To the Editor:
A few thoughts. I was glad when I saw that work was being done on The Island Theater. I was going to leave that subject alone, but then I read this from the owner, Benjamin Hall Sr.: “We do it for the benefit of our employees and the community and also because we’ve felt some responsibility.” [Capawock Theatre to reopen; Oak Bluffs theaters may stay dark, May 22.]
Reading that made me feel like I was on the bad end of an abusive relationship. I didn’t know having rundown buildings on a major intersection of town was community-minded. Also, him saying that he hasn’t taken a paycheck from the business for 10 to 15 years is no excuse for the horrible condition they were/are in.
So, my last letter had a bunch of topics, including of course public walk-on access to Lambert’s Cove Beach, a West Tisbury town park. I took issue with the editor, Doug Cabral, again about how he perpetuates the false narrative that the Island is a community. In that same issue of that paper, Doug Cabral’s At Large [At Large: Words and stories, April 24] had this quote in it about The Boston Marathon Bombing
“Just a week we will never forget. Just live on Boston and Martha’s Vineyard. We are all one. We are one community that cares. This week, I was so hurt. But all things must pass. We are Boston and Martha’s Vineyard strong.”
The writer was Michael J. Flynn of West Tisbury. As I have said before, I have no desire to go to the beach there, but it is the principle. We are not “one community that cares,” while the general public can’t walk, cycle, or bus to Lambert’s Cove Beach.
To make these letters about the false narratives more fun, I always do it with a Sarah Palin voice, because I think she sounds dumb. The readers at home should try it now. We are one community that cares, you betcha. Another fun thought is a Jimmy Kimmel rip off. Have You Tube posts of Doug Cabral reading my letters that tear apart his Editorials and columns.
Finally I would like to ask West Tisbury resident and Presidential Medal of Freedom winner and author of several books regarding American independence, David McCullough, if he is comfortable living in a town that would deny public walk-on access to Lambert’s Cove Beach on the Fourth of July. End beach apartheid
Erik Albert
Oak Bluffs
