Was surprised to read a different kind of endorsement letter in this morning's Norwich Bulletin. I'm used to letters explaining why "my dog is better than your dog," in 200 words or less. This one, though, encourages people to NOT vote for one candidate in particular for reasons not articulated but intimated (innuendo is one of my favorite Italian words as well).
Between the lines, it's clear all you really need to know about the candidate is that he's NOT from here (and the letter writer most certainly is). "You may look like we do, and talk like we do-but you know what it is? You're not one of us."- Peter Gabriel (who, for the record, is ALSO not from here)
I don't know what to think when nativists make place of birth a litmus test, probably because I'm not from here, either. I have lived here for 16 years (my neighbors might add "only?" and I can understand why) so if I'm an interloper who thinks we should be more concerned with IDEAs and less so with whomever is having them (and their politics, place of birth, or hair or eye color), I hope I can be forgiven though I'm NOT seeking forgiveness.
It seems to me, the NKIN (New Kid In Norwich), the letter writer should withhold an endorsement of the candidate's parents, since they were responsible for his not being born here. Watching for all these years as homegrown, well-intentioned folks try their hand at City Council, I'm not sure why "being from here" is a virtue, trumping any and all discussion of all others. It sure doesn't seem to be much of an advantage, at least to those who live here now.
Perhaps all of us, everywhere, should start to wear labels, affixed to our shirts or blouses, like the first graders have, "I ride the #6 bus." Especially since, around here, it seems so many of us are waiting for a bus, or something, to show up and rescue us from a city we've created both by our actions and inactions.
Again, maybe the NKIN talking, we need all the help we can get. I, for one, welcome all hands to the wheel as we struggle to reinvent Norwich for ourselves and our children.
-TOB Kenny ('the other Bill')
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