POSTCARD FROM VERMONT
WHERE the monuments honor soldiers who saved the Union and ended slavery.
WHERE the political debates end decisively: “I voted for Bernie - years before you did.”
WHERE the political debates end decisively: “I voted for Bernie - years before you did.”
Aug. 17, 2017
Dear Cat,
Just a quick note from Vermont, you know Bernie Country. I think I told you where we were going. But you may have not been paying attention, as usual.
The purpose is a visit by the Nice One and the Grouchy One to Grouchy's sister, who lives in Middlebury, Vermont.
We didn’t bring you along since, as you know better than anyone, a) you yowl and make other terrible noises; and b) often puke when you ride in a car, even for short distances. Whereas, I am a perfect lady traveler, sleeping daintily in the back seat and charming people we meet in rest stops and wherever else we go.
Turns out Grouchy One’s sister is NOT grouchy, so I guess that’s not genetic.
That being said, there is one downside: Nice Sister has a cat (just kidding). He's Fozzie, who, like you and me, is a rescue. Fozzie, also like you, practically has to be dragged into a political discussion.
Dear Cat,
Just a quick note from Vermont, you know Bernie Country. I think I told you where we were going. But you may have not been paying attention, as usual.
The purpose is a visit by the Nice One and the Grouchy One to Grouchy's sister, who lives in Middlebury, Vermont.
We didn’t bring you along since, as you know better than anyone, a) you yowl and make other terrible noises; and b) often puke when you ride in a car, even for short distances. Whereas, I am a perfect lady traveler, sleeping daintily in the back seat and charming people we meet in rest stops and wherever else we go.
Turns out Grouchy One’s sister is NOT grouchy, so I guess that’s not genetic.
That being said, there is one downside: Nice Sister has a cat (just kidding). He's Fozzie, who, like you and me, is a rescue. Fozzie, also like you, practically has to be dragged into a political discussion.
FOR EXAMPLE, I tried to “engage” Fozzie in an analysis of the latest Trump outrage(s), his spreading the blame for the violence that followed a demonstration by neo-Nazis, white supremacists. racists and other thugs protesting plans to take down a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia.
 | Trump said that “many sides” prompted the violence, including the anti-racism demonstrators, one of whom was killed when a car was deliberately driven into a crowd of counter-demonstrators. “What are you talking about?” Fozzie said. I had to explain the whole thing to him – how Teleprompter Trump was forced to condemn the supremacists and neo-Nazis two days after the incident. |
Then how RealTrump resurfaced to tell reporters that he meant what he said the first time, and what’s more, that tearing down Confederate statutes would logically lead to removal of monuments to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both of them being slave holders and all.
And then how all the big business fat cats (oops, slip of the tongue) big business guys began resigning from White House business panels.
Then how Abolitionist Trump abolished the councils before everyone had a chance to jump ship.
Then how Art Critic Trump called the Confederate statues “beautiful.”
"Oh." Fozzie said.
"Oh? Just, Oh?" I said. "Don't you pay any attention to the news?"
And then how all the big business fat cats (oops, slip of the tongue) big business guys began resigning from White House business panels.
Then how Abolitionist Trump abolished the councils before everyone had a chance to jump ship.
Then how Art Critic Trump called the Confederate statues “beautiful.”
"Oh." Fozzie said.
"Oh? Just, Oh?" I said. "Don't you pay any attention to the news?"
| “Well, Phoebe, I’ve been worrying about nuclear war, what with Trump playing fast and loose with nuclear threats against North Korea. “That’s so last week, Fozzie,” I told him. “Nuclear war was last week.” "Don't get high and mighty with me, Miss Fancy Eyelashes from Rhode Island," Fozzie snapped, finally losing patience. |  |
"Nuclear war is worth going bombastic about. Remember what happened about this time 72 years ago - and you should, coming from the only state that still celebrates "Victory Day" (aka "V-J Day") as a state holiday, commemorating Japan's surrender after we dropped a couple of the big ones on them."
“And remember this about Vermont, Ms. Pretty Face: We voted for Bernie - years before you did,” he said.
“And remember this about Vermont, Ms. Pretty Face: We voted for Bernie - years before you did,” he said.
FOZZIE WENT back to sleep. Amazing how cats do that. I mean, dogs sleep; but cats SLEEP.
Later, Grouchy One and I took a walk in what purports to be “downtown” Middlebury, where there’s a big monument honoring the town's soldiers, the ones who helped defeat the Confederacy and end slavery.
But why are the Public Square monuments always about soldiers? What about our other heroes, Cat?
 | What about the poets, the thinkers, the writers, mathematicians, preachers, the environmentalists, teachers, carpenters, accountants, the party caterers? |
What about a monument to our bloggers?
Just a thought, Cat. Just a thought.
Because in an advanced state like Vermont, the idea of Demilitarized Monuments might just take root. What would Bernie say? I’ll ask Fozzie – when he wakes up.
And that, Cat, is the news from the Green Mountain state.
Sort of missing you.
Your Sort of Friend,
Phoebe
Just a thought, Cat. Just a thought.
Because in an advanced state like Vermont, the idea of Demilitarized Monuments might just take root. What would Bernie say? I’ll ask Fozzie – when he wakes up.
And that, Cat, is the news from the Green Mountain state.
Sort of missing you.
Your Sort of Friend,
Phoebe
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