This is just a cool, cool story, and one with a personal angle for us at the ‘Group. Lynne of Left in Lowell (and a frequent commenter here and on the other MA blogs) decided to take on Fred Phelps and the gay-hating nutjobs who went up to protest Dracut’s Englesby Intermediate School as a "fag-infested moral cesspool". Just read Frederick Clarkson’s diary on Daily Kos for the whole scoop — and good on Fred for pointing it out to the Kos community.
If I may quote Lynne from one of her comments on the thread:
I think when you get right down to it, the best course of action iswhatever the community wants to do. Because that’s what the communityis comfortable with. And at the very least, Phelps’ followers’ presencebrought together a group of people who never would have met, and linkedthem. That’s the sense I want to take out of this whole thing – we’reso isolated in our modern lives. Anything that helps us reformcommunities ultimately does good. Especially if that’s the opposite ofPhelps or his goals, whatever they are.
Can it possibly get any better than that?
Stop it you guys…my ego will get too big for my keyboard. blushThanks, and I really must emphasize again how many people brought so much to this effort. I seem to be getting a lot of attention just because I’m the one with the blog…but credit should go to those who do what they do without personal recognition.I met some amazing people this weekend. I hope to work with them again!
Great post. The one thing I will agree with in the cynical article is that we should all avoid the quick assumption that someone’s going to be our savior. But we do need to participate in the process that he’s asked us to put some time into. A real dialogue about what this state needs. And perhaps we should admit that there are hard choices to be made. Your point about the special interests cozying up to the Legislature is excellent. If the Dems are in control, why aren’t we living in a state with universal health care and a graduated income tax? I thought we were in favor of those things.At the Williams College graduation on Sunday, Tom Friedman urged students to understand the difference between SKEPTICISM and CYNICISM. The former is productive and cautious. The latter, which is practiced by most “pundits” today, is enervating and destructive.
All I could think of reading this post is that the political cynicism has caused such a disengagement that Finneran thought he could get away with very undemocratic practices, so much so, the government thinks they have a criminal case against him. That’s a sad way to be. WBUR reported about Finneran this morning, it could be 25 years and a million dollar fine if he’s convicted – so of course cynicism sets in.I like the phrase SKEPTICISM not CYNICISM. Nicely put. We should be skeptical when a candidate says XYZ – examine his stance, his record, and his engagement with the public – but cynicism is its negative cousin, and we should avoid it at all costs. Cynicism does, to a certain level, denote clinging onto a dogma about a subject, and as I posted in comments at Left Center Left, dogma baaaad…if not sometimes understandable.
I’m listening Charley
Re Finneran: my skepticism and cynicism is more towards US Attorney Sullivan then towards Finneran.I was hoping David would have a post on the Finneran matter.
Lynne, I responded to your comment over @ LCL.Troll, good to hear. It seems to me that Patrick is just doing the blindingly obvious thing: listening to people. But it often seems to elude politicians, perhaps because they’ve always got an insulating layer of pollsters and focus group-types to “interpret” people for them. So the pols might get the words right, but the music is all wrong.By the way, what’s the basis of your skepticism towards the US Attorney? I’m honestly curious.
Re Finneran: I want to read the full transcript of his testimony. But from the limited information provided in the newspapers i think Finneran admitted to conversations with people about the redistricting, meetings with people about redistricting and some limited involvement. He was then asked if he saw the final version or knew the details and he said “No”.Well the details and the final version were detailed maps of 160 rep districts in MA. Showing exactly where the lines are drawn.Did Finneran know that perhaps rep so and so was goiung to be taken care of? Yes. Did he know the details of rep smith’s new district? I strongly doubt it. He knew the details of Ruth Balsars district because he had the courtesy to inform her it was being chopped up so she would be running against another rep – i forget who -So Finneran knew the details of that one district. But again did he know the details of the redistricting plan. No. there are 160 districts. So this one charge makes me suspect. I do n ot know the particul;ars of the other charges but I will find out.I want to read the testimony. It is obvious that no one in the press has. In proving perjury charge you have to look at entire tetimony.I also do not think he was being cute. No need to be. Bill Clinton committed perjury. Finneran from what I see so far doesn’t come close.Note: If I ever becoming a multi-millionare (laugh)I want to fund a duel degree program at a uniuversity. Law degree/ journalism/Why don ‘t journalist do real reporting and cover facts. This is perfect example. Read the complete transcript
Re: above.Did Finneran know the details of Balsars district? NO. He knew she was getting whacked though, andf told her so. Big difference. And not perjury.
I know that this is terribly elitist of me, but it seems kind of dumb that this is scheduled for the same day as the Harvard commencement.
Yeah, you leftist elite Harvard type you! :)I may not make it til the noon rally; depending on my work schedule. This current project is going faster than expected, but that doesn’t mean the next one on my list will go as well.
I work during many of the events, but will try to pop over on my lunch hour.
Abby, you have no idea how elitist you sound
Abby: Well, life goes on, even when Harvard pauses for a day. :)Lynne and Chris: You are terrific for making the effort. I’m sure a lot of people will be coming and going all day, so even if you can show up for a little while, you “count”. I’ll look out for you. I’m 5’9″, 30-something and have dark eyebrows. (Yeesh, it sounds like a personal ad…)
Oh damn, I was actually wrong. I meant to go, but I had it in my head that the 8th was Thursday. I don’t know how I messed that up. Damn. Somebody should have yelled at me to say that I was wrong. It’s Wednesday (can’t be Harvard Commencement)!Ugh, my bad! I’m already signed up to collect signatures though.