To the Editor:
A few thoughts. First off I would like to recommend that everyone read the recent multi-day editorial in The New York Times advocating the legalizing of marijuana.
Next, I didn’t miss The Monster Shark Tournament at all this year, and I’m in the hospitality business.
Next, I would like to talk about downtown Oak Bluffs, my neighborhood. It’s time for the business owners and residents to take more responsibility for our town. For example, if the flower box around a tree on Circuit Avenue is falling apart that is the town’s fault; if it’s filled with cigarette butts and litter, that is the fault of the surrounding businesses. Or if the sidewalk is chipped, that is the town’s fault; if that same sidewalk is greasy, sticky, and/or dirt, that is the adjacent business owner’s fault.
Next, presidents take vacations. Always have, always will. Please keep all letters to this forum about issues, not the fact that President Obama is on vacation. And believe it or not, he has a phone and internet while here. Also, if you are going to talk about how much money it costs for his visit, Google what we spend on nuclear weapons every year.
Next I would like to talk about the new West Tisbury library and its honorary co-chairman, David McCullough, who has also been awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom. For starters the article (July 24, “McCulloughs honored for contributions to West Tisbury library”) and Editorial (July 24, “We believe in libraries”) in last weeks Times about the new library never mentioned that the state paid for half of the cost. That is money that we all in The Commonwealth pay into. The town of West Tisbury has exclusionary policies at Lambert’s Cove Beach a town park that restricts walk on access to the general public, the same people who paid for half of the new library.
Here is a quote from Mr. McCullough from the article: “Thank you all who have helped keep this an emblem for what we believe in here in dear old, wonderful, exemplary West Tisbury.” So as a taxpayer in The Commonwealth I would like to say, “you’re welcome.” Also I would like to ask him, is West Tisbury being “exemplary” and “wonderful” by denying walk-on access to Lambert’s Cove beach to, say, a wounded Iraq war veteran? What use is having a Presidential Medal of Freedom if you won’t speak up for freedom? History will not judge your silence on this issue well, Mr. McCullough.
Erik Albert
Oak Bluffs
