Exploiting Memorial Day

This letter is written in response to one authored by Robin Chestnut-Tangerman of Middletown Springs. In a letter which appeared in the Rutland Herald on May 31 of this year, Mr. Tangerman expressed: "I find it very offensive that one candidate (U.S. Senate candidate Rich Tennant) chooses to turn this day of memorial (Middletown Springs' May 28 Memorial Day parade) into a self-serving promotional opportunity." (All parentheses mine.) I find Mr. Tangerman's letter not "very offensive," but very amusing. It seems he is upholding a long tradition of hypocrisy that has emanated from a group of "self-serving" residents of Middletown Springs the last few years. I heard no outcry from these folks who consider themselves bastions of all things liberal when Bernie Sanders appeared, promoting himself and his causes at the annual Middletown Springs' Memorial Day parade. Where was all of Mr. Tangerman's righteous indignation then? Like so many pseudo-liberals who have infected the state of Vermont with their brand of progressive politics, Mr. Tangerman's outrage at politicans' self-promotion is reserved for those opposed to his (Mr. Tangerman's) political views. He is typical of those who champion freedom of speech until it runs contrary to their beliefs. While my politics tend more toward Mr. Sanders' rather than Mr. Tarrant's, I afford both of them the opportunity to get their message across. Mr. Tangerman also wrote that he didn't understand what "swarms of ATVs" have to do with Memorial Day parades. Probably about as much as the anti-OMYA foat Mr. Tangerman and his friends at the Middletown Historical Society paraded up South Street in the Middletown Springs Memorial Day parade a few yuears ago.

Obviously the last line in my previous post should read "a few years ago." Incidentally, I hand-delivered a letter, which contained my previous post, to the Rutland Herald's editorial office four days ago. It should be noted that my editorial--a response to one written by Mr. Tangerman--has not yet been published. I realize only four days have elapsed; however, Mr. Tangerman authored his editorial after Middletown's Memorial Day parade on May 28. That was a Sunday; Monday was a holiday. Wednesday the 31st his editorial was published. David Moats, the editorial page editor of the Rutland Herald, has shown some reluctance in the past to publish anything critical of the "pseudo-liberal" faction of folks in Middletown Springs. The last time he published one of my letters was a couple of years ago. It was only published after I phoned him and agreed to let him edit my letter. One would expect better from a Pulitzer Prizer winner.