Letters to the Editor - The Lakeville Journal - 3-16-23

Spring, please

OK I’ve had enough

Of this white stuff

Want the warmth of the sun

And a bit of beach fun

Today was spring’s first sign

Next to the post office there were nine

Little crocuses budding away

It certainly made my day

Michael Kahler

Lakeville

An ‘uninformed’ description

No Thanks, Mr. Godburn. For your mis-informed, insulting description (3/2/23) of our proud, historic neighbourhood, Lime Rock Station. You spout: “In fact, that area looks considerably run down, a hodgepodge of housing styles, scrubby land, old cement abutments and perhaps a logging operation”. How charming.

Perhaps what you see is our PTSD in the aftermath of an F2 (115-135 mph winds) tornado on August 2nd, 2020. It came through like a giant weedwacker, slicing 100+ foot towering pines like matchsticks, decimating Lime Rock Station and adjacent Arnott Drive, along the river. No one was hurt. Sadly, a neighbour lost their beloved cow, Bossy. Buddy, their donkey, survived. FYI.

Neighbors came together. The Falls Village Volunteer Fire Dept. and Town Crew worked all night and day to clear much of the mangled mess. Perhaps the “logging operation” you cite is our neighbor’s property, slowly tidying up. We started a GoFundMe for fuel for his borrowed excavator. Raised 1500 bucks in a week. Some paid privately to get deadfall cleared. Yes, more work to do.

“Hodgepodge of housing styles?” There are about 6 houses visible along Lime Rock Station (20 total), the 2 oldest gothic beauties from the mid 1800’s, plus the old Station House (moved and converted in the 1960’s), an authentic (1960’s) raised ranch and 4 welcome Habitat houses. A historical “hodgepodge” and typical New England.

Another aspect that went right over your head. History abounds here. Being on the Housatonic Railroad line (built 1842), Lime Rock Station was an important stop. The Barnum and Richardson Company (owned by William Henry Barnum, U.S. Senator) made railroad wheels and employed 1600 people here, in Lime Rock and North Canaan. Perhaps the “cement abutments” you disparage are the old granite walls B+R built to border the tracks. We were the site of the massive Borden Milk Plant for about 100 years, with RR sidings, an ice house and processing plant, providing needed fresh milk to NYC. “Considerably run down”, and the property my family has happily inhabited for 32 years with two homes adjacent. Unbeknownst to you, the new Western New England Greenway (WNEG) bike route and historic Mohawk Trail run right through here and, as of this year, the Housatonic River is now “Wild and Scenic”.

Referring to the proposed development, you weakly offer: “The new homes, as shown on the housing website, should be a big improvement.” You need a little assistance here, Pilgrim: that Disneyland-like photo is a “stock” shot cut and pasted, which does not depict the actual proposed development. If you look closely at the photo you might also  notice the cars in it. A Range Rover and 2 Porsche’s. Hardly affordable transportation.

Frankly, I wonder how your defamatory “letter” was ever published. And why we would offer your superfluous insults a response ? Pride, I guess. We love our neighborhood and its history. Would we insult your town, Norfolk? Never. Don’t insult ours!

Colter Rule

Falls Village

To Right a Book

“As it is an ancient truth that freedom cannot be legislated into existence, so it is no less obvious that freedom cannot be censored into existence.”

— Dwight David Eisenhower

In 1650, the first book was banned in Boston which was the epicenter of colony book banning under the sternly punitive Puritans. Surges of book banning have roiled in the U.S. — about religion in the colonial era.

Forward two hundred years and of course the banning/censoring of books spiked related to slavery —that life-time employment/incarceration of peoples for economic boom and the convenience of unpaid servants.

Following the Civil War, the United Daughters of the Confederacy actively led the banning of books to elevate the failed confederacy (along with erecting 850 confederate general statutes); they, the UDC, were activated for book banning again in the 1980’s — on race. The Comstock Act was passed in 1873 to outlaw books mailed, handled, possessed that were “lewd,” “indecent” which included any written materials on contraception and abortion. The Comstock Act was finally rescinded in 1936. Joe McCarthy in the 1950’s ignited book bonfires – literally.

Since the Romans, humans have been engaged in righting books – removing the bad ones, extolling the good ones – the ones that tell the “righters” view of truth and morality. In this broad sweep The Canterbury Tales have been banned as too sexy, Shakespeare has taken his hits as have Hemingway (really all of the Lost Generation writers), Morrison, Steinbeck, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Charlotte’s Web … the Bible was banned in its early days.

Times change, locales shift with Florida now the epicenter of book banning – Boston has long since lost that infamy. Righting books has now emerged as a prime campaign lever for Republicans in many states – in Texas 800 books are on one Representative’s list to ban. In 32 states, 138 school districts books have been banned in 2022, impacting 4 million students – a group a bit larger than Tucker Carlson’s nightly audience.

Ironically, Ron DeSantis, Mr. Right, is touring the States on a book tour. His book – ought it be banned? Is misinformation, bigotry, power mongering obscene? Not listed here is the book title, its focus, his scam – assume it is DeSantis seeking more power, executive privilege unhampered. DeSantis says his war on books is a hoax – one Florida parent, substitute teacher disagrees “If I weren’t living through it, I wouldn’t believe it’s happening.”

Thus far no one has devised a muck boot to aid sane maneuvering our times when Fox lies – big lies – for profits, when political attacks on books, schools, students and teachers soar.

“There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches.”

— Ray Bradbury

“Books and ideas are the most effective weapons against intolerance and ignorance.”

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

Kathy Herald-Marlowe Sharon

Thanking Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance

Saying thanks and giving recognition to the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service.

We can’t say thank you enough!

We can’t say how much we appreciate you enough!

This community relies on YOU!

YOU, who are volunteers!

YOU, who do not get paid to be “on the ready” 24/7 to respond to an emergency call

YOU, who arrive to our homes as fast as you can to get to our loved ones in need

YOU, who walk through our doors prepared, organized and trained to care for our loved ones

YOU, who show up to our doors wanting to care for ours as if they are yours

We are lucky, blessed and grateful!

THANK YOU for always helping Mom

Salty Swanson’s Family

Kim Miles

Salisbury