By David Fortier
Come Sunday morning, spring will have sprung and Day Light Savings time will be the new norm; it always takes a bit to adjust, and I have said more than once, “Wouldn’t be nice if we never had to change the clocks again.”
By the by, there is, in the state legislature, a bill that would do just that. It was heard in virtual public hearing on March 10. If passed, the bill would allow Connecticut to join New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island in Atlantic standard time, but only if each of those states and the federal government approve jointly. Atlantic standard refers to what we know as perpetual daylight savings time.
Around here, we’ve already started talking Easter—small family gathering, outside and socially distanced. We are hoping for good weather. That would make things easy, since not all of us have been fully vaccinated, and several of us, especially the grandbabies, will not have received a first shot. But it will be a joy to be together, distanced, but together, breaking bread together.
Backtracking a bit, I forgot to mention that one day last month, when Mary checked the mail—a new favorite pastime here, something we do, each of us, several times—nothing. I cannot remember the last time that happened. This only makes me realize that there is something to the national debate about the post office, and that the debate affects us here. TBE reported earlier how sorting machines had been moved from several post offices in the state, that was prior to the election–and the post office has been on our radar. If you notice changes, please drop me a note.
We did notice there have been a few magazines that showed up weeks late—but most mail is getting here. These changes, however, need to be anticipated because by the time they reach us, it might simply be too late for us to do anything.
Overall, I would hate to see the post office put under any more pressure than it already has on it. What I would love would be to simply acknowledge the great service it provides, bump up its support, update and expand its services, and level with the public about it not having to pay for itself.
Yes, I realize in fairly recent years, the post office has been designated as a quasi-public entity, but that is a policy ploy to try and make it into a private entity. It would never be what it is if it were to go over to the private sector, since the private sector needs to make money, and providing the service that the post office does now, is not something that will or ever was meant to make a profit.
There are just some services that the for-profit sector will never take up, and that is why we have government services and non-profits. These still need to be funded, and their value goes much beyond this funding. They are, in many ways, the glue that keeps the nation together—and therein lies the benefit for all of us.
Of course, this week is being celebrated, not the right word, as the anniversary of the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Maybe, the right word here might be noted, or another might be recognized. Either way, we need to acknowledge that our current state of affairs had a beginning and soon it will have an end—sort of.
Everything is relative, and personally, I can see mask wearing extending far beyond the time when the vast majority of us have been fully vaccinated—herd immunity kicks in at 70 percent of the population, but that doesn’t mean the virus disappears.
This strain, and new strains, of the coronavirus will be with us forever—it is not going anywhere, which means the number of us getting sick and dying from it will be vastly reduced—but the simple truth is that people will continue to get sick and some will die, just as happens with seasonal flu. No doubt, yearly coronavirius shots will join our annual flu shots.
And back to the Capitol. There are bunch of voting related bills being consider at the state legislature. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute, and its voting bills tracker, there are 11 laws before the Connecticut state legislature that would restrict voting rights and 30 that would expand voting rights.
The 30 number encourages me, the 11 makes me pause. Even here in Connecticut, the veil is thin—the line that separates us from a healthy democracy and an unhealthy one requires constant vigilance. We can always do better by and for each other, especially when it comes to extending voting rights to all citizens.
And no doubt Sunday morning, with its promise of sunshine will bring people outside. Mary and I got a taste of the weather to come earlier on Saturday, when we walked Memorial Boulevard. Our loop included South Street, where Mary pointed out the hulking bulk of a maple tree, stripped of its branches, virtually a 25-ft. high rooted mass.
That, she said, is one of the projects of the City Arts and Entertainment Commission, which plans to bring in a sculptor to create one more art work in a growing number that are peppered throughout the city. One more good thing that is in the offing.
Have a good week!
“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. He can be reached at dfortier@bristoledition.org.