Beacon Dispatch: Editorial: All Politics Are Local

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So many thoughts go through your head on a typical day in Beacon. Why are we still at war in Iraq? What happens if the price of oil goes too high? Why are school taxes going up? Is the police chief good for Beacon? Who is accountable? And none of these questions have simple answers.

Bruce Springsteen just released an album of Pete Seeger covers, and one of the songs is an Irish anti-war ballad first written in 1815. In it a son comes back from war with his two legs missing. His mother laments the loss of her son wailing:

"All foreign wars I do proclaim
Live on blood and
a mother's pain
I'd rather have my son
as he used to be
Than the King of America
And his whole Navy!"

This song is just one example of the songs that Pete Seeger continues to sing at elementary schools, river festivals, and other gatherings around Beacon.

His example has us thinking about what we can do to help solve some of the tough questions, as Seeger has done for decades. Some of us think that re-naming Riverfront Park the "Friends of Pete and Toshi Seeger Park" would help make a difference. But that’s a fool’s errand - probably the last thing Pete would want. So we started thinking, what else can we do to honor a man known for such commitment to the common good?

The answer seems obvious – appeal to our readers to do as he would do. Get involved. Carve out some time during the month to volunteer your time or services to something you feel is worthwhile here in town. Attend a city council meeting or planning board meeting, volunteer for the local community paper (we’re always looking for help), learn to sail and maintain the Woody Guthrie, come up with your own idea for something that you’d like to see in town. If all else fails -- shop local.

Regardless of the outcome of the misadventure in Iraq or the price of oil, each of us living in Beacon can get involved and help find answers to some of the questions that matter to people living in this school district and in this city. If you've had enough and want to make sure your voice is heard, these are some good places to start:

Beacon Arts Community Association

General membership meetings are held the 4th Monday of every month. Check the website for time and location: http://www.beaconarts.org/

Board of Education

Monday, May 8 – Public Hearing/Board Meeting, BHS
Tuesday, May 16 – Budget Vote/Canvass of Votes Meeting, BHS
Monday, June 5 - Board Meeting, BHS, Beacon Academy Hosting
Monday, June 19 - Board Meeting, BHS

City Council

Meets the first and third Monday of the month at 7:30pm in the Municipal Building Court Room

Master Planning Committee

Meets the first Wednesday of the month in the Police Training Room

Planning Board

Meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm in the Court Room

Recreation Commission

Meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00PM in the Conference Room of Beacon High School

Comments

There is raw sewage filling the creek behind Madam Brett house. It is Absolutely disgusting. If somebody has a contact in the public works department please inform them. The rain coming in this weekend will probably hide the problem, until it dries out again.

Posted by: resident | May 11, 2006 at 10:51 PM

Dear Resident,
I saw your post regarding the raw sewage behind the Mme. Brett house and have forwarded it to the Attractive, Clean & Safe Committee.
Hope that helps!

Posted by: Catherine Cole | May 16, 2006 at 12:03 PM