The big asses, the little asses and the party of the ass

I was happy to see the media pay some attention to the siting plans of the Army Corps of Engineers for an Army Reserve Training Center on Boardman Lane in Westfield. Happier still to see that the Middletown Eye, had a more complete accounting (Eye reporters tend to stay until the end of important meetings and events, and as residents, observe with a different concern than most reporters).

Undoubtedly, Common Council member understand how important it is to keep the residents of Westfield happy. They are a large, cohesive, vocal, voting block. And right now, they are pissed. Democratic council members seem clear about how important it is to keep the WRA on their side. Not so sure about the Republican members.

It's also becoming clear that despite the many professions of patriotism and cooperation, there aren't many neighborhoods in town which want to host a gargantuan military training base which, in the end, will have a negative economic impact on town.

And now, the Army needs to get the message loud and clear - look elsewhere.

What struck me simultaneously as hilarious and tragic, is the angle taken by the Middletown Press, and by Channel 3. With all the negative impact that this army base might have, both of these news organizations focused on the poor farm animals that will be displaced. Typically Americans seem more apt to react strongly to some distress experienced by a cat, dog, dolphin, bear or donkey, then they will to a starving family in Darfur. And the members of the media understand this. So we get front page photos of the poor miniature donkeys who will be sent far from their homes and lead stories on the 11 0'clock news covering the same thing.

But if these asses can prevent other asses from building an Army Reserve Training Center that townspeople don't want, then I'll be the first to kiss those asses.

Schooled by the Board of Ed

Last night, 70 angry citizens confronted Middletown's Common Council about alleged plans to close McDonough school, the last of Middletown's neighborhood school, in the city's North End or to close Kegwin a 6th grade transition school.

The meeting began with the mayor explaining that the Council passes an entire budget, and that line item decisions, including those about school closures, are made by the Board of Education.

That being said, parents, teachers and other residents (38 of us by Councilman Phil Pessina's reckoning), walked to the microphone and asked the Council to support education and to oppose the school closings.

When it was time for the Council members to speak they were uniformly indignant. Most inferreed that the Board of Education, in the person of the Superintendent of Schools, and the chairman of the board, had floated rumors of school closings in order to stir up fear, and to activate parental support of the school budget.

The budget the Board of Education proposed, based on the opening of a new high school, asked for a 9% increase. The Council granted 5%, and several councilors claimed that the 5% increase was generous in a poor economic climate and that the Board of Education had plenty of room for the kind of cuts that the Council had to make on the City side. Councilors also indicated that no one from the Board of Education had ever formally suggested to the Council that a school would have to be closed, and no many on the Council made it clear that they were opposed to any school closings.

The Council approved the budget as proposed. The Board of Education will meet on May 20 to address the budget and to discuss where cuts will be made.

What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding

To describe it as disappointing would be putting it mildly.

To say we'd been used, well, that's more like it.

I helped deliver an suggested anti-war resolution and petition to the Middletown Common Council tonight, and was shut down by the Mayor on a parliamentary procedure. He had every right, by rule of order, to suggest that my "diatribe" against the war, was not germane to the Council accepting the petition.

He did use that excuse to truncate my diatribe and that of others (though I have to say he was a bit more tolerant and polite when it came to the veterans who spoke).

But it soon became clear what the real game was. The Democrats came to the defense of we poor citizens who wanted to speak. Gerry Daley, Bob Santangelo, Tom Serra, all scolded the mayor for not allowing we citizens to speak our mind. The mayor defended himself capably and challenged the Democrats to sponsor the resolution we were suggesting. Therein, was the rub. The Dems wanted the chance to "prove" that they are anti-war, without having to muster the courage to actually buck their party leadership and sponsor an anti-war resolution. They hoped to embarrass and needle the mayor, without having to step too far out of their own comfort zone.

And those of us who spoke in favor of peace, and against war, were the vehicle for this petty parliamentary squabble.

So I issue a challenge to the Republicans. If you really want to embarrass the Dems, sponsor the resolution so the Dems will have to stand up and vote for it, or not.

And to the Dems, I challenge just one of you to sponsor the resolution that you supposedly "support."

Really, a vote either way is not going to change a thing in this perverse Bush war. But it will give us the opportunity to debate it at the city level, and I'd welcome a real give and take with war supporters, and anti-war advocates.

But the likelihood of a hero appearing on the council appears slim.

And where, oh where were the lovers of peace. Talk about not getting out of your comfort zone. About a dozen anti-war adult residents showed up (the usual suspects). Five or six of us spoke, despite the mayor's chastisement. And only one Wesleyan student attended. You students talk a good game, but let's make a list of your excuses and send them to Wesleying.

And not a single member of the press in attendance.