Across the street in the lower level of the garage will be a somewhat informal classic car show-Child of the Sixties that I am, I love the machines.
You can get some great food, thirst quenchers of all sorts, buy a tee shirt to support the Norwich Harbor (I don't see the direct connection but was raised a Roman Catholic so I'm used to believing in things I can't see) and help out the Young Marines with a small donation.
The Downtown Farmers Market was in the Park earlier in the day with some food wagons and it's a weekly event that continues to grow an audience. I know 'I've read all this before, right here in this space.'
And, yes, you have; but while we're really good at the here and now in The Rose of New England at the risk of reconfirming my status as a resident thorn in the side, or even lower, of the local body politic, let me note in my least annoying manner that we're lousy at tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.
This November we'll have municipal elections for seven seats (including the Mayor's chair) on the City Council and for all nine members of the Board of Education. In the last two and half weeks, the Republican and Democratic Town Committees, laboring under the delusion that they run Norwich, nominated slates of very talented people for all of those positions, just not enough of them by my math.
Based on the turnout here for the previous two municipal elections, I realize I'm only talking to about 16% of all the registered city voters when I mention any aspect of this at all. And let me be clear on something: I care deeply about this city, though from space it's probably less obvious and the space between my ears is cavernous, and I am passionate about those for whom I will choose to represent me on Election Day.
However, I will never inflict those opinions on you because, like the choices you will make for yourself, they are personal, private and inappropriate to share. That will not stop two or more different folks tonight, while we're all enjoying Fat Cats, from sidling up to me or to you to offer an observation on the 'sad state' we are in, in terms of choices.
And yet if that same person had wished to seek office all they needed to do was file a petition, signed by (only) twenty-nine registered voters with the Connecticut Secretary of State by four o'clock this afternoon and they would be on the November ballot. But carping and complaining about the car stuck in the ditch, to include blaming whoever is behind the wheel, is considerably easier to do while standing on the sidewalk than when you're knee deep in the muck helping push.
So when you're listening to the performance analysis of those who did choose to offer themselves as candidates by someone who did not, ask the critic about the 26th President of the United States. Because they not only know everything but know everything better they'll realize you're speaking about Teddy Roosevelt and his speech, "Citizenship in a Republic" a/k/a "the man in the arena."
It should get very quiet after that and we'll all enjoy the music without further interruption. Would that I could say the same about the city.
-bill kenny
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