Our in-depth discussion of Question Three is pushed off a week; instead, we talk about the Q 1-3 advertising we’ve seen. (Related: Seth Godin on undecided voters, the T&G editorial board on marijuana decriminalization.)
This week in Worcester, the authorities shot a moose.
Image by Duncan A.
Kevin talks about protesting the “Spirit of America” pageant (though not the spirit of America) in 2004 and 2008. Mike critiques the new Worcester Magazine feature “Two minutes with …” and skims the InCity Times. Dave and Mike are saddened by Daniel Yarnie’s arrest. Brendan considers the City Council’s proposed anti-party ordinance. Mike goes negative on the library.
The Agape Community, in the woods about 35 miles from Worcester, has been more-or-less closed for the past year, while core members and residents Suzanne Belote Shanley and Brayton Shanley have been on sabbatical (their first in decades).
River Sims moves his blog River Sims, of San Francisco’s Temenos Catholic Worker, writes the best Catholic Worker blog out there; it’s moved. This is great news, because the new blog has proper RSS feeds, etc.
508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel is Bruce Russell, Brendan Melican, and “Diamond Dave” Maciewski.
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We discuss Question One, which would eliminate the Massachusetts state income tax, and conclude it’s a bad idea. Question Two would decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, and the panel supports it. (Here’s the study Brendan mentioned on “marijuana as a gateway drug.”)
We don’t know much about Question Three.
Next topic: How much can Bruce bench?
Bruce and Mike attempt to share an anecdote about Tom Lewis.
Despite his focus on serious issues, Tom was also known for a fine sense of humor. Just after his codefendant Father Phil Berrigan was sentenced to six years in jail for his part in the Baltimore Four, the judge asked Tom if he had anything to say before sentencing. Tom said, “No, your honor.†The judge pressed him, “These are serious charges, Mr. Lewis. Don’t you have anything to say?†Tom said, “No, I’ve said all I want to in my testimony.†But, when the judge persisted, “You could be sent to jail for years Mr. Lewis, are you absolutely sure there’s nothing you want to add?†Tom began to suspect that the judge wanted to scapegoat Phil as the priest mastermind of the protest and hoped Tom would make a last minute appeal for mercy, so Tom said, “Since you press me your honor, there is one quote which is important to me.†The judge leaned forward and said, “Yes, yes.†Tom straightened up and said soberly, “You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead. That’s from Laurel and Hardy, your honor.†The furious judge gave Tom six years too.
Five Roman Catholics, arrested March 19 in connection with praying for an end to the Iraq War in the lobby of the Worcester federal building, were today found guilty of one petty offense and not guilty of another.
Magistrate Judge Timothy S. Hillman today found all five defendants guilty of failure “to comply with lawful direction of authorized individuals (U.S. Marshals)” and fined them the minimum penalty of $250.
They were not found guilty of the other petty offense, obstructing the entrance and impeding performance of duties by government employees.
The defendants in June 2008: Mike, Sandra, Ken, Scott, Roger
Three of the defendants, Michael Benedetti, Sandra McSweeney, and Roger Stanley, plan to pay the fine. Two others, Ken Hannaford-Ricardi and Scott Schaeffer-Duffy, said they could not pay the fine for reasons of conscience. There will be a hearing on their situation November 6.
One potential scenario could have city councilors taking up as soon as Tuesday a new municipal ordinance that would carve out an exemption from Mr. [Governor Deval] Patrick’s plan for Worcester police; such a move could proceed without a public hearing because it would not be the result of a recommendation from City Manager Michael V. O’Brien.
Detective Thomas G. Daly, secretary of police union local 911 and regional vice president of the New England Police Benevolent Association, expressed frustration with a recent Statehouse hearing on Mr. Patrick’s plan that he said was rigged against police. He and other Worcester officers attended, but were not able to testify.
Scott opines on the recent changes at WM and the upcoming changes at the T&G.
Mike talks about his federal “rosary trial” next week. An appropriate quotation from Nassim Nicholas Taleb: “Wear your best for your execution and stand dignified. Your last recourse against randomness is how you act — if you can’t control outcomes, you can control the elegance of your behaviour. You will always have the last word.”
The whole Dianne Williamson-Rosalie Tirella thing
I didn’t find the Dianne Williamson column that started the latest round in this feud very interesting; strange, because so many of the elements would normally appeal to me.
I re-read the column, and when I got to this phrase I found part of the problem:
. . . InCity Times, a small newspaper that purports to speak for blue-collar folks but is actually a vehicle for Ms. Tirella to practice her peculiar brand of yellow, slash-and-burn journalism . . .
This is incorrect. InCity Times is a small newspaper that speaks for blue-collar folks and a vehicle for Ms. Tirella to practice her peculiar brand of yellow, slash-and-burn journalism. And a couple of other things as well.
Williamson’s take is disappointing. Why reduce a fascinating, three-dimensional character to one?
Too often local writers do this, and it drives me crazy. They start with a complex, flavorful, spicy reality, then dilute it way down, punching it up at the last stage with cheap adulterants (in this case, personal rancor).
