Opinion: ‘If I could sit high, how much greater I’d be!’

Dear Editor,

I enjoy reading the local section of the Pennysaver’s Reader’s Column; messages from what Thoreau called “The mass of (people who) lead lives of quiet desperation.” People venting their National Viewpoints portion might continue reading that same (paraphrased) passage; a “characteristic of wisdom (is) not to (write) desperate things.” 

In that vein, on a cold December night we hosted a local political “meet and greet” at our Village house on Rt. 17C. Several people from Endicott stopped by confusing this festivity with a dump Tom Reed party elsewhere in Owego. Their mood was not improved when I cheerily offered them a doggy bag for their drive back to Claudia Tenney’s district. I didn’t mention that angry Endicoot’s have, in the past, gotten their shoes dirty running from celebrations in the Town of Owego (Apalachin Summit).

The real point is dealing with local issues, people, roads, budgets, and politicians are difficult. One must research, attend meetings and reflect. One must stand up and make their voice heard.  

For every 30 experts on the vagaries of the Trump administration, there are few who can articulate the vision of our Village Mayor and Trustees to help fill the dark Front Street storefronts – formerly Anything Artistic, The Hair Color Café, The Rose Petal, and soon Sandy Rusack’s Stained Glass.  

Have those who commented on the Trump and Obama administrations read the minutes of the Village Trustees’ meetings showing the continuing fight to eliminate the OPD? The scheme to suborn the referendum saving the OPD involves a survey research instrument (poll), paid for with thousands of taxpayer dollars ($22K already). Isn’t this embracing Ms. Clinton’s certainty in her polling over the vagaries of ballots to “resist” the Village Voters? Following these issues, and imaging a new Village is a difficult challenge!

By beginning with writings from a Massachusetts pond and ending with quotes from another, although fanciful, pond, I am falling into the trap decried in this note. But when commenting on the self-importance of political aspirants and outside experts, and since we live across from Brick Pond, where an elevated structure was proposed, it seemed appropriate to use quotes from the great philosopher, Dr. Seuss, writing in Yurtle the Turtle: Describing limited political self-vision: “If I could sit high, how much greater I’d be!” but in truth “…the great Yertle, that Marvelous he, Is King of the Mud. That is all he can see.”

Sincerely,

Peter C. Gordon

Owego, N.Y.