast majority live outside the hospital. It’s important to keep that perspective,” Robinson said.

The Center’s patients cover a large diagnostic range, Robinson said, and remain at the Lindemann Center “for as long as it takes to be comfortable about discharging them into the community.” While MIPSB patients can cause a community concern and consternation, Robinson said, “It’s not enough to lock up or label someone. We have an obligation to treat people with mental illness.”

Although some of the patients from Solomon Carter Fuller Hospital are convicted sex offenders, others have come voluntarily as self-reported MIPSBs. The self-reported patients may be more dangerous due to the lack of legal checks and balances regulating them, according to Robinson. “That’s why they all have a team that is dedicated. I’m very proud of what we do here,” he said.

The Lindemann Center could not provide the number of sex offenders and MIPSBs it treats at any given time, Robinson said, but Captain O’Rourke confirmed that some of the patients absorbed from Solomon Carter Fuller Hospital have been designated as Level 3 sex offenders, those who are at high risk to reoffend. Level 1 offenders are at low risk to reoffend, while Level 2 offenders are deemed at moderate risk to reoffend.

“Our responsibility is to make sure that when they’re released and they’re registered sex offenders, they re-register,” O’Rourke said. Including those that live at the Lindemann Center, Beacon Hill is home to four Level 3 sex offenders, two Level 2s, and two Level 1s, according to O’Rourke. The police department has arrest warrants for three other area sex offenders who neglected to register their work and home addresses – one Level 3, one Level 1, and one unclassified offender, he said.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s National Sex Offender Public Registry shows seven Level 3 sex offenders living in the 02114 area, according to a web search on www.nsopr.gov. Two have listed their address as the Lindemann Center. The discrepancy in figures, O’Rourke said, is due to the lag time as the national board collects figures from local police departments. “This is a constant battle for us. We’re constantly updating this,” he said.

Lester Blumberg, general counsel to the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, said that he could not comment on the characteristics of the Lindemann Center’s patients. “The department treats a whole range of clients including those with problematic sexual behaviors,” he said. “We don’t maintain treatment facilities for convicted sex offenders.”

Patients are confined to their units until they earn privileges to go to the cafeteria or leave the building. Staff “see how they’re able to handle increasing amounts of freedom and responsibility,” Robinson said. Unlike continuing care patients, 20-day forensic patients are generally not allowed privileges.

“If someone is a risk to themselves or others, they do not have privileges to leave the unit,” Robinson said. “We always have to be mindful of the risk of re-offending.”

Patients abuse their privileges and escape the building on occasion, according to Robinson. One left during a fire drill –
“While folks were out on the plaza, the guy got away” – and another broke down a door. “Surprisingly, I think the majority come back on their own. They call and ask to be picked up,” Robinson said.

August thoughts

With each week, August gets deader. By the last week, you wonder if any resident who isn’t a student or who isn’t moving on September 1 is left in town.

So newspaper editors don’t think about problems in the neighborhood or issues that at any other time of the year would be hot and heavy.

Instead, even enquiring minds wander. For example, we’re remembering when the Mass Pike’s signs featured a Pilgrim’s hat with an arrow poking through it. Maybe it was the 1960s or ’70s. At some point the pike must have realized that some people—Wampanoags? Pilgrim descendents?—could find the signs offensive or, at the least, weird, and did away with them. They are mum on the subject at this point. Now the pike’s signs feature a restrained Pilgrim hat, sans arrow.

The Public Garden is such a pleasure in the summer. It’s well-kept and even in its tranquility is exciting, with all the children playing on the ducklings and riding the swan boats. The harbor is also a pleasure, although getting to it and walking along it is still a challenge because of the Big Dig and Harborwalk construction.

The Public Garden is a reminder of Boston’s symbols from the animal world —swans, insects (the grasshopper atop Faneuil Hall) and fish (the sacred cod). Is there something odd about a locale that doesn’t have a lion, a bear or an eagle, the fauna symbols that most government entities adopt? But then we remember that France has a rooster, so perhaps it is okay.

The daily newspapers have a lot of reports about luxury boxes at Fenway or at the Gaaahden. It’s understandable that the owners want to sell luxury seats—with them they eke as much money as possible out of patrons trying to show their financial or social status. Those patrons are fair game.

But at least some of the luxury boxes change the nature of the experience. Part of the fun of a Red Sox or a Celtics game is the crowd—that heady mix of Bostonians whooping it up, yelling, and being fans. Jack Nicholson used to sit down in one of the front rows at the old Gaaahden whenever the Lakers were in town. Everyone knew where he was, but he was also one of us.

At a Red Sox game one will still often see Governor Romney or some other celebrity sitting down with everyone else. These celebs usually have good seats, but at least they are mucking it up with everyone else.

In a nation where the haves and the have-nots occupy spaces further and further apart, it’s probably unstoppable. But at least at sporting events, the luxury quarters seem to isolate the patrons from the action and diminish the experience.

August has always been a time of guns and this year is no different. The nation is at war, although it is a peculiar one. This editorial space rejected the war before it started, not believing even then that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, a term we hear little about these days. We didn’t believe the Iraqis had anything to do with the 9/11 terrorists either. So what if we were right? It hasn’t helped in any way.

But now there is a lot of talk among Democrats about getting out of Iraq. U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman was defeated in the primary last week in Connecticut for a lot of reasons, one of which was he wants to stay in Iraq.

But Democrats have a problem with a get-out-now stance, and they must work it through more wisely than they have so far. Of course this war was a sham, a grave error, a foolish step to take. But since America brought it on, America needs to solve the problems it has created for the Iraqis. How can we leave them at this point? Their difficulties—most caused by us—in their economy, physical infrastructure, safety and governance seem almost insurmountable. They would likely descend into civil war, with a leader as ruthless as Saddam emerging from the chaos.

This column does not have an answer to this terrible problem. But our hearts go out to the Iraqis for what we have brought on them. Democratic leaders must have a more reasoned approach to the problem than leaving them to a violent fate.

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FOR RENT
PARKING SPACE. One outdoor parking space located on Beacon St. near Arlington St., $325.00 per month. Call 781-545-5201.
HEALTH
IF YOU USED THE PAINKILLER DRUG BEXTRA between March 2002 and February 2005 AND SUFFERED A SKIN REACTION, HEART ATTACK OR STROKE, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Attorney Charles Johnson 1800-535-5727.
LESSONS
STUDY PIANO AT HOME! With Jonathan Lovenstein, Faculty-All Newton Music, 617-331-0283
SERVICES
HOUSE CALL CAT GROOMING, where your cat feels the safest. Call Cynthia at 617-265-1800.
TRADE
CRAFTSMAN SEEKING PRE-OWNED VEHICLE. Your Mercedes S430 or E series or a Range Rover SUV in exchange for a new kitchen, new bathroom or other household renovations. Call Lou at 617-605-1726.
TUTOR
CHILDREN’S READING/WRITING. Tutor available. Please e-mail Allison, amtrzop@mtholyoke.edu.
VACATION RENTAL
NANTUCKET-CHARMING ‘SCONSET CENTER. Cottage for 2. Air conditioned. Very nice! Available summer or fall, $900-$1700 per week. 617-523-2223.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
BOSTON MONEY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. Needs adults willing to offer 2-4 hours per month to assist local elders who have difficulty managing day-to-day finances. For more information, call Deborah at 617-522-6700 or email dgrose@ethocare.org.
CAREER COLLABORATIVE. Practice interviewers needed Fridays 9 a.m.-12 noon to run practice interview sessions for low income people seeking permanent jobs. Individuals with extensive interviewing experience please call 617-424-6202 or email Valerie@careercollaborative.org.
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS. The Arlington Boys and Girls Club is coordinating a campaign to support local programs. They are asking people with unwanted cars to donate them for auction with the proceeds going to local clubs. Call 1-800-246-0493.
MADD. Are you or is someone you know the victim of a drunk driving accident? We offer many free services including court-accompaniment, referrals for counseling and literature to help. Call 1-800-633-MADD.
HORIZONS FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN. Volunteers needed to play with children living in homeless shelters in your neighborhood and in Greater Boston. A two-hour weekly commitment for 6 months is required. Call 617-287-1900 ext 314 or visit www.horizonsforhomelesschilden.org.
BECOME A BIG BROTHER OR BIG SISTER. Being a “Big” means simply sharing a little time with one great kid just like someone once did for you. Become a “Big” today. Call 800-412-BIGS or log on to www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.
PARENTS HELPING PARENTS. Needs volunteers with good interpersonal skills and a commitment to strengthening families to facilitate support groups aimed at assisting individuals who are anxious, overwhelmed, frustrated or feeling isolated in their role as a parent or guardian. A commitment of several hours a week for one year is required. Call 1-800-882-1250 or e-mail www.parentshelpingparents.org.
COMMUNITY SERVINGS. Volunteers needed one Saturday per month to deliver meals to homebound individuals with life threatening illnesses. Shifts are from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Call Jennifer at 617-445-7777 or e-mail JPOCKOSKI@servings.org.
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY. Seeks literacy volunteers to tutor adults with limited English writing and reading skills. Two hours a week, compatible with your schedule. One-year commitment required, must be 21 years old with a minimum of a GED or high school diploma. Contact Nora 617-859-2446 or VolunteerBPL@yahoo.com.
BOSTON MINSTREL COMPANY. Needs singers, musicians, and song leaders to facilitate sing-along songfests at Boston-Cambridge homeless shelters. Amateurs welcome. Call 617-787-2122 or e-mail Bostonminstrel@aol.com.
MATCH-UP. Interfaith Volunteers needs people to commit to making a weekly visit to an elder in need of companionship. Call 617-482-1510 or visit www.matchelder.org.
THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK. Needs volunteers to inspect and sort donated food at the Food Bank's headquarters at 99 Atkinson Street in Boston. Call 617-427-5200, ext. 5030 or visit www.gbfb.org.
AFC MENTORING. Needs volunteers over 18 experienced with adoption/foster care to mentor adopted children. One-year commitment desired. Karlee, 617-695-2441 or karlee@afcmentoring.org.
BLIND AND DYSLEXIC in East Cambridge. Needs volunteers with liberal arts, scientific and/or technical backgrounds to record textbooks. Call Peggy at 617-577-1111, ext 17 for more info. www.rfbd.org/bostonhome.htm.
GENERATIONS INCORPORATED. Needs older adults to volunteer as reading coaches and mentors to children in Dorchester, S. Boston and Roxbury. Training provided. Call 617-423-0408 or see www.generationsinc.org.
WGBH. Needs volunteers to assist with computer projects and office support during weekday business hours, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Call Liz Hagyard at 617-300-5715.
LITERACY VOLUNTEERS OF MASSACHUSETTS. Help an adult learn English. Call 617-367-1313 for information.
VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS. The American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program. Work from home or in our Weston office. For further information call 1800-ACS-2345.
SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL. Boston. Opportunities for volunteers. We match volunteers' skills and talents with the needs of the hospital's patients and staff. Training provided. For more information contact volunteer services at 617-573-2740 or jburke11@partners.org.
BOSTON PARTNERS IN EDUCATION. Volunteers needed to tutor and mentor two 10th grade students in the areas of both math and literacy for the “City on a Hill” program . Training will be held on Saturday September 16. The program will run throughout the academic year. Join this proven program and be a vital part of a student’s success story. Contact Barbara Harris at 617-451-6145, or apply online at www.bostonpartners.org.
WALKBOSTON. Volunteers needed for walks, legislation and newsletter/e-news committees. Also occasional office work including membership mailings. Call 617-367-9255, www.walkboston.org.
MASS SUBSTANCE ABUSE HELPLINE. Volunteers needed for phone service to help people affected by alcoholism and substance abuse. Must have computer experience. Call 617-536-0501 ext. 201 or see www.helpline-online.com.
BEACON HOSPICE. Volunteers needed to provide support and companionship to patients and their families. Call Laraine Kohler at 617-242-4872.
COMPUTER TUTORS. Volunteers needed for coaching senior and disabled citizens at the Blackstone Apartments. Daytime and evening hours needed. Call Al at 617-557-9121 or email xAlbert3259@aol.com.
BEACON HOUSE. Housing for elderly needs volunteers for front reception desk, a few flexible hours per week. Training provided. Please apply in person at 19 Myrtle St. to fill out an application.
ANIMAL SHELTER. Donations needed: dog and cat toys and treats, blankets and towels for the cages, paper towels, clay cat litter, postage stamps, animal nail clippers, dog and cat collars and leashes. 617-522-5055.
DR. SOLOMON CARTER FULLER. Mental Health Center in the South End needs volunteers for several committees. Call C. Curtiss Carter at 617-626-8726.
MAB COMMUNITY SERVICES. Volunteers needed to read or shop with a blind neighbor. 2-3 hours per week, flexible hours. Training provided. Call Donna Bailey 800-852-3029 or see www.mabcommunity.org.
SAMARITANS OF BOSTON. Volunteers needed to provide telephone counseling on our 24-hour listening line. Help prevent suicide and alleviate the pain of isolation. Training provided. 617-536-2460.
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION. Cambridge chapter needs volunteers for its telephone Helpline service to answer caregiver calls. Training provided. Call 617-868-6718.
ADBAR ETHIOPIAN WOMEN'S ALLIANCE.Volunteers needed to help with its newsletter, website, grant writing, special events and fund raising. Near Harvard Square. 617-234-8981.
THE BOSTON HOME. Dorchester seeks volunteers of all kinds in this long-term care facility for adults with physical disabilities. Pet visits welcome. Call Sally Gorman 617-825-3905 ext. 299 or gormansally@aol.com.