Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Antiquated Amherst Town Meeting: No escape


So on Thursday we celebrated our 25’Th Wedding anniversary with an overnight at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, the second home to Norman Rockwell. And although he painted the famous “Freedom of Speech”—now an icon to Town Meeting supporters while living in Arlington, Vermont the Red Lion Inn proudly displayed it in our suite.

The rustic Inn’s clientele (not to mention the artwork in our bedroom) reminded me of Amherst Town Meeting: rich, retired and overwhelmingly white. About the only diversity I heard was the occasional mid-town Manhattan Jewish accent.

3 comments:

O'Reilly said...

I'm a big fan of the freedom of fear.

Congrats on your anniversary!

O'Reilly said...

... or if that freedom from fear?

The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear -- which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor-- anywhere in the world.


Franklin D. Roosevelt's Address to Congress January 6, 1941

Anonymous said...

Larry -- have the courage to admit what you actually see. Town meeting is all "rich, white and retired."

Can you not see why there is an inherent conflict between them and the UMass Students -- why can't you realize that the UMass Students (as evil as you think we are) are actually on YOUR side of this conflict?

We hate these schmucks more than you do.

Ann Awad got elected, beat Hill Boss, by telling the UM students that she was on our side. She wasn't but that is another issue.

Larry K for Selectboard -- three point platform: (a) improving relations between the APD and UM students via police athletic league, etc; (b) ending the foolishness in the Gothic Castle (town hall); and (c) extending libertarian principles to Amherst bylaws and their enforcement.