Robert McNamara died this week at the age of 93. For those of my readers who don't know, he was Secretary of Defense in the 1960's, first for John F. Kennedy and then for Lyndon Johnson. Whatever else he might have done he will chiefly be remembered as a major architect of the Vietnam War.
In one way or another, 'Nam touched everyone who came of age in what we loosely call The Sixties. Whether you served in the military or not and, if you did, whether you were in Vetnam or elsewhere, your life was affected by the war. (This writer was in the service but did not serve in Vietnam.) And Robert McNamara, along with Lyndon Johnson and a few others, was a lightning rod for what people felt and thought about that war.
One writer calls Vietnam the "Necessary War." Why it was necessary is unclear to this writer and to many of his contemporaries who came of age at the same time. Convoluted theories have been offered as to how, if we had not pursued this war, other dire things might have happened. (You may remember Dean Rusk's "Domino Theory".) Frankly, it's ex post facto rationalization. Friends of mine who died in the war died for no good reason that's ever been offered.
While other architects of the war - Walt Rostow, McGeorge Bundy - wisely faded into obscurity, McNamara stayed in the public eye. He tried - unsuccessfully, I believe - to come to grips with the war and what it caused. I don't believe he ever truly understood the depths of misery, pain and destruction he helped to cause. Perhaps he was even seeking forgiveness.
In a little book I read some years back - SUNFLOWER was its title, as I recall - various writers debated the question of whether the Nazis could be forgiven for perpetrating the Holocaust. One writer made a compelling case for saying that other than a victim or perhaps the victim's family - or God, if you so believe - can ever forgive the perpetrator of an offense or a crime. I think the same holds true for Robert McNamara.
Whether you call him a war criminal, as some do, or a man without the courage to tell his leader that he, the leader, is wrong, it is not in our hands to forgive McNamara for the death and destruction he helped to cause, both in Vietnam and here at home. I for one will not mourn his passing.
Sadly, many others of his kind have since risen to power, pursuing the same sad, imperial policies, spreading death and destruction wherever they look. Let us hope that someday we can do without their services.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
NEW POLICY ON COMMENTS
Just about every online publication I know does not allow anonymous comments. They require you to identify yourself in some way. Of course, if you're clever, you can get around that, but it's worth the effort. If you send a Letter to the editors of the PCNR, they require identifying information as well as a way to call you back to make sure you are who you say you are.
Which brings me to my new policy on comments. I'm willing to allow comments to appear over the "Anonymous" signature, but only after you've identified yourself to me at the blog's email address: rfcs@radiofreecoldspring.com.
When you do so, please tell me who you are - no pseudonyms - and how I can reach you to verify this information. Also, please include your comment.
The identifying information will remain confidential. I will publish the comment for you and attach the "Anonymous" signature to it.
I'm doing this to protect myself and to ensure that people with an interest in the outcome of a story are not using the Anonymous ID to conceal their identity. I appreciate someone's desire for anonymity and I will honor that desire, but only after I've ensured myself that I know who you are.
John Dunn for RFCS
Which brings me to my new policy on comments. I'm willing to allow comments to appear over the "Anonymous" signature, but only after you've identified yourself to me at the blog's email address: rfcs@radiofreecoldspring.com.
When you do so, please tell me who you are - no pseudonyms - and how I can reach you to verify this information. Also, please include your comment.
The identifying information will remain confidential. I will publish the comment for you and attach the "Anonymous" signature to it.
I'm doing this to protect myself and to ensure that people with an interest in the outcome of a story are not using the Anonymous ID to conceal their identity. I appreciate someone's desire for anonymity and I will honor that desire, but only after I've ensured myself that I know who you are.
John Dunn for RFCS
Monday, July 6, 2009
THE PUTNAM COUNTY NEWS & RECORDER
When it first became known that Roger Ailes and his wife would be taking over the PCNR, people who knew about Radio Free Cold Spring urged me to write about that. My reply was that until the Ailes took over the paper there really wasn't much to say. The fact that Roger Ailes was a VP for Fox News was not something that, in my book, recommended him as a newspaper owner. But I was hardly alone in thinking that. I don't know many people who like the Fox News Network or, to be honest, even think of it as a news network. But the previous owner of the PCNR was free to sell to whom he pleased. I would wait to see what would happen.
I've waited. Here are some observations, good and bad:
First, it's been no secret for some time that Mr. Ailes has been a major contributor to the Philipstown food bank. For which he should be commended. Period. Full stop. It needs supporting, especially now. But, the question is, should this have been disclosed when the PCNR recently ran a front-page, top-of-the-fold story about a dispute between the Pantry and the Presbyterian Church? The Church houses the Pantry and, recently, started collecting a monthly charge from the Pantry. I don't know who's right and who's wrong. But the prominence given to what is really a minor dispute raises the question of whether Mr. Ailes' involvement with the pantry influenced the prominence given to the story.
Finally, religion. Here goes.
Very shortly after the new publishers were in place, the paper ran a poorly-reported and incompletely investigated story about the Chapel of our Lady of Cold Spring. The impetus behind the story was a Chapel board meeting at which the officers and trustees discussed the possibility of coming up with a short name for the Chapel, so that it's not constantly misnamed in, among other places, local newspapers. There was no intention of changing the Chapel's chartered name.
Suddenly this became big news, with extensive quotes from the pastor of Our Lady of Loretto Church, in which he displayed a nearly total ignorance of the fact that the Archdiocese of New York had very gladly deconsecrated the Chapel back in the 70's and turned it over to a local non-profit group organized specifically for the purpose of restoring the Chapel. By any measure it was a poor way for the new publishers to introduce themselves to the community. What made it worse was the simple fact that the publishers are active members of the very parish whose priest was given "pride of place" in that story.
Two or three weeks later, the same pastor had the lead letter in the Letters to the Editor section of the paper, decrying language in a press release from the Garrison Art Center, in which an artist whose work was on display at the center talked about the "myth" of the Virgin Birth. The pastor came out swinging and the editors saw fit to make sure everyone knew it. Because, as everyone around here knows, you always read the first letter. In the minds of many in the community, including members of the same parish, this was truly "much ado about nothing."
Both incidents raise the question, are the publishers allowing their religious affiliation to affect the way they select their stories and letters and the way they promote them? And if they are, do they really think no one will notice?
I hope the new publishers succeed. There are features of the new PCNR that I like and some I don't, like the physical format. This isn't New York City and we don't need this to become the New York Post North, though I'd love to see some New York Post-style headlines.
Most of all what I want to see is no hidden agenda. In a community as small and tightly-knit as this one, we all play many roles, public and private, and need to be on our guard about letting one role inappropriately influence the way we play another. This applies as forcefully to the new publishers of the PCNR as it does to any of us. If they have an interest in a story, then the story needs to be moved to the editorial page and off the front page.
I've waited. Here are some observations, good and bad:
- They appear to be reaching out to a broader audience across the county, trying to cover more stories and more communities, especially in western Putnam County, the part that the county government likes to think does not exist. (Or exists only to send the county tax revenues.) I think that's a good idea. It remains to be seen how successful that venture will be.
- More coverage means more writers and more stories. More stories and more writers means that you need more editing. Editing not only for content but also for style. The quality of the writing was never high, but it's more uneven than it used to be. The PCNR will not be on anyone's short list this year for a Pulitzer for writing.
- They now have editorials. I think it's too early to tell whether they'll establish a real editorial signature.
- They are working hard to make themselves a presence in the community. In the July 4th parade there were two vehicles carrying PCNR banners. In addition, the spud barge that was brought in so boats could dock that day carried a PCNR banner. The question is, are they simply trying to be good neighbors or are they trying to throw their weight around? I'm simply asking the question. You, my readers, need to ask it yourself.
First, it's been no secret for some time that Mr. Ailes has been a major contributor to the Philipstown food bank. For which he should be commended. Period. Full stop. It needs supporting, especially now. But, the question is, should this have been disclosed when the PCNR recently ran a front-page, top-of-the-fold story about a dispute between the Pantry and the Presbyterian Church? The Church houses the Pantry and, recently, started collecting a monthly charge from the Pantry. I don't know who's right and who's wrong. But the prominence given to what is really a minor dispute raises the question of whether Mr. Ailes' involvement with the pantry influenced the prominence given to the story.
Finally, religion. Here goes.
Very shortly after the new publishers were in place, the paper ran a poorly-reported and incompletely investigated story about the Chapel of our Lady of Cold Spring. The impetus behind the story was a Chapel board meeting at which the officers and trustees discussed the possibility of coming up with a short name for the Chapel, so that it's not constantly misnamed in, among other places, local newspapers. There was no intention of changing the Chapel's chartered name.
Suddenly this became big news, with extensive quotes from the pastor of Our Lady of Loretto Church, in which he displayed a nearly total ignorance of the fact that the Archdiocese of New York had very gladly deconsecrated the Chapel back in the 70's and turned it over to a local non-profit group organized specifically for the purpose of restoring the Chapel. By any measure it was a poor way for the new publishers to introduce themselves to the community. What made it worse was the simple fact that the publishers are active members of the very parish whose priest was given "pride of place" in that story.
Two or three weeks later, the same pastor had the lead letter in the Letters to the Editor section of the paper, decrying language in a press release from the Garrison Art Center, in which an artist whose work was on display at the center talked about the "myth" of the Virgin Birth. The pastor came out swinging and the editors saw fit to make sure everyone knew it. Because, as everyone around here knows, you always read the first letter. In the minds of many in the community, including members of the same parish, this was truly "much ado about nothing."
Both incidents raise the question, are the publishers allowing their religious affiliation to affect the way they select their stories and letters and the way they promote them? And if they are, do they really think no one will notice?
I hope the new publishers succeed. There are features of the new PCNR that I like and some I don't, like the physical format. This isn't New York City and we don't need this to become the New York Post North, though I'd love to see some New York Post-style headlines.
Most of all what I want to see is no hidden agenda. In a community as small and tightly-knit as this one, we all play many roles, public and private, and need to be on our guard about letting one role inappropriately influence the way we play another. This applies as forcefully to the new publishers of the PCNR as it does to any of us. If they have an interest in a story, then the story needs to be moved to the editorial page and off the front page.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
INDEPENDENCE DAY, 2009
This is one of the more somber Independence Day's we've celebrated in this country, given the ongoing financial crisis and the fact that the unemployment rate is beginning to push 10%. We have no idea what's going to happen and we know that in many ways we are not so independent:
Much of our debt in the hands of foreign creditors or in the hands of American bankers whose allegiance is to their transnational institutions rather than to the country whose laws shelter them. We depend heavily on foreign energy. We are gluttons for cheaply and poorly made foreign goods. And we depend heavily on media institutions whose interest is less in the news than in what I call "the spectacle", most recently Governor Mark Sanford followed hard by Michael Jackson, now followed hard by the Sarah Palin Show.
But we have a powerful tradition of independence and critical thinking which, if we can turn back to it, will help us through all this. We know what is wrong and we can, if we unite, use the institutions we have, imperfect as they are, to change the situation in this country. It won't happen today or tomorrow or the next day. It will take hard work and organizing. It will probably take saying goodbye to both the Democratic and Republican parties, flawed beyond reform, and the formation of a new third party. It will mean reeducating ourselves about the true promise of this county. It will mean both conserving all that is good about this country AND a radical look at what is wrong.
If we can do all that, then we and our children and grandchildren will be independent once more: independent of people and institutions that do not care about the "ordinary" people of this country; independent of political cant and stupid rhetoric; dependent on one another as we can be when we are at our best.
As the old union song says, "Many stones can build an arch, singly none, singly none."
Meanwhile - it is NOT raining!
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY - Here in Cold Spring, in the Hudson Valley, throughout New York State and throughout America!
Much of our debt in the hands of foreign creditors or in the hands of American bankers whose allegiance is to their transnational institutions rather than to the country whose laws shelter them. We depend heavily on foreign energy. We are gluttons for cheaply and poorly made foreign goods. And we depend heavily on media institutions whose interest is less in the news than in what I call "the spectacle", most recently Governor Mark Sanford followed hard by Michael Jackson, now followed hard by the Sarah Palin Show.
But we have a powerful tradition of independence and critical thinking which, if we can turn back to it, will help us through all this. We know what is wrong and we can, if we unite, use the institutions we have, imperfect as they are, to change the situation in this country. It won't happen today or tomorrow or the next day. It will take hard work and organizing. It will probably take saying goodbye to both the Democratic and Republican parties, flawed beyond reform, and the formation of a new third party. It will mean reeducating ourselves about the true promise of this county. It will mean both conserving all that is good about this country AND a radical look at what is wrong.
If we can do all that, then we and our children and grandchildren will be independent once more: independent of people and institutions that do not care about the "ordinary" people of this country; independent of political cant and stupid rhetoric; dependent on one another as we can be when we are at our best.
As the old union song says, "Many stones can build an arch, singly none, singly none."
Meanwhile - it is NOT raining!
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY - Here in Cold Spring, in the Hudson Valley, throughout New York State and throughout America!
Friday, July 3, 2009
COMMUNITY DAY UPDATE
Mayor Seth Gallagher sent us the following note about updated plans for visits by the Clearwater and the River Rose on Community Day, July 4th.
"We are bringing in a 30’ x 90’ “spud barge” in that attaches to the riverbed. That will be in front of the dock and a gangway will connect our dock to the barge. The Clearwater will then attach to the barge. It should work pretty well.
The River Rose is coming in from 1 to 5. They will be offering free deck tours, and then taking a short cruise. The Clearwater cruise will be in the morning around 11 am, and then they will have free deck access from 3:30 to 7:30."
"We are bringing in a 30’ x 90’ “spud barge” in that attaches to the riverbed. That will be in front of the dock and a gangway will connect our dock to the barge. The Clearwater will then attach to the barge. It should work pretty well.
The River Rose is coming in from 1 to 5. They will be offering free deck tours, and then taking a short cruise. The Clearwater cruise will be in the morning around 11 am, and then they will have free deck access from 3:30 to 7:30."
Saturday, June 27, 2009
LOOKING FOR RFCS CONTRIBUTORS
UPDATE, June 29th: A number of people who read RFCS have urged me to expand the coverage, possibly even to compete with the much-changed (and not always for the better) Putnam County News & Recorder. Competing with the PCNR really isn't what I have in mind. Running a newspaper is an exacting, time consuming, frustrating and expensive job.
But a local blog can still be informative and, more important, provide a much-needed different perspective on local news and on what this area is all about. Which is why I posted my earlier piece (below) looking for contributors. If you enjoy RFCS and if you think it's worth supporting; if you're one of those who have urged me to expand it, then here's your opportunity to put your effort where your urgings are and submit a piece or two for consideration.
As the old union song says, "Many stones can build an arch, singly none."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd like to expand the scope of Radio Free Cold Spring. My goal has been to publish three pieces a week of my own. Clearly I haven't achieved that goal, but I'm working on it.
RFCS is an avocation for me, something I love doing, but that has to be fit into a schedule full of other things. I also want to change the format, something I'm doing with a new website that isn't yet ready. (I know, I know - you've heard that before - but I just renewed my ISP subscription, so I'd better do something!)
All of which is to say that I'm looking for other folks who might be interested in contributing to RFCS. I can't pay you a penny. (I don't pay myself.) All I can do is give you an opportunity to "see your name in print". The kinds of stories I'm interested in are clearly described in the blog's header. I'll consider any - well, nearly any - proposal you might have. Clearly, I reserve the right to turn you down or, if I accept a piece, to edit it where necessary. But if I do edit it, it will be with you and it will, I hope, be done with a light hand.
So if you are interested in helping RFCS to grow, please contact me at rfcs@radiofreecoldspring.com. (You'll have to copy the email address and paste it into your email editor, 'cause Blogger doesn't let me put an email address into a piece. But that will change when we switch over.)
But a local blog can still be informative and, more important, provide a much-needed different perspective on local news and on what this area is all about. Which is why I posted my earlier piece (below) looking for contributors. If you enjoy RFCS and if you think it's worth supporting; if you're one of those who have urged me to expand it, then here's your opportunity to put your effort where your urgings are and submit a piece or two for consideration.
As the old union song says, "Many stones can build an arch, singly none."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd like to expand the scope of Radio Free Cold Spring. My goal has been to publish three pieces a week of my own. Clearly I haven't achieved that goal, but I'm working on it.
RFCS is an avocation for me, something I love doing, but that has to be fit into a schedule full of other things. I also want to change the format, something I'm doing with a new website that isn't yet ready. (I know, I know - you've heard that before - but I just renewed my ISP subscription, so I'd better do something!)
All of which is to say that I'm looking for other folks who might be interested in contributing to RFCS. I can't pay you a penny. (I don't pay myself.) All I can do is give you an opportunity to "see your name in print". The kinds of stories I'm interested in are clearly described in the blog's header. I'll consider any - well, nearly any - proposal you might have. Clearly, I reserve the right to turn you down or, if I accept a piece, to edit it where necessary. But if I do edit it, it will be with you and it will, I hope, be done with a light hand.
So if you are interested in helping RFCS to grow, please contact me at rfcs@radiofreecoldspring.com. (You'll have to copy the email address and paste it into your email editor, 'cause Blogger doesn't let me put an email address into a piece. But that will change when we switch over.)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
COLD SPRING COMMUNITY DAY, JULY 4TH
A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT ;0)
Cold Spring is combining Independence Day, the Quadricentennial celebration of Henry Hudson's sailing up the Estuary later named after him and a revival of the waterfront Community Days that we've not had for some time. There are posters throughout the village announcing it.
Two highlights of the day will be the first visit of the Clearwater to Cold Spring in many years and fireworks around 9 in the evening, to be shot off from Dockside Park. The Village Board had hoped that the Clearwater would tie up at the Village Dock, but ran into some technical issues, so she will be tying up instead at the Downey Dock near the restored Chapel of Our Lady of Cold Spring. Although the posters direct you to Clearwater's website for information about the visit and for instructions on how to reserve tickets for an evening cruise, the website itself is a bit difficult to navigate - sort of like sailing in the Hudson Highlands - so Radio Free Cold Spring is working now to figure out how to make it easier for you to thread your way. We've also suggested to both the Mayor and to the Clearwater folks that they feature this visit a little more prominently on the website.
There will be lots of other things going on that day, all well described on the posters. Most of the activity will be centered on the waterfront and vehicular access to the waterfront will be controlled, starting around 3PM that day. If you are not a resident of the waterfront area or don't have an otherwise valid reason for bringing your vehicle into the area, the police who will be manning a control point at the intersection of the railroad bridge and Market Street will turn you away. Extra parking will be provided that day, including the Metro-North Lot, a portion of the Marathon Battery site, Haldane School, Butterfield Hospital and the Municipal Lot on Fair Street. Parking on some village streets will be restricted as well and traffic flows may be changed. So please pay attention to the signs going up for that day as well as for officers and volunteers directing traffic.
If you have guests coming, urge them to come up by train. Nothing is easier than reaching Cold Spring by train and the station is within easy walking distance of everything in the Village.
Many thanks to all the folks working to organize this event.
Let's hope the monsoons are gone by then and that we can enjoy a sunny July 4th.
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