VOTE NO! on Question #2 (It NOT about Lights!)

[hodiddly]

Standish wrote

I agree that Syzygy is over the top

[oldetowne]

hodiddly quoted:
Standish wrote Quote:I agree that Syzygy is over the top


Sometimes people say outrageous things for effect, sometimes people say outrageous things because that is what they truly believe. What keeps us awake nights is wondering which it is....

[RGarrey]

Well it's finally here. No matter which way the vote goes, the great part of this referendum is that the process set up by the brilliant men who founded this country was used. The ultimate decision in the hands of the citizens. The sad part will be in the low voter turnout compared to the number of registered voters.

As we are so close to Memorial day I hope people remember the men and women who gave their lives so that you and I would have the freedom to go to polls today and decide on these issues.

I would also like to thank Bill for his efforts in maintaining this forum. There has been some great discussion of the issues mixed in with the not so great name calling and accusations. But that again is part of having the right of free speech.

My last comment is regarding WCTV-14. As the President of WCTV I was thrilled that the different groups on all sides of the issues took advantage of the services of our, ("our" meaning very citizen in Wethersfield), public access station. All the volunteers work very hard down there to make the station available to all residents who wish to use it. This referendum and the programs produced by all sides are a great example of what Public Access was designed for in the beginning. I hope that more people will see the benefits of this great asset in the community. In the coming months WCTV will be moving to a new location and we will be looking to the community for more support . I hope you will all consider helping through donations or volunteering time as needed.

Sorry for using this forum for this request but the Board of Directors of WCTV has tried very hard not to ask the community for help in the past but this move will be costly and time consuming so we are forced to be more aggressive than we have been in the past in asking for help. I would also like to thank everyone who has helped to suport us in the past, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

We will be posting the results of todays vote on Channel 14 as soon as the Town Clerk has the official count, probably around 9-9:30.

[standish]

hodiddly said:

Standish wrote

Dear HoDiddly,
If your great victory after all the reasoned and thoughtful dialog on this board is to quote me regarding Syzygy's excesses, I have to say I think you may have missed something...

[morganika]

At the risk of sounding fresh, the only reason we are using the system set up by great men is because of the Wethersfield Taxpayers Association pushing for it.

I was one of the 1100 people who signed the petition that was discarded by the elected officials. On that day I knew exactly where I stood with this council.

I might not have decided to fight so hard against the lights and turf if I felt all along that due process was occuring. I don't know what upsets me more, the huge and ridiculous tax increases or the fact that the elected persons in this town only care about you if you agree with them.

[hodiddly]

Standish, I think it is you who is missing something...Being quoted, out of context can be not only frustrating, as it could lead others to misconstrue your viewpoint, but insulting as well when you continue to do so, because it demonstrates a propensity on your part to only hear what you want to hear, and not give credance or validity to opinions other than your own. I continued to absorb the opinions of not only poster's on this forum, but others as well, and tried my best to come to a conclusion that I felt was truly my own regarding this referendum. I am sometime's tongue in cheek, and this was one of those times (sorry for the confusion).

[standish]

Nothing in your quote of me was "out of context". I do not object. I acknowledged that Syzygy was over the top in regard to the feigned German accent and description of Lou as Hitler.

Nor, did any of my quotes of you distort your position by the elimination of essential context. I only took out those portions of your posts which did not necessitate, or relate to, my response. It's an accepted practice to do so, with ellipses to indicate gaps in text. If you believe your comments were distorted, please cite the specific examples and I'd welcome the opportunity to respond.

[hodiddly]

Maybe "out of context" is the wrong term. What I mean to say is, you only quote items which you seem to take issue with, and give no acknowledgement to statements that may make sense to others. You seem to be very literal, for example, in the "False Advertising" thread, you single out a quote regarding a RailRoad Salvage store on the Broad Street Green. I know that this is seen as a "straw man", but I felt it illustrated a point without going to the extreme of saying, oh, I dont know, that a Nazi concentration camp would be constructed on the Green. You called me "Everyman", and I took that as a compliment, believe it or not, as I try to make my point clear enough so that anyone reading this may get where I am coming from, without the statement needing to be over-analyzed to the point of nauseaum. I was not looking to make this a personal tet-a-tet between the two of us, but you kept quoting me (for which I was actually a bit flattered, I must say),an I didn't want anyone to mis-read any of my opinions by not seeing the entire quote.

[Ironrod]

In about 7 hours from now we'll find out if there is hope to save the integrity of Wethersfield and if there isn't then we have only ourselves to blame...the voice of the people will have spoken.

Morganika...thanks you for summing your feelings about why there are so many so very frustrated with this council. First, it is clear this council does not represent those with dissenting point of views. They have little tolerance to even listen to dissentors unless they are compelled to. From my personal experience, I have been shut down by our mayor publically on more than one occassion simply because he knew I was about to present a differing viewpoint. That's an effective way to dictate but no way to lead. And secondly, the lack of due process has been obscene. Every citizen should be outraged that at a time when our taxes are being increased at historic levels this council could appropriate $1.5MM without following the established rules of good governing practice to legitimize that expense. And when presented with a voice of the people in the form of a valid petition initiative to challenge this very spending initiative, they chose to ignore it. To those who support this kind of 'leadership' I say you shall get what you deserve and trust me you will. Considering how shamelessly this council bent & broke the rules over this past 18 months, imagine how much more they can get away with when the so-called rules (the zoning exemption) is on their side. Beware!

[standish]

Dear HoDiddly,
My attribution of "everyman" was in reference to your repeated description of yourself as a down-home, simple sort. You worked just a little too hard at being the easy-going simpleton, when, occasionally, you revealed a much more complex understanding of the real issues. Give yourself more credit. Below are just a few examples from your past 46 posts, to illustrate my point:
...tax paying, law abiding citizen. ...am a simple, family man who is having a hard time making a decision... As I stated previously, I am a simple man, a family man, who would like to see lights on the football field... ...have 3 kids, I am a simple person, who thinks lights on the football field are a good idea, and would enjoy seeing them in place. For the record, I am not now, nor have I ever been a member of the TC nor am I a member of the WTXA. I am a registered independant (sic), I do not vote party lines, I vote my heart and my gut. I am somewhat naive,I truly am still on the fence... Standish, I admit I am pro-light, and have been from the start... I'm a sports fan and a family man... want only what is best for my home town... my earlier postings, as I went back and read through them I realized that my opinions have not changed... I may be naive... I personally am in favor of the enhancements at Cottone Field, whether it is lights and turf or just turf.
By the way, I couldn't have quoted all 46 posts in their entirety. I hope you forgive me...

[standish]

By the way, I do understand that you were for the lights all along, but, undecided regarding the zoning exemption until recently. I also accept your self-profile, but, not the "simple" part. The voters are speaking... whatever the outcome, let's get on with our lives.

[morganika]

Well, I'm getting out of work at 5pm and when I get home my husband and I will walk up to the school and vote.

That's what's really important. Being a family and VOTING.

Whatever way you vote, JUST VOTE!

[tomterific]

Ironrod's 117PM comments about the Town Council's methods are important. I remind him (and other voters) that there's an election for Councillors coming up in less than 6 months. The last time that Councillors misbehaved badly resulted in their resounding defeat. (You can read D.Sassano into that).

[tomterific]

I would urge posters to notice the new logo that's showing up on the top of each screen of the board (Hard to See, etc.) Hmmm, there's no notice at the bottom that it's a paid ad. So, I guess it must be editorial comment by the owners of the board.

[hodiddly]

Dear Standish, Again, I am flattered by the detailed attention you have given to my postings. I don't consider myself an expert on any of the issues that we face as a community, and wish that as a community as a whole, our elected official's could spend more of their time on more important matter's than lights on the football field. I am not a simpleton, but I am a simple man. I still don't know why we could not have just voted on lighting cottone field only. I admit to voting yes on #2, but am not dissapointed on the outcome of the vote. I think the majority of townspeople would vote to light the field if that is all that was at stake on the ballot. I think we will see lights eventually. I will quote myself here "I don't want to be a town going nowhere slowly" (paraphrase) - Rocco was quoted in the Hartford Courant as saying the outcome of the vote meant that "things will stay the same". That bothered me, because I feel we should look to the future. Anyway, in the future I will try not to sound like a humbletonian, should the occasion arise to post on other issues. Thanks for the debate.