By David Fortier
First, some musing about the national scene.
Despite the constant reiteration from the national media, I don’t think we are as divided a country as reported. Get down to issues and people will tell you where their interests are—getting vaccinated, maintaining some financial footing to get through the pandemic (I am a big supporter of small business, and in some ways, I am thinking that our families just might be our smallest businesses: fingers crossed for a major recovery bill which recognizes this), health care (we all get old and wouldn’t make sense to age well?), education (it’s all of our futures) and equity and fairness (when it comes to leveling the playing field between the haves—or the few with much more–and the haves—or the many with much less.
The only place to get a “real” picture of where we are is to get some solid reporting from the local level, our communities—something which we here at TBE are exploring with our community publication. Talking in the broad swathes that are required on the national level, simply lacks the complexity that exists in a country as big as ours. In other words, it is virtually impossible to use the same words for every situation that exists in all of our diverse and not so diverse communities. To repeat that, talking about a big country in broad terms misses the nuances that exist among us.
Just read Rit Carter’s latest and final installment on the 1918 pandemic. There is so much in that four-part series that drives home the reality of what happened in our community as the Spanish influenza ravaged our neighborhoods and families. Just going down that list of deaths, which is thoroughly research and documented, gets me choked up every time I go through it. I see family names I am familiar with. I read about the losses of children and mothers and fathers of families with names I do not recognize, and the effect is the same.
Read Mike Letendre’s sports stories and it’s difficult not to feel the enthusiasm about sports that runs through our history and something in common with our neighboring communities and those as far away as Florida, California and Washington state. And yet this is ours. We need an “ours” when it comes to understanding ourselves. And, yes, of course, we are part of the greater community of the United States, and we need to remember that, but starting from our local experience is necessary to root ourselves so that when we read the national news, we temper it with our local experience.
Our experiences inform each other, of course. And I am much more of a bottom-up person than a bottom-down person—truth be told, I am a person-to-person kind of person, which I think makes me democratic as my basic operating principle. I recognize expertise, I value those with mastery of subjects—I am leery of uninformed opinions and people who feel entitled to spout off nonsense because, well, “It’s what I believe.” At the same time, I am skeptical of those who simply assume they have answers because, well, they have money or “position.” Discourse, I guess, is where things happen.
Much of the divisiveness on the national level is fueled by some very bad habits that starts with rallying around an ideology rather than a principle of democracy, which might be defined as civil discourse, persons setting aside that ideology and finding what is best for the public they serve. One bad habit is the ad hominem attack, in other words, rather than discussing policies, making an attack on a person, raising unfounded suspicions about motives, sowing doubt about a person’s intentions.
I would like to think these bad habits will run their course on the national level without making it here, but that is being a little naive and much too idealistic. A better course would be for people to recognize these attacks for what they are—a low bar for public discourse, something below us, something that drives for an emotional rather than a more reasoned approach to decision making on the local level. I mention this because I have received a copy of a recent Republican Town Committee email which is a prime example of this type of attack—accusing our current local officials of getting behind the theater at Memorial Boulevard as a boon for friends, which if it were true would be egregious but is not, rather than developing a piece of the magnet arts project that benefits the entire community.
It’s a cheap shot. If someone has a problem with the theater, then, say so. Lay it out. Don’t undermine a public project by insinuating something that is dubious and meant to sow discord. Either the theater works for the betterment of the public or it doesn’t. My humble opinion is that, yes, it does. And it’s worth the price, and Bristol is better off with the theater, and a fine one at that, so let’s get to work figuring out how to make the most of it—rather than slipping in underhanded attacks.
I like the idea of making the best of things—even when they are not ideal, especially when they are not ideal. And I like the idea of giving these projects some space to develop, that goes for people as much as it does for projects. When did we forget that human beings are not perfect, and the things we work on often times fall far short of expectations? It doesn’t mean that we stop trying. Or at least I hope it does not.
No new revelations around the house this week. No updates on Pokeman standings. No exceptional meals, although I have taken to making, every week, at least one loaf of homemade bread—a very simple French bread, few ingredients, good to eat either toasted or not, a buttery treat.
Mary and I finished Bridgerton, the Shonda Rhimes series on Netflix. I really tried not to like it, but in the end, I fell hard, and now that it’s over, I miss it. I still can’t figure out why, and I am not going to analyze this. I am just going to roll with it. We tried a new Netflix series, on the recommendation of a co-worker. The show is “Lupin” and we’re not sure it’s something are going to follow, but we are willing to try a few more episodes.
On the Bristol Edition front, we are working hard to get our ducks in a row, to organize and attract a few more writers, photographers, reporters. I did interview the mayor, who has made it her job to make sure Bristol is prepared to handle vaccinations efficiently and effectively when they begin to arrive. She has been integral in getting several competitors to work cooperatively to make sure things run smoothly. It’s not only with the vaccinations but also with operations in City Hall. I hope to have edited the interview within the next few days.
Other than that, who got on the GameStop band wagon? That populist revolt among the little guys to take on Wall Street surprised most everyone, except the ones who took part. I would have been clueless to this, unless one family member had not bought AMC a few weeks ago and I remembered this. And yes, this person did okay.
“Come Sunday morning” is intended to be a weekly review, a recounting of the past week and an anticipation of week to come. Among its features will be reviews of old and new books, sharing of favorite podcasts, some family news, Bristol events and happenings, and issues surrounding education, work and community journalism.